Wayne: Birds of South Carolina. 143 



they often abandon them and start new ones. Hence it is rare 

 to find nests which contain full complements of eggs before March 

 30. The nest is large and compact and is constructed of small 

 sticks, vines, rags, cotton, and weeds, lined with palmetto fiber, 

 hair, and occasionally a few feathers. It is generally placed in 

 very thick live oak trees or in bushes, and the height ranges from 

 seven to sixty feet above the ground. The number of eggs of 

 the first brood is generally six, of the second five and of the third 

 four, or sometimes five. They are white or greenish white, 

 speckled and spotted with olive brown and lavender, and measure 

 1.00X.78. 



Although Audubon^ quotes Dr. Bachman as saying that "this 

 species breeds twice in a season, lays four and sometimes five 

 white eggs, ' ' this statement is erroneous as the eggs are distinctly 

 spotted and the number laid is generally six, as I have pointed 

 out. 



This species feeds upon grasshoppers, crickets, small birds, and 

 mammals, and has the habit of impaling them on thorny trees 

 and barbed wire fences. One of these birds caught a Savannah 

 Sparrow and impaled it on a plum tree in my yard, but instead 

 of returning to eat it, left it to decay. The Loggerhead defends 

 its nest and young with great vigor and fearlessness and I have 

 often had the birds come within a few feet of me while I was ex- 

 amining the contents of their nests. Although the song of this 

 species is considered by most ornithologists to be harsh and unmu- 

 sical, I have heard a few individuals which sang very sweetly. 



The Loggerhead still breeds in the city of Charleston. 



FAMILY VIREONID^: VIREOS. 



241. Vireosylva olivacea (Linn.). Red-eyed Vireo. 



Although Audubon 2 says of this species, that "in South Car- 

 olina, in the neighborhood of Charleston, I have heard and seen 

 it early in the month of February, when scarce a leaf was yet 

 expanded," this statement is certainly an error, as during the 

 past twenty-five years that I have spent constantly observing 

 the arrival, departure, and habits of our local avifauna I have 

 never noted this species before the 31st of March, and this is an 

 exceptionally early date, for even in advanced seasons hke 1890, 

 the first bird was not observed until April 8. If the bird Audubon 



> Birds of America, IV, 137. « Ibid. IV. 156. 



