80 THE WILSON QUARTERLY. 



an open orchard, on the ground, and a few four to six feet 

 up in bushes. 



Nests are made largely of dry leaves, with a lining of dry 

 grass, with a few hairs and feathers occasionally. The 

 few nests in bushes had a foundation of small twigs. 



The average set contains four eggs, often three : 

 rarely five complete a set. Mr. Strong records a nest found 

 May 28, '88, which contained one normal egg of Towhetj^ 

 and one runt, with four of Cowbird I I have often found 

 two and three eggs of Cowbird in Tovvhee's nest. 



The eggs are usually whitish, sometimes pinkish or blu- 

 ish in color, profusely and quite evenly spotted, blotched, 

 and splashed, over the entire surface, with browns of a 

 pinkish shade. Often the markings are so heavy that they 

 obscure the ground color, making the egg have a pinkish 

 appearance. In size the eggs average .06 x .72. 



Cardinalis cardin.alis. Cardinal Grosbeak. 



This is a southern bird, not reaching central Iowa, but 

 found in Ohio rather commonly as a resident. We are in- 

 debted to Messrs. Donald and Oldright for our notes, as I 

 have never taken a nest in Ohio. 



In Texas nest building begins about April 1. Mr. Don- 

 ald records the first April 8, one egg; but a nest containing 

 four young April 20. His latest is June 30, incubation 

 slight. He says two broods are raised. 



The birds place their nest in trees or bushes, usually 

 trees. Of fourteen nests found by Mr. Donald seven were 

 in oak uplands, six along prairie branches of streams, and 

 one in the city in a honeysuckle vine covering a summer 

 house. The highest was eight feet, lowest two, average 

 five. He says, ''Cardinal, as a rule, builds his nest in 

 some bushy tree or bush, generally concealed, though I 

 have found them in public places." 



"A typical nest is bulky. First, a large network of small 

 briars and other twigs ; second, the nest proper, composed 

 of the inner bark of grape vine, leaves and grass, and root 

 lets ; the grape vine bark being characteristic. The nests 

 are usually well built, but sometimes frail." 



