iSSS.] General Xotes. 



119 



Thinking the birds might have selected the place for their nesting I 

 visited it several times, usually finding at least one of the birds about, 

 and sometimes getting within arm's length of both of them. On June 23, 

 just after a blustering snowstorm, I went to the place and found the 

 upper part of the knot-hole drifted in with snow, and the birds absent. 

 Cutting open the hole, which had evidently been enlarged somewhat bv 

 one of the smaller Woodpeckers, and was about ten inches deep, there 

 lay six eggs on a thin matting of rabbit's hair. The eggs are white, all 

 distinctly marked with pale reddish brown spots, quite numerous and 

 more or less confluent about the larger end, and gradually diminishing 

 in numbers toward the smaller. The largest egg measures 17.^ X 12. 

 mm., the smallest 16. X 12. mm. On comparison with four eggs of P. 

 atricapillns sepienfrional/s, obtained on the North Foik of the Mussel- 

 shell River, they prove considerably more elongated, with slightly 

 rounder ends and larger, much paler, spots. The largest egg of the last- 

 mentioned bird is 16.5 X 12.5 mm., the smallest 15.5 X 12.5 mm. — 

 R. S. Williams. Great Falls, Montana. 



What Birds indicate Proximity to Water, and at what Distance ? — Mr. 



William Lloyd, in his explorations in the arid region of Western Texas, 

 has made some highly important observations, the results of which can- 

 not fail to be of the utmost value to travellers on our southwestern plains, 

 where water is scarce and difficult to find. Mr. Lloyd writes: ''During 

 the past summer, I have been investigating an important question which 

 occurred to me about four years ago, namely, What birds indicate the 

 presence of water in their neighborhood.'' Of course any statement on 

 the subject should be proved by a number of facts, based on experiments 

 in different localities. Three times this summer I have camped from 

 simply seeing certain birds, and on hunting for water have found it in 

 each case. As certainties lean give the following species, with the great- 

 est distance at which each occurs from water. 



Cardinal i mile. 



Warblers (including Chat) . . .1 mile. 



Vireos 2 miles. 



Mockingbirds 2.^ to 3.^ miles. 



Blue Grosbeak ..... '• " 



Orchard Oriole 3 miles. 



Bullock's Oriole. .... 3 miles. 



Nonpareil 3 miles. 



Carolina Dove 3 to 5 miles. 



Black-capped Titmouse. . . .4 miles. 



Texas Cardinal. .... 6 miles. 



This only applies to summer, and will not hold in winter or during 

 migrations. I have been constructing this list since the summer of 

 1SS3; and also have particularly noted what birds drank, and how often, 

 in D5c.-Jan., 1SS4-18S5; Nov.-Dec, 1885; and Jan.. 1S86." — C. Hart 

 Merriam. Waskinpton. D. C. 



