Sept., 1S82.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



155 



1, 1881, while collecting in this marsh 

 with Mr. S. F. Rathbun, of this ])lace. I 

 quote a <lesi-riptioii of three from six 

 foiiiul to illiistriite different modes of 

 bmldiiijSj. No. 1. on the <^'rouiid. well 

 raised from mud and water hv the broad, 

 middle portion of the old tiap piled cross- 

 wise to tbe height of eighteen inches. 

 No. 2, three feet above the water, in the 

 shape of a platform, after the manner of 

 the Least Bitterns. No. 3, live and one- 

 half feet from the water bj' weavmg the tops 

 of the flags together so compactly as to 

 prevent swaying in the wind. 



So far as my observations of the breed- 

 ing haliits of the Florida Gallinule ex- 

 tend, I am inclined to believe they natu 

 rally prefer the ground on which to build, 

 as there seems to be the majority of nests : 

 and when they select a site towards the 

 water, they build a nest high, in propor- 

 tion as the depth of the water increases. 

 Now, if this holds good as a rule, what is 

 the cause of this variation in building ? — 

 Frank S. Wright, Auburn, N. Y. 



Barred Owl's Nests. — -We have seen four 

 nests since our residence in Norwich, and 

 as they all vary we will try and describe 

 them. No. 1 was in a very large, healthy, 

 chestnut. The nest was in a rent or slit 

 in the side of the tree, about thirty feet 

 from the ground. This hole was about 

 three feet high by not over six inches wide. 

 The nest was level with the entrance. 

 When we visited it in company with Mr. 

 Brand, the old bii-d was on the nest, which 

 contained two fresh eggs. There was 

 snow at the nest's entrance as well as on 

 the ground. Mr. Brand has taken eggs 

 from this nest for seventeen years. No. 2 

 was entirely different. It was also in a hol- 

 low in the top of a chestnut tree, not over 

 twenty feet high and easy to get at. The 

 hollow place has evidently been burned at 

 some time to drive out squirrels. This 

 nest was in tlie stub or top of the tree, 

 which had been blown off and was ojjeu 

 and the nest or cavity was alxnit the size 



of half a Hour barrel. The female was on 

 the nest and left at our approach. She 

 was remarkably large and a beautiful spec- 

 imen. The nest at this time contained a 

 hen's egg, which had been placed there 

 when the owl's egg had been removed. 

 This nest has l)een taken for many years 

 by " J. M. W." No. 3 was in a large 

 chestnut about fifty feet high and was the 

 nest of a Red-tail or Red-shouldered 

 Hawk, and in nowise different fi'om what 

 a Hawk usually builds. This p'air has 

 been robbed for years by '• J. M. W," but 

 not in the same nest or even same piece of 

 wood. No. 4 was in the crotch of a but- 

 ternut tree, about twenty-five feet high. 

 This ca^aty was half hole and half shelf, 

 so that when the bird was on the nest she 

 could be seen from the ground. This was 

 not occupied the season we saw it, but " J. 

 M. "\V. " has taken many sets from this jiair. 



Piping Plo\'er. — If any of our readers 

 reside in localities where this Plover 

 breeds plentifully, we should be glad to 

 hear from them with notes on its breeding 



habits. 



♦ 



Field Sp.^rrow. — The first nests of this 

 bii-d will be fomid in old fields or by the 

 roadsides in tufts of dry grass, some- 

 times in low cedars not over one or two 

 feet from the ground. As vegetation 

 commences, they build in blackberry 

 bushes or other deciduous shrul>s abo\e 

 the level of the ground. 



Hummer's Nest and Eggs. — We are in- 

 debted to Fred Corey, Santa Paula, Cal., 

 for a nest and two eggs of the Anna Hum- 

 ming Bird, which are on the drooping 

 branch of an almond tree. The nest is J 

 deep by ^ wide, Iniilt entirely of a cot- 

 tony substance from flowers all of one 

 color, and it is a perfect gem of a nest, 

 and the eggs are prepared in a manner 

 suggestive of steady nerve. It is a 

 •■ thing of beauty," and if not a joy for- 

 ever it certainly ^\-ill be while it lasts. 

 Thank you, Mr. Core\-. 



