THE OOLOGIST 



21 



methodical habits, we are not at all 

 surprised to find that it arrives on 

 tolerably regular dates year after year. 

 My earliest record is April 28th. It 

 would be a rare occasion not to find 

 the Ovenbird in suitable haunts by 

 May 1 or 2nd. 



In 1905 they arrived April 30th and 

 on May 14th I noted two nests just 

 begun and one nest ready to be lined. 

 The earliest fresh egg laid that I have 

 recorded was deposited on May 20th. 

 Another record reads May 21st nest 

 being lined. May 27th one egg, May 

 31 one egg. June five three eggs and 

 one of the Cowbird's, June 8th four 

 eggs with one of the Cowbird's. 



Here is an illustration of the Oven 

 Bird's methodical habits for it is evi- 

 dent that she fussed around eight or 

 nine days to get the nest arranged 

 just so before depositing the first egg 

 and then probably owing to a Sunday 

 or Decoration day she had not laid 

 the second egg by the 31st. However, 

 an accommodating Cowbird had slyly 

 deposited the usual hard shell on 

 time. This particular Ovenbird was at 

 least 12 days laying four eggs. 



The nest was begun on May 17th, 

 which figures that 22 days this bird 

 occupied itself in nest building and de- 

 positing four eggs, they were perfectly 

 fresh on June 8th. The usual time 

 for fresh sets is the last week in May 

 and they also nest in considerable 

 numbers throughout the month of 

 June. Several recorded July nests 

 are of, course, second or third at- 

 tempts at nesting. 



Ruby Throated Humming Bird. 

 I had thought to present some data 

 in regard to the interval of time be- 

 tween the Ruby Throated Humming 

 Bird's arrival and the very first begin- 

 ning of its nest. But I find that the 

 years I discovered the first fragments 

 of nest construction I had no migra- 



tion dates, also vice versa, also how 

 provoking, as exasperating as the 

 Hummer is charming. 



Anyway they arrive here, I might 

 say, between May 8th and 18th. The 

 normal time being May 10 to 12. The 

 earliest recorded date of a Humming 

 Bird beginning to fabricate its dainty 

 nest was on May 29th. On June 3 

 it was unlined but June 7th there were 

 two eggs thus taking 10 days to build 

 the nest and lay two eggs. If we use 

 the above record as a basis for 

 another nest and two eggs with tiny 

 embryos, that I found on June 10, then 

 I figure that this nest was probably 

 begun on May 27th. Records of 

 another Hummer nest indicate that 

 this would be fairly accurate. 



Several times I have found un- 

 finished nests with one egg and up to 

 time of laying the second egg, no 

 decoration of lichens and spider webs 

 would be added to the nest. 



Clarence F. Stone, 

 Branchport, N. Y. 



The Meadow Lark. 



By W. W. Johnson, Pittsfield, Maine. 

 The Meadow Lark is a comparative- 

 ly new resident in Maine. In 1882, in 

 his "Catalogue of Birds Found in the 

 Vicinity of Portland, Maine," Mr. 

 Nathan C. Brown gives this bird as 

 a rare summer resident. Dates of ar- 

 rival and departure then given were 

 April 22 and Nov. 3. This is the first 

 record of the Meadow Lark I find for 

 this state. I first noted its occurrence 

 in this locality May 13, 1892, and next 

 noted Sept. 23, 1892. The earliest 

 date of their arrival in the spring I 

 have is April 9, 1894, the day being a 

 cold blustery one with the wind north- 

 east and snowing. I have no definite 

 date of their departure; it is the last 

 of October or the first of November, 

 depending on the weather. The 

 Meadow Lark is still with us at this 



