THE OOLOGIST 



55 



solutely ill Missouri until 1883, by which 

 time it is hoped they will become sufficient- 

 ly numerous to be protected under the 

 general law, which must be changed for 

 that purpose. 



Nesting of Nashville Warbler. — 



(^IleliiuntliopIuKja llvfieap'dla,) 



BY B. J. PECKIIAM. 



In the collecting season of '77, I noticed 

 this Warbler several times by its pecul- 

 iar song. Although it was a well-known 

 species to me, and notwithstanding I made 

 diligent search, yet I failed to discover its 

 nesting, until the next year. I expected 

 to discover it nesting in trees or in low 

 bushes, and looked in such places for it. 

 Judge of my surprise and I may add fool- 

 ishness, when the locality was discovered. 

 Previous to this I had found a nest, under 

 a low red cedar, whose branches lie flat on 

 the ground, all complete ; but for some 

 I'eason the owner never occupied it. I saw 

 before me one of these " Savans " — the 

 name given them by farmers — and thought 

 I would look under it. As I lay flat on 

 my face and raised the lower limbs from 

 the ground, a small bird instantly jumped 

 up from a nest, remained motionless a 

 moment, and then ran out quickly, taking 

 to wing as soon as it w^jis clear from the 

 tree. I recognized the bird as it stood 

 that instant by its nest to be the same 

 species I had before noticed. The nest 

 was rather loosely built, as if the secluded 

 situation and the covering that the cedar 

 afforded was sufficient. Fine black roots 

 composed the outside layer ; then came a 

 few beach leaves with a scattering of grass, 

 wliicli seemed to be utilized for the pur- 

 pose of holding the leaves in place. A few 

 brown cedar leaves were found, which 

 looked to me as if they had rattled from 

 above into the nest. Eggs, four ; in the 

 first stages of incubation. Color, a milk 

 white, with reddish-brown markings that 

 resembled freckles, interspersed with lilac 

 specks ; the marks were more numerous 



in this set at the large end. Measure- 

 ments were .62x.50, .62x.49, .60x.49, 

 .61x.51. Now, knowing where to look 

 for them, I secured two sets in '78. Both 

 of these nests were more elaborate in con- 

 struction and were built by the same pair, 

 I think, as June 12th I removed the first 

 nest from a large hole from which a stone 

 had been taken. July 19th, I found the 

 second nest in the same stone hole, some 

 four feet distant from the first. The fe- 

 male of this last set I shot for perfect 

 identification. The nests last mentioned 

 resembled some of those Selurus auroca- 

 pillus^ being sunk into the side of the bank. 

 They were composed entirely of grass or 

 weeds, with a binding of the upper edge 

 with Avire grass. Eggs, four and two re- 

 spectively, but more thickly spotted than 

 the first mentioned. The absence of the 

 lavender points is a noticable feature. I 

 have retained two sets in my collection 

 for the purpose of showing the absence of 

 the lavender. Average of the six eggs 

 taken in 1880, .59x.50. 



Huron Scoter. — {okUmio Bimac- 

 ulatci) . 



I lately had occasion to read " Frank 

 Forrester's American Game," and from it 

 I think learned the name of a nondescript 

 Duck I shot last fall. As near as could 

 be traced it was a Velvet Z>uck ; it differ- 

 ed from the description in several particu- 

 lars, notably in one, viz : that its flesh is 

 oily and strong ; in fact, its flesh was far 

 superior to Mallard, Black or Teal Duck ; 

 I am now quite certain of its being a 

 Winter Duck ( O. Bhnaculata) as de- 

 scribed by 'Forrester.' Has any one ever 

 shot it as far south as this, or in this state? 

 It diffigrs slightly from the description, but 

 more in measurement than color. I may 

 be again wrong, but can any of your read- 

 ers suggest the right name. The bird I 

 have was killed October 11th, 1879, on 

 Saratoga Lake, and was alone. 



Guy C . Rich. 



