Bullriiji No. 27. 55 



nest a few miles from here containing three eggs. The nest was placed 

 on one of the lower limbs of a cottonwood tree just at the edge of the 

 timber which bordered on a small swamp. The nest was composed of 

 some small twigs and fine grass, and, being not over eight feet up, the 

 (Bggs were easily seen from below. 



I saw no more of these birds until the gth of May, 1893, when I saw 

 three males in one of the trees near the house. They soon flew away, 

 but one returned in a few hours and stayed near all day, evidently wait- 

 ing for his mate. The next morning I heard him singing sweetly, and, 

 looking out I soon saw that his mate had arrived. After this I saw them 

 almost every day until the 25th, when I found them starting a nest in a 

 crab-apple tree which grew not more than twenty-five feet from the 

 house. I suppose I watched them too closely for they did not continue 

 this nest long, but on the 30th went to work in a box-elder tree which 

 grew near, and removed what they had built and added a little more to it. 

 The female dicj almost all the building herself though the male usually 

 staid near. On the 4th of June the female laid her first egg and con- 

 tinued one egg each day until the set of four was complete. The birds 

 took turns sitting, though I think the male did rather more than his 

 mate. About noon on the i8th I heard the male making a strange noise, 

 and, looking up, I saw him standing on the edge of the nest. He would 

 draw himself up to his full height, then flutter his wings, and make the 

 queer squeaking noise again. He would then put his bill down into the 

 nest and seem very excited. I then climbed up to see what was pleasing 

 him so, and there in the nest I saw that one little bird was hatched and 

 another was struggling to get himself out of his shell. No wonder the 

 old bird was so delighted ! The next morning all four were out. They 

 grew quite fast and on the 28th left the nest, although they were 

 not very strong I do not blame them, for the nest was very thickly 

 covered with insects which must have been very troublesome. 



The summary would be as follows : From arrival till building began, 

 sixteen days. From time second nest began till first egg laid, five days. 

 Time of egg laying, four days. From laying last egg till hatching, 

 eleven days. From hatching till birds left nest, ten days. 



ViRGiNius H. Chase, Wady Petra, Illinois. 



A BLOOD THIRSTY BLUE JAY. 



One morning last week I heard some English Sparrows making a great 



