THE OOLOGIST 



223 



set. One was the normal size of this 

 bird's egg, one was about the size of 

 a Downy Woodpecker's egg and the 

 last was as large as a Robin's egg. 

 This last one was very fresh and the 

 shell was so thin and soft that it broke 

 ■when I was removing it from the nest. 

 The other two which I now have were 

 more advanced in incubation. 



After reading Mr. J. B. Jackey's and 

 A. C. Harlow's articles on elevated 

 nests of the Towhee, I should like to 

 give my experience in regard to such 

 nests. In the last four years I have 

 examined ten Towhee nests, five of 

 which were placed at elevations of 

 from one to six feet. All of these ele- 

 vated nests were found in July and 

 August and were no doubt second sets. 

 The ones found in the spring were all 

 on the ground. The two nests found 

 by Mr. Harlow were on June 26 and 

 August 7, both late. I think that in 

 the spring when there is no thick 

 under brush the birds nest on the 

 ground, but that when they come to 

 raise the second brood the under brush 

 is thicker and the nests are placed at 

 an elevation. 



Colin Campbell Sanborn. 

 Highland Park, 111. 



It is not unusual to find runt or un- 

 dersized eggs — one or more of them in 

 Woodpeckers nests. — Editor. 



Unhatched Cowbird's Eggs. 



The finding of unhatched Cowbird's 

 eggs in nests containing young birds 

 of the nest owner is of rare occur- 

 rence, and Bendire in his monograph 

 on the Cowbird mentions this fact. 

 Instances of this kind, however, have 

 been recorded and I have found un- 

 hatched Cowbird's eggs in several 

 nests as follows: 



In June 18th, 1909, at Andalusia, 

 Bucks County, Pa., I found an infer- 

 tile Cowbird's egg in a Yellow Warb- 

 ler's nest containing two half-grown 



and also two infertile eggs of the own- 

 er. On the same day and ai the same 

 place I found an addled Cowbird's 

 egg in a Yellow Warbler's nest con- 

 taining an infertile egg of the owner. 



On June 17th, 1910, at Holmesburg, 

 Philadelphia, Pa., I found a Cowbird's 

 egg with a dead one-third formed em- 

 bryo in a Red-eyed Vireo's nest con- 

 taining two small naked young of the 

 owner. 



As is well known, in most cases, 

 the Cowbird's egg is usually the first 

 one to hatch out in a nest, but the 

 above three cases the eggs failed to 

 incubate. 



Richard F. Miller. 



A New Contributor. 



A few days ago on the way home 

 from my oflice I was waylaid by a nine 

 year old subscriber, who stated he 

 saw in the November issue that we 

 needed copy; and handed us the fol- 

 lowing contribution (which is here 

 reproduced verbatim) and another, 

 with the statement, "Here are a couple 

 of stories for your paper." 



Genius must bud before it blooms, 

 and must make a beginning some- 

 where and some time! — Editor. 



The Red Bird. 



In the summer I found a Red Bird's 

 nest in the orchard which contained 

 three fresh eggs. On July 7th my broth- 

 er busted the eggs. The other day I 

 found the nest on the ground. I put 

 it in a small apple tree and I am go- 

 ing to keep it. And my brother got a 

 whipping for it. 



Harrison .lay Green. 

 Lacon, 111. 



Don't Be a Game Hog. 

 One i)arty murdered one hundred 

 forty ducks on the opening day of the 

 hunting season, yet if an oologist col- 

 lected one hundred forty eggs of any 



