Wayne: Birds of South Carolina. 137 



female on nest at the same time; June 1, 1891, three eggs, small 

 embryos; May 14, 1896, four fresh eggs; May 21, 1897, four 

 slightly incubated eggs; May 16, 1898, four fresh eggs; May 11, 

 1900, four fresh eggs; and May 12, 1900, four fresh eggs. 



The nest is placed upon a horizontal branch of a tree or small 

 sapling, from four to thirty-five feet above the ground. It is 

 constructed of weeds and fine grass, lined with a peculiar species 

 of grass which is plucked when green, and which soon bleaches 

 to a yellowish color. Some nests are so frail that the eggs can 

 be seen from the ground. Three or four eggs are laid and these 

 are bluish green, speckled, spotted and blotched with lilac, cin- 

 namon, and dark brown. They measure .95X.65. Only one 

 brood is raised unless the eggs have been taken, when the birds 

 will lay again and again until a brood is brought forth. The 

 length of time consumed in constructing a new nest as well as 

 laying the full complement of eggs is eleven days. The young 

 males breed the following spring and are as persistent in singing 

 as the adult males. This species used to breed in the grounds 

 of Mr. D. C. Ebaugh, but at the present time it does not breed 

 nearer the city of Charleston than Magnolia and St. Lawrence 

 cemeteries. 



This tanager is an expert flycatcher and in this respect equals 

 many species of the Tyrannidae. 



It breeds from Florida to southern New Jersey, and winters 

 in Central and South America. 



FAMILY HIRUNDINID^: SWALLOWS. 



233. Progne subis (Linn.). Purple Martin. 



The Purple Martin, a summer resident, arrives with great reg- 

 ularity in February and I herewith mention a few dates upon 

 which the first birds have been observed, namely — February 

 28, 1891; 26, 1898; 26, 1899; 18, 1901; 28, 1902; 29, 1904; 21, 

 1906; 16, 1907. The males generally arrive first, but on Feb- 

 ruary 26, 1899, the female was noted first, and by March 7, they 

 are abundant. It sometimes happens that very severe weather 

 ensues after the birds arrive, and they are obliged to remain in 

 their boxes, but I have but once known them to die from the effects 

 of the cold. On Tuesday morning, February 14, 1899, the tem- 

 perature registered 6° above zero at Charleston, and although 

 the weather moderated greatly during the following four or five 



