NESTS AND EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



set of eggs he has ever taken or seen is four; the usual number, however, 

 is three, though sets of two are common; the size is about 2.50 by 1.75. 

 This winged Fisher is nearly cosmopolitan, and inhabits the entire tem- 

 perate North America, and breeds anywhere in its range. It is found 

 about inland waters, and particularly along the sea-coast. Mr. Worthing- 

 ton says they are exceedingly variable in the choice of a nesting place. 

 On Gardiner's Island they all build in trees at distances varying from ten 

 to sevent}'-five feet from the ground; on Plum Island, where a great many 

 breed, a large number place their nests 011 the grGiind, some being built up 

 to the height of four or five feet, while others are simply a few sticks ar- 

 ranged in a circle, and the eggs laid on the bare sand. On Shelter Island 

 they build on the chimneys of houses, and a pair has a nest on the cross- 

 bar of a telegraph pole. Another pair has a nest on a large rock in Gar- 

 diner's Bay, near Gardiner's Island. They are made chiefly of coarse 

 sticks and sea-weed and anything that is handy, such as pieces of dry cow- 

 dung, bones, old shoes, straw, etc. 



426. Swallow-tailed Kite — elanoides forficatus. White, greenish 

 or yellowish-white, spotted and blotched with brown and umber of varying 

 shades; in some, clustered about the large end. The markings are often 

 large and of a rich chestnut and mahogany color. A set of two eggs in 

 the collection of Mr. Norris, and mentioned by him in the " Ornithologist 

 and Oologist " for January, 1886, measure 1. 80 by 1.50, 1.88 by 1.48. 

 These were taken in Lavaca county, Texas, April 20th, 1885. There 

 seems to be a diversity of opinion in regard to the mimber of eggs laid by 

 this species. I have received several communications correcting my state- 

 ment in the first edition of this work, that the bird lays from " four to six " 

 eggs. In making this statement I followed the best authorities, Audubon and 

 Dr. Coues, and I am inclined to think they are not far wrong; but txvo 

 eggs seem to be the usual number. N. S. Goss, in the "Auk," January, 

 1855, mentions finding in Kansas four nests; three with one tg^ each; in 

 the other there were two nearly ready to hatch, and the shell of one at the 

 foot of the tree, and says: " But I have it on good authority that in the 

 near vicinity a nest with four and another with six eggs have been found." 

 Mr. J. A. Singley, of Giddings, Texas, says he has never found a nest 

 with more than two, but some of his friends say they have found as many 

 as five. Mr. Norris says he is informed by an experienced collector, who 

 has found the eggs repeatedly, that their number is always two. From 

 these observations we must conclude that this Kite oftener lays ttvo eggs, 

 occasionally three, sometimes four, five and six. The beautiful and grace- 

 ful Swallow-tailgd Kite is an abundant summer resident of the Southern 



