26 Hess, Breeding Birds of Central Illinois. [jan 



resident. Nests earliest of our grovind birds. Is often incubating sur- 

 rounded by the snows of a late winter storm. After a good snow fall in 

 March, the only dark spots showing on the wliite meadows are apt to be 

 nests with setting Praticolas. First nests are placed in closely cropped 

 pastures, sunken even with the surface and, woven solidly, are able to with- 

 stand the fierce March winds. The June nests are placed at the hills of 

 com and so loosely constructed that one as a whole could not be lifted 

 from the ground. Earliest nesting, 3 eggs, March 15, 1898; latest, 4 eggs, 

 July 6, 189G. Have found nests with fresh eggs on the widely separated 

 dates, March 15, March 31, April 10, April 30, May 26, June 6, June 18, 

 and July 6. 



37. Cyanocitta cristata. Blue Jay. — Abundant resident of the woods, 

 village, and country orchards. Earliest nesting, 5 eggs, May 6, 1900; 

 latest, 5 eggs. June 29, 1907. 



38. Corvus brachyrhynchos. Crow. — Abundant resident. So num- 

 erous that 197 were killed in one day last December by two men. Nests in 

 timber, farm orchards, hedges and in evergreens of the village cemeterj\ 

 Earliest nesting, 5 eggs, April 2, 1899; latest, 6 eggs. May 11, 1899. Our 

 Crows are developing into chicken and egg robbers far more exasperating 

 than the Hawks. 



39. Molothrus ater. — Cowbird. — Abundant .summer resident. I even 

 find them imposing on the Yellow-throats in the swampy places. Have 

 repeatedly found as many eggs belonging to the rightful owner lying on 

 the ground under the nest as I have found Cowbird eggs in the nest. This 

 has con\'inced me that every Cowbird egg deposited is at the expense of 

 one songbird's egg. In several instances I have found the nesting bird 

 incubating notliing but Cowbird's eggs. One Scarlet Tanager was cover- 

 ing four eggs of the Cowbird, while an Ovenbird was extremely anxious 

 when I discovered her nest which contained seven eggs of she Cowbird 

 and none of her own. Earliest eggs found May 10 ; latest, July 18. 



40. Agelaius phoeniceus. Red-winged Blackbird. — Common sum- 

 mer resident. Arrives March 17 to April 1. In 1904 the arrival date 

 was February 29, which I regard as abnormal. Earliest nesting, 4 eggs, 

 May 16, 1905; latest, July 17, 1898, 4 eggs. I once found a nest in a 

 wild cherry tree within ten feet of a farm residence. It was one half mile 

 from open water. (Description in Davies's 'Nests and Eggs.) Later nests 

 are common in dry timothy fields in late July. 



41. Sturnella magna. Meadowlark. — Abundant summer resident. 

 Arrives March 2 to 11. Earliest nesting, 5 eggs, May 9, 1899; latest, 

 4 eggs, July 17, 1898. 



42. Icterus spurius. Orchard Oriole. — Common summer resident. 

 Arrive May 2 to 12. Earliest nesting, 4 eggs, May 18, 1896; latest, 4 

 young, July 4, 1900. 



43. Icterus galbula. Baltimore Oriole. — Common summer resident. 

 Arrives regularly April 22 to 29. Earliest nesting, 5 eggs, May 31, 1898; 

 latest, 5 eggs, June 20, 1904. 



