^°'i9if ^^] General Notes. 545 



far the most common of all. Evidently breeding all through the mountains 

 at the head of Cranberry, Greenbrier and Cheat Rivers. 



Chaetura pelagica. — A curious nesting habit of the Chimney Swift 

 was observed at the foot of Kennison Mountain, Pocahontas Count}', at 

 the lower end of Cranberry Glades. A woodsman told us that these birds 

 sometimes nest among the rocks and in abandoned lumbermen's shanties. 

 \Miile we found no nests among the rocks, we did find several nests in an old 

 house which the lumbermen had used some years before. This particular 

 building had been used as a blacksmith's shop. The nests were glued to the 

 boards on the wall in the attic of the building. The presence of quite a 

 number of these birds in the vicinity of these old lumber camps seemed to 

 indicate that this is a common mode of nest-building in these mountain 

 regions. 



Nuttallornis borealis. — Four or five pairs of Olive-sided Flycatchers 

 were observed in the region round about the glades. The males kept con- 

 stantly in the highest tree-tops. On account of the date and the actions 

 of the birds we concluded that they were soon to begin nest-building, though 

 no nests were found. 



Empidonax trailli alnorum. — Several Alder Flycatchers were heard 

 and seen in the dense alder thickets among the glades. The males were 

 uttering their characteristic notes. Several old nests were found in the 

 alder bushes, but no nests of this year. A fine male was taken on June 3t 

 The measurements of this specimen were as follows — Length, 5.58; 

 wing, 2.90; Tarsus, .77; tail, 2.30; bill from nostril, .34. The greatly 

 enlarged testes of this specimen indicate that the nesting season was just 

 about to begin. 



Empidonax minimus. — The Least Flycatcher was found in great 

 abundance throughout all the mountain region about the head-waters of 

 the rivers mentioned above. Three nests were found, each with four white 

 eggs. 



Corvus corax principalis.— On three different occasions a flock of four 

 Northern Ravens was observed flying over the mountains in the region 

 about the Cranberry Glades. On the fourth of June we were on the top of 

 Black Mountain, about 4,600 feet above sea level, and the four Ravens came 

 down in an open field near bj'. One Raven was observed on the Shaver's 

 Fork of Cheat a few days later. 



Chondestes grammacus grammacus. — On May 15, 1914, a nest of 

 the Lark Sparrow was found bj- Maurice G. Brooks at Frenchton, West 

 Virginia. The nest contained four fresh eggs. Because of some disturb- 

 ance the birds left the nest and the eggs were collected (only thi-ee of them 

 being preserved), and are now in the collection of Orr R. King. The meas- 

 urements of these eggs are as follows — ■ No. 1, .72X.59; No. 2, .73X.60; 

 No. 3, .77X.61. 



Peucsea aestivalis bachmani. A nest of the Bachman's Sparrow was 

 found near French Creek, \\'e.st Virginia b}' Paul Cutright in Juh', 1913. 

 One infertile egg was left in the nest after the j'oung birds had flown. 



