Vol^XXXlj Simmons, The Louisiana Clapper Rail. 373 



marshes were carefully searched, no nests were found until the 

 15th of that month. The first eggs were found in the nests on the 

 next trip, April 26 (1912), one nest containing four and another 

 five. So that the first egg must have been laid about the 20th of 



April. 



These two sets were later destroyed by some small mammal 

 before they were complete and Mr. Pope did not have an oppor- 

 tunity to learn at what date the birds first began setting. 



For the first brood, fresh eggs were found in the nests up to 

 the middle of May. The first young were observed on the 26th 

 of that month, already out of the nest and running around, though 

 evidently newly hatched. 



The first egg at Houston was noted on April 17, but that was 

 unusual, for the dates in that vicinity are practically the same as 

 those at Bolivar. One nest of eggs at Houston was pipped and 

 hatching on May 27, while still another nest had already yielded 

 its quota of young by the 31st of that month. No second broods 

 were noted at either Houston or on Bolivar Peninsula. 



On Harbor Island nests were found on the 15th of April, and the 

 first eggs were noted on the 20th. When Dr. Carroll made his 

 visit to the marsh on June 17, 1909, the birds had just started on 

 their second nesting; nests with both full and incomplete sets 

 were found. Mr. Farley says that he thinks the birds sometimes 

 lay a third set, as he has found eggs as late as the last of August. 



Nesting Data — My best descriptions of the nests of this bird 

 are contained in my journal for May 27, 1912, and I quote as 

 follows : 



"I entered the Red-wing colony about 10:00 A. M. and began a 

 search for nests of the birds which I usually found breeding there. 

 The ground was cracked and hard, the marsh being no longer a 

 marsh, and the vegetation was burned brownish buff by the hot 

 summer sun. The two small clumps of persimmon trees at either 

 end of the marsh were the only groups of timber for miles, and 

 offered the only shade to be found. The thermometer was ranging 

 about 89° and I wondered how marsh-loving birds like the Red- 

 wings could stand the heat and lack of water. 



"While beating around in the tall grass near the center of the 

 marsh I nearly stepped on what I at first took to be a nest of 



