88 



Till-: riXH SISKIN. 



As to distance fnun llic .t,Miiiiii<l. it may vary from fuiir to a luindrcd feet. 

 The latter is the hmit of investifjation. hut tliere is no particidar reason to 

 suppose they tlo not f^u liif^her. Most of tlie nests are jilaced at from eight 

 to twenty feet uj) 



The materials used in construction are dead fir-twigs, weed-stalks, strips 

 of cedar-hark, mosses of several sorts, grass, fir, hair, itiant downs, etc. The 

 interior may he carefully lined with fine rootlets, fur, horse-hair, feathers, 

 altho there is great variation hoth in material and workmanship Some 

 nests appear little better than those of Chipping Sparrows; while the l)est 

 cannot certainly he distinguished ( without the eggs) from the elegant crea- 

 tions of the .\uduhon 

 Warhler. One nest found 

 near Tacoma in .\pril, 

 190^1. was allowed to pass 

 for two weeks as that 

 of a Western ('.olden- 

 crowned Kinglet: it was 

 huilt in characteristic 

 Kinglet fashi> n. chiclly of 

 moss, and was lashed 

 m i d w a y of drooping 

 twigs fi>ur inches to one 

 side and Ixrlow the main 

 stem of the sustaining 

 hranch. near its end. 



The eggs are three or 

 four in numlier, tho sets 

 of one and two are not 

 some seasons. 

 They are a very pale 

 hluish green in color, with di ts, blotches, streaks, and occasional marbling, 

 of ri'fous and hnnvn, cliielly aliout the larger end. They vary considerably 

 in size and shai)e. running from subspherical Xo a slender ovate. Measure- 

 ments of average eggs are .68 x .48 inches. 



Incubation lasts about twelve days, and the young are ready to tly in 

 as many more. The brood does not remain li>ng in a family group but joins 

 the roving clan as soon as possible. We susjiect, therefi>re, that the Siskin 

 raises but one brixKl in a season; and she undoubtedly heaves a sigh of 

 relief when she may again dou her evening gown, and rejoin "society." 



^> 



'W' 



Takrn in Tacoma. Photo by tht Author. rare 



NEST .Wn ECr.S OK PINi; SISKIN. 



