THE 00 LOG 1ST 



37 



the nest is not visibly improved by their with few exceptions, we may justly call 

 addition. Possibly the bird had uotioii8 ' them all so. But we are not obliged to 

 of the attractiveness which the stray bits look merely at the materials with which a 

 would impart to its nest ; or, probably, it nest is constructed to ascertain its intriii- 

 made the selection without knowing- the ma- sic beauty. We do not confine the term 

 terial. Perchance nothing else was at hand, elaboration to a new selection of material, 

 There may have been other reasons fur the ' or necessarily to an extravagantly rich 

 adoption of the substance. But as we look nuiterial, ibr even the liuest and most 

 upon the nest, normally plain, now studded approjjriate substance may lose its charm 

 with several materials, which make it more when improperly used ; — but, also to the 

 or less attra<-tive, we are inclined to call it matter iu which the substance is utilized, 

 elaborate or elaborated, even though it may , An elaborate nest, then, to apply the term 

 not necessarily equal the normal nest of ! i" its strictest meaning, '^high wrought,' 

 some other species in symmetry or beauty, mtvy be one composed of the plainest ma_ 

 The Sparrows, if we except Passer domes- '. terials, but built with labor, care and 

 </c'i(s, are not so commonly in the habit of skill. Such a nest occupies the builders 

 providing their nests with unusual materi- longest to complete, and when finished, 

 als as soms other species ; but the Robin, excites our Avonder and attention, more 

 Martin, Wren and Oriole, with whose '[ tban a shabby one, however varied and 

 modes of nesting we are all more or less fa- ' beautiful the constituents. 



miliar, not infrequently employ curious ma- i . ■««> . 



terials for their houses. We notice ev- 

 idences of odd selection of material in these 

 birds' nests oftener, not merely because we 

 are better informed in regard to their nest- 

 ing, but also because the birds have access 



General Items. 



— Makly Hardy, Esy., of Brewer, 

 Jle., sends us, in addition to some valua- 

 to a greater variety of materials than bii'ds \ 'jl« ""tes published iu our last number, 

 of Avilder localities. We should call an ' '-lie following. In substantiation of the 

 elaborate nest of Jcferus haUimora one iu ; statement that Grouse visit buildings, he 

 which were incorporated several materials ' writes that one of these birds took refuge 

 not usually employod, while at the same | »" I'is carriage house, and though both 

 time the structure retains its usual symme- ', doors were open, it did not attempt to es- 

 try and contour. Occasionally the Chip- <'""pe, but allowed itself to be caught, 

 ping Sparrow employs a greater variety of 'J^'l'^ nearest small grove is half a mile 

 substances than the grasses, rootlets and ' distant, and we are in the middle of a 

 hairs with Avhich it usually composes its pl'i^^'^ of two or three thousand inhabitants, 

 domicile. Quite frequently we admire the ^vith Bangor, a city of twenty thousand, 

 ingenuity which this or that species has dis- i j"St across the river. Last week at Old 

 played iu twining and attaching a long piece town (twelve miles above,) a Grouse was 

 of string to its nest, since we were not a- ' found sitting over the large doors in the 

 ware that it ever used such material. The ; K- & N- A. R. R., repair shop, after 

 nests of some species, however, seem ever the locomotives had backed in and gone 



to be the repository of all sorts of substanc- 

 es, and although we are surprised to notice 



out directly under it. This one also al- 

 lowed itself to be taken iu the hand. I 



some material we had not before seen, we : intended to have added in my article that 

 are still prepared to meet a new article with , only adult males drum in the fall ; have 

 some degree of expectancy. In this class never known a yearling bird to practice iu 

 of builders the Vireos are especially prom- ] the fall. We might also add that a 

 inent. Nests of this family are, in one ! ^' rouse took refuge in a saw-mill near 

 sense, not only frequently elaborate, but, j this place, and was easily made prey of 



