456 



Williams, Birds of Leon County, Fla. loct 



LOct. 



rests upon a set of eggs taken several years ago bj one of the numerous 

 juvenile &^^ collectors in Tallahassee. I saw the eggs then and com- 

 mented upon their very small size and expressed the belief that they 

 could not be those of carolinensis. I am confirmed in my conviction that 

 the set was one of this species. I have never seen the bird nor heard its 

 notes. 



72. Chordeiles virginianus. Nighthawk. — Common summer resi- 

 dent, though its nest is not frequently found. I have never taken its 

 eggs. During the spring it is retiring and seldom seen, but later in the 

 season it begins to emerge from its seclusion and in large numbers scours 

 the air from 5 o'clock till after nightfall. Often seen early in the morn- 

 ing by those of more energetic habits than the writer. This bird fur- 

 nishes sport for those persons devoted to the gun and enormous numbers 

 have been slaughtered annually for years past. While they are primarily 

 shot for ' sport, ' their flesh is held in high regard, and I can testify to 

 their delightful flavor while I deprecate the sacrifice. As would be ex- 

 pected, they have greatly decreased in nuinbers in the last five years. 

 Public sentiment has not yet stamped its disapproval on this worse than 

 useless destruction. 



73. Chaetura pelagica. Chimney Swift. — Common summer resident. 

 Arrives about March 28. Records for arrival for three years are : 1901, 

 March 26 ; 1902, March 27 ; 1903, March 28. They remain long after the 

 bulk of summer residents have gone. Of late years they have suffered 

 reverses in procuring available nesting sites on account of their own bad 

 manners. I have known of some costly carpets almost wholly ruined by 

 them. After the nesting season they collect in enormous numbers every 

 evening, circle over and dive into certain attractive chimneys, loosen the 

 soot in their fluttering and precipitate the black matter into the room 

 below. The result is apparent. This has necessitated the resort to wire 

 netting over the tops of most of our chimneys and the birds must soon 

 return to their ancient custom of nesting in old trees or abandon our 

 county. I deprecate the day when such a cheerful little visitor must 

 avaunt. 



74. Trochilus colubris. Ruby-throated Hummingbird. — A sum- 

 mer resident, very retiring during the nesting time. Have onlv one 

 record of its nest and eggs. 



75. Tyrannus tyrannus. Kingbird. — Common summer resident, 

 arriving about April i ; gregarious during late summer and very silent. 

 Records of arrival for four years are : 1900, March 27 ; 1901, March 25 ; 

 1902, March 30; 1903, April 3. 



76. Myiarchus crinitus. Crested Flycatcher. — Common summer 

 resident, arriving about April i. Records of arrival for three years are; 



1901, March 31 ; 1902. March 30 ; 1903, April 4. 



77. Sayornis phcebe. Phcebe. — Common winter resident. Found 

 them common October 11, 1901, and they were still present March 25, 



1902. Never occurs in summer. 



