156 



OROTTHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 14-No. 10 



Taking out my box I packed tlie four eggs 

 snugly away, and found that the nest was made 

 of feathers, the top of chips, and that it con- 

 tained part of a mouse for future use. 



The nest was about six inches from the hole, 

 and it may possibly have been a Flicker's old 

 nest, but I hardly think so. 



I succeeded in blowing the eggs fairly, but 

 incubation was pretty well advanced. They 

 resemble the eggs of other owls very much, 

 but are not as spherical as those of most 

 species. The measurements are as follows: 

 1.82x1.05, l.:Wxl.(t4. l.:!()xl.03, 1.25 x.lU). 



C. \V. Swidldw. 



Diinsr.al>lP. Mass. 



The Preference of the Brown-headed 



Nuthatch for a Nesting Site near 



Water. 



Mr. Davie, in his Nests ami E(/;/s of North 

 American liirds, records the finding of a nest 

 in a hole in a stump, standing in a pcmd, by 

 Mr. Noble of Savannah, Ga., but does not other- 

 wise indicate the preference of the Brown- 

 headed Nuthatch (^'/Vif'n'"^'''^') ^** **• I'i^b or 

 low localities, and this leads me to give my 

 experience, which is, that when the nesting 

 time comes, the place to look for nests is 

 along the creek banks, around the edges of 

 ponds and such places. One nest found in 

 1885 was in a fence post on a hill some 

 thirty yards above a swamp. 



Of three nests found in 1887 two were on 

 the uidands. and one in a stump standing in 

 water. 



Of five nests found in 1S8S, one was on the 

 uplands, and four in stumps standing in or 

 close to water. 



Of six nests with eggs found in 188S», three 

 were in stumps standing in water, and three 

 moi'e in stumps close to water. 



The birds also commenced to line their 

 holes in four other stubs, and to dig holes in two 

 more in 188i>, of which two stood in water and 

 four close by ; a nest with young was also found 

 in a stump in the creek, bottom standing in 

 water. 



Thus of twenty-two nesting sites whicli 

 have come under my observation, eighteen 

 stood in or near water, and four were on the 

 uplands, thus showing a great prefei'ence for 

 damp localities. Now let other Southern 

 collectors come forward and say what is the 

 Nuthatches" preference in their localities. 



('. .s'. Brlinlei/. 

 llaleio-h. X. C. 



Scraps from a Field Book. 



On windy nights or stormy days, when in- 

 door comforts contrast brightly with outside 

 hardships, then I am most fond of reviewing 

 the pages of my field notes, and in imagina- 

 tion, live over again the days there recorded. 



Though these notes are probably more in- 

 teresting to myself than to the general pub- 

 lic, I still presume to think that a few crumbs 

 collected from the richer parts might not be 

 amiss, for if two persons should go over the 

 same ground in company, their log books 

 would sliow that each liad received different 

 ideas and unlike impressions. 



I remember one Octoln^r day, of walking 

 miles in the keen sharp air, and of learning 

 many of Nature's little secrets, even though 

 there were no birds whicli 1 had not seen 

 thousands of times before. On this day the 

 Bluebirds were very numerous, in flocks of 

 from six or eight to forty or more, and some 

 of them were yet in their striped vests and 

 mottled gray and blue backs, which seem to 

 be the style ffu- summer wear among the 

 younger portion of the comnnniity, though 

 the older ones were truly gorgectns in blue 

 and chestnut, even out^rivalling their appear- 

 ance when they came among us in springtime. 

 They did not sing, but sadly piped in mono- 

 syllables, and ever in the same tone, now loud 

 and near by, and then fainter, when at a 

 greater distance, but ever clear, like the air 

 and the sky above them. To me this note is 

 always associated with (dd pastures, scraggy 

 grey fences, and turning leaves. 



In a few weeks most of them will have 

 gone south for the winter, as it is fashionable 

 for most birds to do, but a few, like the un- 

 fashionable of their human neighbors, prefer 

 to spend the season at home, for here in 

 Massachusetts hardly any winter is without 

 its few stray Bluebirds, and during some .sea- 

 sons, like the winter of 1S80-S1 and 1S82-S:J, 

 they are really plenty. In the fall these birds 

 are, if not less suspicious, more restless, and 

 do not stay in one place long at a time, but 

 when spring comes they will be confiding 

 again. Once in March I saw one perched on 

 tiie "tail" of a rattling, buzzing windmill, 

 and singing away as unconcerned as you 

 please, and I have removed the female from 

 her nest with my hand, and even then on be- 

 ing released she remained within a few feet 

 of me. 



Writing of Bluebirds reminds me of one of 

 their articles of diet which to mv knowledge 



