1^6 Stockard, Nesting Habits of Mississippi Birds. \a^ 



rather late in spring, most of them about the middle or last of April. 

 But since their brooding is such a simple process they begin laying soon 

 after their arrival. No nest whatever is made, and the eggs that I found 

 were placed on the bare ground in one case, and in three others on the 

 pine needles that happened to be scattered upon the ground near the edge 

 of thick pine woods. The pine straws showed no arrangement at all, so 

 that after the eggs were taken up one could detect no difference between 

 the spot on which they had been deposited and the surrounding straw. 

 The earliest set was found on May 3, 1902, and the latest on May 23, 

 1903. The bird in two instances left her eggs in a wounded fashion, 

 fluttering along the ground as if unable to arise and fly, evidently to call 

 the intruder's attention from her eggs, and should he watch her actions 

 very closely he finds trouble in locating the spot from which she arose, as 

 the eggs are about as difficult to detect while lying on the ground as one 

 could well imagine. In another case the bird arose and flew directly into 

 the dense wood and was not again seen. 



38. Chordeiles virginianus. Nighthawk. — This bird is known in 

 Mississippi as the ' Bull-bat' on account of the roaring noise it produces 

 while swooping with its large mouth open to capture insects. About 

 dusk during the summer months large numbers of these birds begin to 

 circle over pastures and open fields scooping insects on the dart, and at 

 this time they are foolishly slaughtered by pseudo-sportsmen who shoot 

 them merely to watch the bird's graceful fall or to improve their skill 

 as marksmen. Thus this useful insect destroyer is fast becoming less 

 abundant. 



The Nighthawk deposits its two eggs on the ground with no attempt at 

 clearing or sweeping off a place for them. The mottled color of the eggs 

 so closely resembles the earth on which they lay that there is more chance 

 than skill in seeing them. One is very fortunate to find as many as two 

 sets within the same season. The earliest set was found on May 5, 1899, 

 and the latest was taken June 2, 1902. 



39. Chaetura pelagica. Chimney SwIft. — As in most other States 

 the 'Chimney Swallow' is extremely common. After the breeding 

 season is over they may be seen in immense droves of many hundred 

 individuals circling about before going into some large unused chimney 

 for the night. The chimneys of vacant houses as well as the unused ones 

 of occupied dwellings form the familiar nesting places of these birds. 

 The many sets observed contained either four or five eggs, usually four, 

 and were taken as early in the season as May 15, and as late as June 17. 



40. Trochilus colubris. Ruby-throated Hummingbird. — This 

 beautiful little bird was common in all flower-gardens and orchards as 

 well as in the meadows and fields. Owing to the minute size of their nest 

 it is rarely found. In two cases I located vicinities in which I felt sure 

 nests were situated and then carefully watched the female for some time 

 until at last she buzzed to a limb and perched close to the nest. It seems 

 that she is apt to thus expose the presence of her home if one will 



