Birds Observed Near Minco 59 



on its breeding grounds. Two were seen near Minco May 26 and 

 an adult male was taken near Leal on May 31. This bird is in 

 full plumage save for a crescent of carrot red on the upper breast. 

 The wing of this specimen (No. 1182, Coll. A. W.) measures 93.0 

 mm., the tail 72.0 mm. 



48. Progne sitbis subis (Linnaeus). — Purple Martin. 



Two or three pairs of Purple Martins were nesting in bird house.«* 

 in Minco. They were seen May 23 and daily thereafter. 



49. Hiriindo erythrogastra (Boddaert). — Barn Swallow. 

 One individual was seen near Minco May 29. 



50. Stelgidopteryx serripennis (Audubon). — Rough-winged Swal- 



low. 

 Two were seen at a nesting hole in a railroad cut near Minco 

 on May 28. Others were observed near Leal on May 31. 



51. Laniiis liidovicianus excicMtorides Swainson. — White-rumped 



Shrike. 

 White-rumped Shrikes were rare in this region at this time. One 

 was seen on May 24, another on May 26, and single birds were ob- 

 served later. As no specimens were secured these birds are re- 

 ferred arbitraily to L. I. excubitorides. 



52. Vireosylva gilva gilva (Vieillot). — Warbling Vireo. 

 Warbling Vireos were seen on May 26 and May 29. None were 



taken. I thought that they were breeding. 



53. Vireo belli belli Audubon. — ^Bell's Vireo. 



Common; breeding. Bell's Vireos were found everywhere in 

 thickets and many came into the yards of Minco. Plum thickets 

 on the upland prairies furnished dense cover for them, and in these 

 places it was almost impossible to get sight of the birds. In town 

 I heard their harsh emphatic songs constantly during the many 

 hours passed in preparing specimens. All attempts at transcrib- 

 ing the song on paper were failures and it is necessary to hear 

 the notes at first hand in order to appreciate them. Though harsh 

 the song was not unpleasing and its oddity in inflection and phrase 

 did not become monotonous, though repetition was incessant. One 

 nest found was swung from a crotch in an apple tree four feet from 

 the ground. It was made of strippings from weathered weeds, bits 

 of paper and cotton and was lined with fine grass and horsehair. It 

 was small in diameter and rather deep. On May 31 this nest con- 

 tained three eggs of the Vireo and one of a Cowbird, all fresh. On 

 May 26 another nest made of fine grass and weeds and lined 

 with fine grass was found in a plum thicket near the South Cana- 

 dian River. This nest hung from a crotch one and one-half feet 

 from the ground. Externally it was covered with cobwebs. It 

 contained three Vireo's eggs and one of a Cowbird. All were fresh. 



