284 Stockard, Nesting Habits of Mississippi Birds. \_fuU 



other ingredients being feathers, cotton, wool, and fibers. Most sets 

 contained five eggs but six were not uncommon, and Mr. R. P. Gillespie 

 took a set in Oktibbeha County that contained nine, — these are now in a 

 collection at the State Agricultural College. Most eggs were found 

 during the month of April, and after the first of May nearly all nests 

 contained young. 



80. Polioptila caerulea. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. — Although this 

 bird was often seen in most woods only two of its nests were found. 

 The nests were composed of sycamore fuzz and other plant down, some 

 hair, and small feathers as lining, while the outer part was almost com- 

 pletely covered with lichens so as to resemble very closely a mossy tree 

 knot. The first nest was taken May 16, 1897, from an old honey locust 

 tree near the edge of a wood. The second nest was found May 9, 1902, in 

 another locust tree which was located in a small grove seventy yards 

 from a college dormitory. Both sets contained four eggs. 



81. Turdus mustelinus. Wood Thrush. — This handsome thrush 

 was found rather abundantly in most low woodlands as well as in the 

 yards of the towns. The nests were found placed on horizontal 

 branches, often a considerable distance from the tree trunk. The outer 

 wall of the nest was composed of sticks and leaves, which were plastered 

 inside with a heavy layer of mud, the mud was then covered with fine 

 fibrous roots as a nest lining, but these were often so thinly laid on that 

 the mud was visible over almost the entire nest floor. Some sets had 

 three eggs and others four. May 4. 1900, was the earliest set date and 

 May 27, 1897, was the latest; most sets were taken about May 10. 



82. Merula migratoria. American Robix. — I have never observed 

 this bird in Mississippi during the breeding season, though a collector 

 in the northern part of the State once showed me a set of four Robin's 

 eggs that he claimed to have collected in the county that year. 



83. Sialia sialis Bluebird. — Bluebirds were found nesting in many 

 kinds of cavities ; the strangest nesting site observed was the hollow iron 

 coupling of a flat car which stood for many weeks on a side track. The 

 old style link and pin couple had a long hollow iron neck and back ; in 

 this neck a Bluebird had built its nest and deposited a set of five eggs. 

 These birds lay several sets during the season if their eggs are taken 

 away, and will often complete the set if the eggs are removed one by one. 

 Sets of pure white eggs were observed on two occasions. On March 29, 

 1902, the earliest sets were taken and June 3, 1896, was the latest, this 

 being a second set of the season. The number of eggs laid was either 

 four or five. 



The notes recorded above, with those which appeared under a 

 similar title in the April number of this journal, may be conven- 

 iently summarized in the table below. The full meaning of the 

 columns is to be understood as follows : The number refers to 



