212 



THE OOLOGIST. 



borders on a lower piece oi laud. Mr 

 Jerome Tromblj'^ of Monroe county in- , 

 forms me that a favorite selection is . 

 among a lot of shoots of the spice bush 

 which support it at the sides. 



The eggs are given at from four to 

 six, but in this state five seems to be the 

 regulation set, while only four are 

 sometimes found. So far as my exper- 

 ience goes they are alwaj'^s crystal white 

 dotted with reddish at the larger end; 

 the fine dots often forming a ring. The 

 averages given of dimensions are usual- 

 ly larger than those 1 have met with 

 and I am quite certain that the eggs of 

 this Warbler are smaller than the eggs 

 of any other of the family with which I 

 have had experience. 



While I cannot assert that these 

 birds breed in colonies, still it is pos- 

 sible that this is the case. In partial 

 substantiation of this I would record 

 the discovei-y of three nests within an 

 area of less than an acre, and it will be 

 seen by observing ornithologists that 

 several males are found in the same 

 neighborhood generally . 



Like several other species of Warb- 

 lers this bird is not constant to a neigh- 

 borhood year after year. I know of 

 localities where birds have been found 

 two successive seasons but this is un- 

 usual I believe. 



When we consider the localities 

 chosen, it is not strange that the species 

 varies its abocie, as the new lands and 

 clearings often undergo great changes 

 within a twelve month.- Specimens are 

 sometimes taken in abundance in a 

 neighborhood where suitable ground is 

 to be found, and the following season 

 not a bird or nest is to be seen any- 

 where in the locality. 



The Gold-wing evidently prefers low 

 sections of land, and aijpears most at 

 home in quarters where deep woods 

 border marshy tracts. I have yet to 

 meet with the birds in very high and 

 dry localities, although they are some- 

 times seea in elevated swampy spots. 



I have never found the birds in oak 

 openings, hickory lands or sandy soil. 



After the nesting period has passed 

 the males are silent and but little is to 

 be learned about them. I know noth- 

 ing as to the date of departure of this 

 bird which is one of the mosc beautiful 

 of our thirty-eight species of Michigan 

 Warblers. 



ScoLO Pax. 



Observations on Birds- 

 Mr. S. R. Ingersoll in the Ornithol- 

 ogist and OoLOGiST of May, 1893, 

 gives the information that twentv-six 

 nests of fourteen species of birds were 

 to be found Mithin three hundred feet 

 of his house. These nests all contained 

 eggs or young, but he fails to state the 

 situation of his home -otherwise than 

 that "it is in the midst of an apple or- 

 chard" and he does not say whether 

 the nests were all to be found at one 

 time or during the season. If this item 

 refers to a particular date, or even 

 month, it is remarkable, if the boundary 

 of three hundred feet' is exactly measur- 

 ed; but if the nests of several seasons, 

 or even one full year are intended, the 

 item loses its interest. Mr. Ingersoll 

 also fails to give his residence, a point 

 which should never be omitted. 



In July '93, Mr. O. Widmanu of Mis- 

 souri, and whose home is at Old Or- 

 chard, I believe, presented a still more 

 surpi'ising list, giving the names of 

 thirtj'-two species of birds which Avere 

 found breeding within the same limits 

 from his house. And these birds occu- 

 pied (55) nests, not to mention the many 

 nests of the European Tree Sparrow, 

 and ignoring the Cowbii-d which was 

 also-present as an uninvited guest. 



It would indeed be charming to visit 

 Mr. Widmann in his enchanting retreat 

 and listen to the bird chorus which 

 must constantly regale him with varied 

 carols for at least three months of the 

 year. It is very pleasing to know that 



