during the early spring (i8g6), lying well within the limits of the village. 

 It lies within a stone's throw of the pumping station and one of the 

 principal streets, and can be seen from about twenty dwelling houses. 

 In spite of its exposed position and the lateness of its completion, at least 

 five species of ducks visited it. Two pairs each of Redhead and Pin- 

 tail were seen on April 4. Five male Buffleheads spent the greater part 

 of the day of April 12 on the pond, and the same day and in company 

 with them, a solitary Pied-billed Grebe and one male Lesser Scaup. 

 Lesser Scaups were seen on the 14th, 22d, and 24th. The last date four 

 males and five females. On April 12, two American Mergansers visited 

 the pond. 



A Forced Partnership. — A pair of Robins had made their nest on 

 the horizontal branch of an evergreen tree which stood near a dwell- 

 ing house, and the four young had hatched when a pair of English 

 Sparrows selected the same part of the same branch for their nest. When 

 the Robins refused to vacate their nest, the Sparrows proceeded to build 

 theirs upon the outside of the Robin's nest. To this the Robins made 

 no objection, so both families lived and thrived together on the same 

 branch, with nests touching. The young of both species developed 

 normally, and in due time left their nest. The branch bearing both nests 

 is now preserved in the college museum. 



Enterprising House Wrens. — A pair of House Wrens which had been 

 in the habit of nesting in buildings, discovered a hole in the window 

 screen of our neighbor's house, entered the kitchen through this hole, 

 and took possession of a tin steamer which had not been in use for some 

 days. With their characteristic enterprise, the steamer was soon nearly 

 full of sticks. When deprived of this nesting place, they moved to 

 a knot hole in the outside of the house. — Lynds Jones, Obcrh'n, Ohio. 



The Bronzed Grackle. — A Change of Nestitig Sites. — On the second 

 day of May an old apple orchard was explored for its nests. Besides the 

 nests of English Sparrows, House Wrens, and Mourning Doves, seven- 

 teen Bronzed Grackles' nests were found, almost all in the same position 

 and nearly every one containing four eggs. The birds were quiet about 

 their work. It is a new move for these birds to occupy this orchard. 

 Last year they were found in a grove of evergreens not far away, but 

 none in this orchard. Now the evergreen grove is deserted in favor of 

 the orchard. The conditions prevailing in previous years do not seem to 

 have changed, and no cause can be assigned sufficient to account for this 

 change of nesting sites. — H. C. Tracy, Obejliti, Ohio. 



