THE OOIjOOIST 



189 



cream-colored mare, with white eyes 

 and white mane and tail, this is a rare 

 type of a horse. I have owned and 

 known some thirty odd cream colored 

 horses but only one of this type, con- 

 sequently I spent a deal of my spare 

 moments petting this little mare, and 

 being quite near the Swallow's nest, 

 and also interested in it. I closely ob- 

 served the progress the birds made in 

 building until one cold blustery day 

 when the nest was nearly completed. 

 It became necessary to close the back 

 horse stable door, thereupon the birds 

 were compelled to desert it but began 

 another in the cow stable at once. This 

 nest being directly over me at milking 

 time I also had an opportunity to 

 watch it, especially as there were 

 three hungry, lazy, tough, well fed cats 

 also tenants of this barn; every thing 

 progressed lovely till the nest was 

 all ready for the eggs, when one night 

 as I entered the cov,- stable, I heard an 

 angry growl, I knew instantly what 

 that meant and seizing a club that 

 stood handy 1 went after the cat. I 

 tliought the bird still alive, as 1 could 

 .lust make out the bird in the semi- 

 darkness, I soon routed the cat and 

 chased him out but could not get the 

 bird. Well, of course that broke up 

 this pair, either the male got a mate 

 or another pair started another nest 

 in the cow stable, which was also de- 

 serted because of the closing of a door. 

 About this time a pair built a nest in 

 the hog house, as I was especially not 

 interested in this filthy department of 

 the farm, I lost track of this pair and 

 their home until one day in Septem- 

 lier, I overheard the farmer tell his 

 wife that the little bird that had a 

 nest in the hog house was clinging to 

 its nest, head down, stone dead. I 

 investigated and found the female just 

 in the position he had said, with wings 

 outspread, truly stone dead, but why 

 was she there, a closer look showed 



me two strong white (white mind you) 

 horse hairs looped about one knee 

 had held her prisoner until death came 

 by starvation or fright. Not one pair 

 of birds succeeded in raising their 

 young on this farm so far as I know. 

 It seemed to be the fate of all these 

 Swallows to fail. 



George vos Burgh. 



Breeding of the Kingbird at Wasaga 

 Beach, Collingwood, Ont. 



1. .June 16, 1914. Nest built on 

 top of last year's nest, on dead stump 

 4 feet above water, 3 eggs (advanced.) 



2. June 16, 1914. Nest on horizon- 

 tal limb of apple tree 12 feet up. .3 

 fresh eggs (complete setting). 



3. June 17, 1914. Nest on dead 

 stump 2 feet above water, 4 fresh eggs. 



4. June 19, 1914. Nest 6 feet up in 

 bush, 3 eggs (advanced). 



5. June 21, 1914. Nest 2 feet above 

 water in grapevine tangle, 1 white egg, 

 nest deserted. 



6. June 21. 1914. Nest 2 feet 

 above water on bush, 3 fresh eggs 

 (complete setting). 



7. June 21, 1914. Nest 1 foot 

 aijove water in bush, 3 fresh eggs 

 (complete setting). 



8. June 27, 1914. Nest 20 feet up 

 on horizontal branch of spruce, 3 pure 

 white eggs. 



9. June 27, 1914. Nest 10 feet up 

 on horizontal branch of apple tree, 2 

 eggs (advanced). 



10. Jnue 28, 1914. Nest 71/2 feet 

 up in grapevine tangle, 4 fresh eggs 

 slate blue, with blackish spots at large 

 ends. 



11. July 11, 1914. Nest 4 feet 

 above water, 2 eggs long and narrow 

 with purplish blotches at large end. 



12. July 12, 1914. Nest 5 feet 

 above water in grapevine tangle, 3 

 fresh eggs (complete setting). 



13. July 17, 1914. Nest 3 feet 

 above water in bush, 3 fresh eggs 

 (complete setting). 



