VOl l909' VI ] Roberts, Colony of Yellow-headed Blackbirds. 383 



Empty; dry; very little coarse lining, fine lining throughout bottom as 

 well as sides and rim. 18th. Empty; good condition. 19th. One egg. 

 20th. Two eggs. 21st. Three eggs. 22d. Three eggs. 23d. Three 

 eggs. 24th. Empty, no sign of eggs; nest about two feet above water, 

 latter only few inches deep. 



Nest XVIII. May 14th. Completed, ready for fine lining; coarse 

 lining mostly in; soft and soggy on pressure, loth. Fine lining about 

 complete; dryer and fairly firm. 18th. One egg. 19th. Two eggs. 

 20th. Three eggs. 21st. Four eggs. 22d. Four eggs. 23d. Four 

 eggs. 24th. Empty; no sign of eggs; nest about two feet above water, 

 latter about one and one-half feet deep. 



Nest XIX. May 14th. Only first strands laid. 15th. Foundation 

 and one and one-half inches of walls built, forming a broad shallow cup. 

 17th. Completed and all of broad lining in place, extending to rim; no 

 fine lining; still a little damp and soft. 18th. Empty; dry; a very little 

 fine lining. 19th. Empty. 20th. One egg. 21st. Two eggs; these 

 eggs are very unlike in appearance, representing extremes; one has a 

 dirty white ground color with lilac and umber spots, the other pale green 

 ground with less numerous spots giving it a general greenish tone. 22d 

 to 24th inclusive. Two eggs. 25th. One egg, no sign of other. 26th. 

 One egg. 27th. One egg; cold. 



Nest XX. May 14th. Walls nearly finished but still full of holes; no 

 coarse lining yet; rim of nest unformed; wet. 15th. Complete except 

 finer lining; fairly dry but still little soft. 17th. Complete and dry except 

 lacks usual fine lining at rim, strips of reed-leaves taking its place. 18th. 

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

 Four eggs. 23d to 29th inclusive. Four eggs. 30th. Three eggs, no sign 

 of fourth. 31st. Three eggs, warm. June 1st. Three eggs, warm. 2d. 

 One young bird, two eggs. 3d. One young bird, two eggs. Jjfti. Two 

 young birds, one egg; no pin-feathers showing on young birds. 5th. 

 Two young birds, one egg; pin-feathers just starting on one young bird. 

 6th. Not visited. 7th. Two young birds, one egg; pin-feathers on one 

 nestling about one half inch long, other still downy. 8th. Two young 

 birds, one egg. 9th. Empty. 



Nest XXI. May 15th. Ragged first part of framework; has been 

 built since yesterday as it is near marked nest and was not then seen; all 

 material very wet and apparently just placed. 16th. Not visited. 17th 

 to 21st. No further work; evidently abandoned. 



Nest XXII. May 15th. Completed and dry nest; evidently missed 

 on 14th; perhaps lining not quite finished, very little fine top material 

 On returning two hours later the lining in nest had been much torn up and 

 disarranged, the broad bottom strips lying across entrance to nest. Two 

 hours later lining only little disarranged. 16th. Not visited. 17th. 

 Completed and in good condition; dry and firm. 18th. Empty. 19th. 

 One egg. 20th. Missed. 21st. Three eggs. 22d. Four eggs. 23d 

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



