30 



THE OOLOGIST. 



were roljlx'd several tiiiics Ijy ra.seally 

 boys. 



On July 4th, I lieard tlie Inril had 

 made a third nest, and had laid four 

 eggs. I A isired it tlie next day and 

 found it to ('(lutain two eggs and one 

 young bird. The ne.st in this case ex- 

 aetly resembled the first. 



During all this time neither the boys 

 nor myself saw any bird near the nest, 

 so I am not positive as to the identifica- 

 tion being correct, but I think they 

 could be nothing els(! except white eggs 

 of the Blue Bird, which I think is not 

 likely, as the eggs are smaller, and 

 Blue Birds usually stay near their nest 

 when it contains eggs. 



J. C. Galloway, 

 Hamilton Co., Ohio. 



Evening Grosbeak. 



1 found a Hock of about fifty in along 

 bushy swale, through which a small 

 creek flowed. When first discovered 

 many were on the ground; although the 

 greater number Avere engaged in de- 

 vouring the red berries that grew plen- 

 tifully on the bushes. On my approach 

 those on the ground flew into the trees 

 tittering an alarm like an exagerated 

 note of the cherry bird. I was very 

 much surprised to tlnd none but femal- 

 es; not a male in sigiit, although I hunt- 

 ed the valley through. 



Next day on returning to the same 

 place I found another flock, slightly less 

 in numbers than the one seen on the 

 previous day, but consisting entirely of 

 males old and young. Determined to 

 sift the matter to the bottom I hunted 

 the Avh(de country over and at last in a 

 patch of Avoods I discovered the rec- 

 reant troop of females. I heard one 

 bird sing; he started out Avith a thin 

 quavering Avarble, suddenly increasing 

 jn poAver and as suddenly bringing up 

 as though out of l))-eath. These are not 

 .such cold Aveathei- l)irds as has gener- 

 ally been supi)ose(l. 



1 have seen small bands in this coun- 

 ty as late as May 13th. 



This bird seems to be the licight of 

 stupidity, the indifterence it manifests 

 Avhen its companions are shot doAvn, its 

 slow movements and meditative posture 

 give the false idea of its intellectual 

 powers. Take them Avhen they are 

 unaware of your presence and they 

 form a lively, pleasant party, bu.sily 

 searching for food. 



Stewakt E. WnrrK' 

 Kent Co., Mich. 



Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and. Tufted 

 Tit in Belmont Coiinty, Ohio. 



May ITth. Found seven nests of 

 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Took tAvo sets 

 of four. Visited the remaining nest in 

 ten da^s and found two contained sets 

 of four and the others four j'oung each. 



This is the first time I have taken 

 eggs of this species and I believe the 

 first time they haA'e been taken in this 

 county. 



The nest of these birds is a beajitiful 

 structure, composed of the red catkins 

 of the willow and covered Avith star 

 shaped lichens, fastened to the next by 

 means of spiders web. The cavity, 

 in Avhich the eggs Avere placed, was 

 lined Avith thistle doAvn and vegetable 

 fibre. These birds are not particidar 

 about the site of there nests. I found 

 them in beech and maple trees and as 

 high up as fifty feet and found one nest 

 in an apple tree ten feet from the 

 ground. The nests Avere ahvays placed 

 on small dead branches near the tops 

 of the trees; I believe four is the usual 

 number of eggs in a set in this locality. 



May '2\\d. Took a set of six Tufted 

 Tit. Nest placed in a natural cavity of 

 an apple tree one foot from the ground 

 composed of a mass of grass and leaves, 

 lined with hair and snake skin. On 

 May 1st of '88, I took the fii'st eggs of 

 this species ever collected ii\ this local- 

 ity. I took three sets of five, six and 

 seven eggs. Is not seven an unusual 

 number? Nests of this species ahvaj's 

 contain pieces of snake skins. 



Fred Jones. 



