256 GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER 



no snake-skin, but that evening he was startled 

 to be met by the raised head of a snake (skin) 

 in front of the nest, and on examination found 

 that the body of the snake six or seven inches 

 long was coiled around the eggs. The second 

 year the birds built in the same place, and after 

 each of Mr. Bolles's visits to the nest fresh pieces 

 of skin were added. That this was done with an 

 eye to his intentions Mr. Bolles believed from the 

 evident disapproval of the birds, for they scolded 

 him severely whenever he came, and as long as 

 he remained in sight. A similar use of the skin 

 is suggested in the instance quoted by Major 

 Bendire, in which the skin was arranged to hang 

 out of the hole. Mr. Burroughs throws a side- 

 light on the question by stating that he has found 

 onion skin, fish scales, and even oiled paper in nests 

 where there was no snake -skin. If originally 

 protective, the instinct seems to have run to seed 

 as a morbid taste for the grotesque in house-fur- 

 nishing ! 



Though the Great Crest is a wood's bird, it 

 often nests in orchards, and Mr. Nehrling thinks 

 might easily be induced to build in bird -boxes. 

 Aside from the keen interest attaching to it, it is 

 a useful bird to have about the premises, as it 

 eats numbers of caterpillars, grasshoppers, and 

 harmful beetles. 



