382 Roberts, Colony of Yellow-headed Blackbirds. [oct* 



Nest XIII. May 14th. Upper sides being built, nest wet and soggy 

 throughout; sides incomplete and with holes; a few pieces of wide reed- 

 leaves (diy) already in bottom. 15th. Coarse lining complete, very 

 little fine lining; nest at this stage not contracted at rim. 16th. Not 

 visited. 17th. Empty; in good condition. 18th. Missed. 19th. Two 

 eggs. 20th. Three eggs. 21st. Four eggs. 22d to 30th inclusive. 

 Four eggs. 31st. One young bird, three eggs. June 1st. Three young 

 birds, one egg. 2d. Four young birds. 3d. Four young birds. 4th. 

 Four young birds; one downy, one with pin-feathers just starting, one with 

 pin-feathers about one-fourth inch long and the other with pin-feathers 

 about one-half inch long. 5th. Four young birds. 6th. Not visited, 

 severe storm. 7th. Nest evidently blown loose in high wind yesterday; 

 it slipped down about six inches and turned over so that all four young 

 birds fell out; they were all in the water under the nest, dead, evidently 

 drowned ; not killed by any animal ; later they disappeared. 



Nest XIV. May 14th. Framework nearly complete, wet throughout; 

 no dry leaves inside; upper edge of walls incomplete. 15th. Walls 

 complete and part of coarse lining placed ; two pieces of latter lying across 

 top of nest ready to be placed in position. 16th. Not visited. 17th. 

 Complete and dry; a pretty nest. 18th. Same. 19th. One egg. 20th. 

 Two eggs. 21st. Three eggs. 22d. Four eggs. 23d to 31st inclusive. 

 Four eggs. June 1st. One young bird, three eggs. 2d. Three young 

 birds, one egg. 3d, 4th and 5th. Four young birds. 6th. Not visited. 

 7th. Empty; four feet of young birds left in nest. 



Nest XV. May 14th. Ready for lining; black, wet and soggy through- 

 out. 15th. Part of coarse, and few strands of fine, lining placed; drying 

 out and much lighter colored; this nest was built of very wet and black 

 material so that it was at first very conspicuous. 16th. Not visited. 

 17th. Dry and light colored. 18th. Empty; two snails in bottom of 

 nest. 19th. One egg. 20th. Two eggs. 21st. Three eggs. 22d to 

 31st inclusive. Three eggs. June 1st. One young bird, two eggs. 2d. 

 Three young birds. 3d. Three young birds. 4th. Empty; blood spots 

 on inside of nest. 



Nest XVI. May 14th. Finished; well lined; still wet in walls and 

 bottom and soft on pressure. 15th. Empty; becoming dry; no coarse 

 broad reed leaves in bottom lining as usual, strips of fine grass instead. 

 16th. Not visited. 17th. Same as on 15th. 18th. One egg. 19th. 

 Two eggs. Several large pieces of reed-tops form a fringe three inches 

 high on one side of the nest due to their being loosely woven in the rim, 

 the fine plumes waving in the breeze and forming a sort of one-sided bower; 

 the fine lining otherwise closely placed as usual. 20th. Three eggs. 21st. 

 Four eggs. 22d. Five eggs. 23d. Five eggs. 24th. Empty, no sign 

 of eggs; nest is one and one-half feet above water. 



Nest XVII. May 14th. A large nest; bottom lining in; hole in one 

 side; dry inside and below, still wet throughout walls; no fine lining. 

 15th. Apparently entirely completed. 16th. Not visited. 17 th. 



