320 



OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION. 



late in May or early in June, and the complement of five or six, rarely seven, eggs is 

 .generally completed between the first and the fifteenth of the latter month. The 

 nest is situated either in a convenient crevice of a stone culvert or bridge abut- 

 ment, or else in an excavation in the perpendicular face of the bank of a creek. 

 When the last location is selected, the length of the burrow ranges from twenty to 

 sixty inches. This passage has an average diameter of three and one-half inches, 

 but is somewhat enlarged at the nest, which is placed three to eighteen inches from 

 its inner extremity. This latter distance does not seem to be proportionate to the 

 length of the burrow, but varies indefinitely. 



The composition of the nest includes straw, grass and weedstalks ; and its lining 

 consists of fine grass, small leaves of some species of willow, with sometimes the 

 stalk leaves of wheat or other similar grain, but no feathers of any description. The 

 willow leaves have been present in all the nests examined, and seem to be a character- 

 istic feature. The nest is loosely constructed, and is sometimes quite bulky. 



Five nests afford the following measurements : 



As will be noticed, the maximum outside bottom diameter is sometimes much 

 greater than that at the top, but this is partially accounted for by the fact that the 

 lower portion of the nest is often so loose that anything like accurate measurement 

 is practically impossible. The frequent great difference between the extremes of 

 similar outside dimensions of the same nest is of course due to the greater possibility 

 for extending the nest longitudinally in the passage. 



A nest despoiled of its contents in 1891 was the next year tenanted by possibly 

 the same pair ; but this is apparently an exceptional occurrence, since the same breed- 

 ing place is rarely occupied two years in succession The incubating female is with- 

 out difficulty induced to fly out, a stick thrust into the passage generally proving im- 

 mediately effective, though sometimes the bird withdraws into the burrow beyond 

 the nest. 



FAMILY AMPELID^E. WAXWINGS, ETC. 

 SUBFAMILY AMPELIN/E. WAXWINGS. 



GENUS AMPELIS LINN^US. 



135. Ampelis cedrorum (VIEILL.). 

 Cedar Waxwing. 



Irregularly abundant ; probably a permanent resident, though rarely observed 

 during the winter months. It is generally seen in flocks, except during the breeding 

 season ; but is seldom associated with other species. 



