388 Erichsen, Birds of Liberty County, Ga. UuXy 



20. Icterus spurius. Orchard Oriole. — Two nests of the Orchard 

 Oriole were noted, both placed in shade trees bordering a roadside, an 

 environment to which this species appears to be almost wholly restricted. 

 The first nest, found May 31, contained five well fledged young. On 

 June 4, I located another containing four fresh eggs, undoubtedly a second 

 laying. Both nests were placed in the apex of small sweet gums, at heights 

 of nine and thirteen feet respectively, and were composed of blades of 

 different species of grass woven in when green, but which had faded very 

 much. Thistle-down constituted the linings, with the exception of a few 

 fine hair-like rootlets. 



21. Megaquiscalus major major. Boat-tailed Grackle. — This 

 is a characteristic bird of the salt marshes, breeding in large colonies. On 

 May 9 I examined upwards of seventy-five of their nests in the tall marsh 

 bordering the numerous hammocks and islands north of St. Catherine's 

 island. Many nests contained young, but the majority held eggs. Several 

 of the sets were incomplete, but in no case were more than three eggs or 

 young noted in any nest, which number appears to be the full complement. 

 The nests were composed of the blades and stalks of the marsh grass. Mud 

 is largely used in their construction also, which upon hardening renders 

 the nests almost indestructible by the elements, some retaining their 

 original shape and solidity after being exposed for two or three years. 



22. Pipilo erythrophthalmus alleni. White-eyed Towhee. — 

 Although not uncommon in the county, the White-eyed Tovvhees are 

 very secretive in their nesting habits, often building their nests on or near 

 the ground, and when so placed are very difficult to locate. On May 20 

 I discovered a pair of these birds building in some dense undergrowth 

 bordering the tram road about a mile distant from Allenhurst. I with- 

 drew a short distance to watch them at their work, in order to learn more 

 of their nesting habits, but although I remained quiet and almost con- 

 cealed for nearly half an hour, neither one of the birds returned to the 

 nest while I remained in the neighborhood. On June 1 this nest contained 

 three eggs. Continuing to search in the vicinity, I succeeded in finding 

 another, containing three pipped eggs. Both nests were placed twelve 

 inches above the ground in gall-berry bushes, and were composed almost 

 entirely of weed stalks and long dry grass blades, the latter material pre- 

 dominating, and lined with rootlets and grass stems. 



23. Cardinalis cardinalis cardinalis. Cardinal. — This fine bird 

 is abundantly distributed over the county, nesting in equal abundance 

 in all of the many and varied environments which the county has to offer. 

 As attesting the wide diversity in character of woodland frequented by 

 this species, particularly during the nesting season, I will state that I 

 noted their nests far in the interior of almost impenetrable swamps; in 

 willows growing in water in rice fields, and in high open woods of mixed 

 coniferous and deciduous growth, as well as in bushy pastures and among 

 trees and undergrowth bordering roadsides. April 26 is the earliest date 

 on 4 which b noted fresh eggs. ^ Well fledged young were noted in the nest 



