THE OOLOGIST. 



245 



horse hair, it contained three eggs, 

 ■which were light blue spotted mostly at 

 the larger end with brown and black. 

 They measured .87x.59. 



The Rose-breasted Grosbeak {Habiit 

 ludovieiand) is rather common here al'- 

 riviug by the I'^tli of May and leaving 

 by September. I found two nests of 

 this species here this year; the fii*st was 

 found May 3lst, it was fourteen feet up 

 in a basswood tree and contained four 

 eggs, which Avere light greenish blue, 

 spotted and clouded with l)laek and 

 lavender, an.l measured .SSx.aO, .94x.G9, 

 .94x.(;'J, .91X.66 The nest w'as compos- 

 ed of weed stalks and flower stems lin- 

 ed with tine weed stalks. The second 

 nest was found June 4th, it was seven 

 and one-half feet up in a little birch 

 tree and contained two eggs; the first 

 egg was the usual color except for a 

 thick wreath of brown all around the 

 large end, the second was the same only 

 instead of a w^'eath the whole of the 

 larger end was brown. The eggs 

 measured 1.x. 69, 1.x. 66. The nest was 

 made of weed stalks and small twigs, 

 lined Avith tine w'eed stalks. The nests 

 are always built near Avater and aie 

 usually quite shallow. 



The American Goldfinch [Spinus Iris- 

 lis) is one of our common birds and 

 may be seen the Avhole year round. I 

 have noticed young b'wds of this species 

 here in Se])teraber, that could hardly 

 tiy, and once I found a deserted nest in 

 a pear tree, but the larger part of them 

 go farther north to breed. 



The Chaw'mkiPijiilor erythropthalvias) 

 is quite common here, ai'riving al)Out 

 the first Aveek in May and departing in 

 October. They breed undoubtedly and 

 I have been told of nests lieiiig fcnind 

 here but I have never found any my- 

 self. 



The Field SparroAv(-Spuc//rt p?/.st7/a) is 

 rather common here, arriving by the 

 last Aveek in May and remaining 

 through the summer. I found but one 

 nest of this species here; it Avas in a 



large tield covered with brake, in going 

 through it one day a Field Sparrow flcAv 

 from under my feet, upon looking 

 down I discovered, under the top of a 

 fallen brake the nest, containing four 

 eggs, Avhich Avere Avhite spotted Avith 

 red and lavender. It is pleasant at 

 mid day, Avhen most birds are silent, to 

 hear from his pei'ch on a small bush or 

 perhaps a telegraph Avire, the sharp, 

 descending trill of the male, Avhile the 

 female patiently sets on her eggs. 



The 'following are those which I have 

 observed only as migranis or occasional 

 visitors. 



The Pine Fineli [Sj^innff pinus) occurs 

 only in small numbers, in fall or Avin- 

 ter, and often with a flock of Chicka- 

 dees. Their only note seems to be a 

 Avirey see-see see-see, the first note being 

 the longest and the Avhole being given 

 quite fast. 



Avanna Sparrow [Passer cuius savanna). 

 I haA'e seen but one of this species here. 

 It Avas the fifth of Maj', this year, and 

 the l)ird Avas in eomi)an_y Avith a large 

 flock of White-throated SparroAVS.- 



White-throated SparroAv [Zonotricha 

 alhicoUs) these birds are A'ery common 

 here during the migrations. They take 

 from the last of April to the second 

 Aveek of May for their passage north 

 and return in September and October. 

 Tree Sparrow (Spizclla montana) this 

 bird occurs only as a Avinter visitor. I 

 have often noticed large flocks around 

 a marshy spot near here, Avhere they 

 feed on the seeds of the long gra.ss that 

 groAvs there. Their song is a subdued 

 warble reseml)ling very much the song 

 of the Bobolink. 



Slate-colored Juneo (Ju7ico hycmaUs) 

 these l)irds appear liere by the middle 

 of April on their passage north, Avhich 

 takes about three weeks, and return 

 about the first of October. 



White-crowned SparroAV (Zonotricha 

 Irncophrys). I have but one record of 

 this si)ecies seen bj' me on the second 

 day of May, tiiis year, in company Avith 

 a flock of White-throated Sjjarrows. 



