NESTING HABITS OF BIRDS. 155 



stubs or decayed tops of trees in which to nest, usually 

 excavating these cavities themselves. Occasionally the 

 yellow hammer {Colaptes auratus) will appropriate a 

 knot hole in an apple tree for the purpose ; but he and the 

 red-headed woodpecker (Erythrocephalus melanerpes) are 

 partial to living trees with decayed tops. To these they 

 often return year after year, only clearing out the old 

 cavity each year. 



The swimmers nearly all make their nests on the 

 ground, and generally near the water ; there are excep- 

 tions, and among them notably the wood duck {Aix 

 sponsa) which often hatches its young in a hollow stub 

 or tree, sometimes fifty feet or more from the ground. 



The American gold finches {Splnus tristls) are very 

 partial to the maple, and probably two-thirds of 'all 

 their nests are placed in this favorite tree. The}^ next 

 show a preference for the peach, birch, and wild cheriy. 

 Mr. Co well tells me that two small maples by the road 

 side each contained three new nests of these birds. 

 Probably the young of last year returned with the old 

 birds, and so kept near one another. No doubt the 

 3^oung of former years often return in company with 

 the parents and build in the nearest available place. 



A pair of phebe birds placed their nest on an iron 

 rod running through some beams over a barn floor. 

 The following year two couples built on the same rod, 

 and the summer succeeding there were three nests in a 

 row, and all occupied ; as these birds are not gregarious, 

 it is reasonable to suppose that they only obeyed the 

 patriarchal instinct in keeping the family together. 



