V ° 1 i909'^ 1 ] Roberts, Colony of Yellow-headed Blackbirds. 387 



begun since yesterday; first shallow cup, bottom and one inch of sides, wet; 

 two or three dry leaf blades already carelessly placed as part of bottom 

 lining. 19th. Complete except lining and finishing rim. 20th. Coarse 

 lining in place; a few strands about rim. 21st. Finished nest in good 

 condition. This nest is the first finished, successful effort of the bird that 

 constructed nests III, XXV, XXVI and XLIV which were failures. 22d. 

 Empty. 23d. One egg. 24th. Two eggs. 25th. Three eggs. 26th. 

 Two eggs, no sign of the other. 27th to June 2d inclusive. Two eggs, 

 bird incubating. 3d. Empty; no sign of eggs. 



Nest XLIV. May 18th. First outline of bottom cup, open lacework 

 19th to 22d. No further work, abandoned. 



Nest XLV. May 18th. A large bulky nest built since yesterday; 

 coarse lining all in. In conspicuous place and could not have been missed. 

 19th. Not visited. 20th. Completed and empty. 21st. Not visited. 

 22d. Two eggs. 23d. Three eggs. 24th. Four eggs. 25th to June 2d 

 inclusive. Four eggs. 3d. One young bird, three eggs. 4th. Empty; 

 blood spots on inside of nest. 



Nest XL VI. May 18th. First few strands of a nest, just placed. 

 19th. Loose bowl or cup-shaped bottom, ragged and imperfect; wet. 

 20th. Walls completed and lining begun. 21st. One egg; nest nearly 

 dry and firm. 22d. Empty, except two snails in nest; one piece of coarse 

 bottom lining lying loosely across inside of nest. 23d to 27th. Abandoned. 



Nest XL VII. May 19th. First framework of nest, built since yester- 

 day close by nest XXII; walls simply lacework on stems. 20th. Not 

 visited. 21st. Still working; upper parts of walls unfinished, wet and 

 black material; some coarse bottom lining being placed. 22d. A few 

 strands of fine lining. 23d. Nothing more done. 24th. One egg. 

 25th. Two eggs. 26th. Three eggs. 27th. Four eggs. 28th. Not 

 visited. 29th to June 5th inclusive. Four eggs. 6th. Not visited. 7th. 

 Empty; no sign of eggs. 



Nest XL VIII. May 19th. First beginnings of a nest since yesterday; 

 only one or two wet strands; four inches below these are other strands 

 previously securely wound around the reed-stems. 20th. Bottom and 

 walls partly constructed; wet. 21st to 26th. No further work; aban- 

 doned. 



Nest XLIX. May 19th. Seen first to-day; may have been overlooked 

 yesterday ; a large bulky nest situated low down among small reeds where 

 water is only three or four inches deep; coarse lining about all in and a 

 little fine lining; one of the largest nests seen. 20th and 21st. Empty. 

 22d. One egg. 23d. Two eggs. 24th. Three eggs. 25th. Four eggs. 

 26th to June 3d inclusive. Four eggs. 4th. One young bird, three eggs. 

 5th. Empty; no sign of nestling or eggs. 



Nest L. May 19th. Beginnings of nest since yesterday, first loose 

 strands; dry; near nest XLI. 20th and 21st. Abandoned without 

 additional work. (Apparently the bird that temporarily abandoned nest 

 XLI began this nest and then went back and completed her first effort.) 



