265 



THE OOLOQIST 



what like this came under my obser- 

 vation on August 4, 1911. 



While visiting a friend a few miles 

 iiorth of here we found, in a dry 

 swamp in the woods na indigo bunt- 

 ing's nest. It was placed in a small 

 elderberry bush about nine inches 

 from the ground, and contained 

 three fresh eggs. The male was sing- 

 ing from the top of a dtjad oak nearby 

 and we flushed the female from the 

 nest. We collected the nest and eggs, 

 and on the way home my friend, who 

 was carrying the nest, complained of 

 ants on his arm, but we thought little 

 of it. When we ar; vou home we 

 set the nest on the book case while 

 blowing the eggs. Upon our return 

 we found small black ants pouring 

 from it. On my frienig house is a 

 large tin drain about two feet wide; 

 here we put the nest and set .^ire tu 

 it. The ants came oat o.*! the nest 

 in swarms and each carried an egg. 

 The only way I couli account for 

 this is, that there was a herd of plant 

 lice on this bush and i ney wer j mak- 

 ing their home in the nest. 



Colin C. Saubovn 

 Highland Park, Ills. 



The last two or three days the 

 crows have been flying «ast by the 

 hundreds. On Marcn llih, JJth and 

 and 13th, of last year, tliey fievv in the 

 same direction. 1 ha/e been wonder- 

 ing if you or any of the readers of 

 the Oologist could t'iU me vhy they 

 do this every year. 



Nornia;i Flauliain. 

 Port Hope, Ontario. 



In volume 28, number II, of the 

 Oologist, there is an article (page 176) 

 by Mr. Lyon, of lUiuois, on erouiul 

 doves breeding in conHnemont In 

 this article, he makes the statement 

 that he saw "four eggs in the nest." 



I have watched ground doves for ten 

 years, and in that time have investi- 

 gated scores of nests, but never have 

 I found four, or even three eggs. 

 Without exception, Lwo only, is the 

 number. Perhaps it is a typograph- 

 ical error. Or, perhaiJ:^, in conline 

 ment, the doves would lay four eggs. 

 Anyhow I would like to hear from 

 others on this point, and particularly 

 Mr. Lyon, himself, through this 

 paper. 



R. .1. Longstreef. 

 De Land, Florida. 



Goldfinches. 



In this locality, the Goldfinches have 

 for years built their nests almost ex- 

 clusively in young maple trees. 



One Sundajr last July, during the 

 height of the nesting season for this 

 bird, I went for a walk through a grove 

 which has always been a favorite 

 breeding place. I was much surprised 

 to find but a single nest of the spe- 

 cies. The birds seemed to be just as 

 numerous as heretofore and I could 

 not account for the scarcity of nests. 



On the following Sunday, accompan- 

 ied by a friend, we made another thor- 

 ough investigation of the grove, but 

 the result was the same as before. 

 Passing on to a clearing, a short dis- 

 tance beyond, the mystery was soon 

 solved. 



This clearing, from which the tim- 

 ber had been cut a few years previous- 

 ly, was overgrown with bushes of var- 

 ious kinds, and a new growth of oak 

 and bass-wood. 



Here the "Wild Canaries" had taken 

 up their residence, and many nests 

 were found, mostly in the young 

 growth of oak. 



In the maples, the nests were usual- 

 ly from eight to twelve feet up, while 

 here they were from three to six feet. 



Chas. W. Pelton. 

 Marshfield. Wisconsin. 



