AVERY BIRD COLLECTION 133 



squeaking calls of two blue-gray gnatcatchers were heard 

 in the water oak, and one of the birds flew to the ground 

 and gathered material for a nest from the side of a de- 

 cayed stump within ten feet of where we sat. A few 

 minutes' search was rewarded by the discovery of the 

 nest upon the horizontal branch of an elm not more than 

 a hundred feet from the water oak. The beautiful, lich- 

 en covered cup was glued to the surface of the branch so 

 tightly that no wind could move it, frail though it was, 

 from the spot where the skillful architect had placed it." 

 The species was recorded on Perdido Bay, Sept. 16th 

 to Oct. 2, 1892. 



No. 231. Male. Greensboro. Mar. 26, 1890. W. C. Avery. 

 No. 567. Male. Greensboro. Aug. 12, 1890. W. C. Avery. 



209. HYLOCICHLA MUSTELINA (Gmelin). 

 WOOD THRUSH. 



"Swamp Sparrow" 



"Common. Summer resident. .Breeds." (1891c). 



June 26, 1875, Dr. Avery wrote in French in his jour- 

 nal : "I found today the nest of a bird which is called in 

 English 'swamp sparrow.' In the morning they (the 

 two birds) began the nest and finished it in the after- 

 noon of the same day : I did not think that it was possible 

 that a bird could construct its nest so soon." (The wood 

 thrush is commonly known to the people of certain rural 

 sections of Alabama as "swamp sparrow"). 



April 26, 1888, a set of four eggs was taken at Greens- 

 boro ; incubation just begun. The nest was in the top of a 

 small shell-bark hickory, about ten feet from the ground. 

 The eggs measured : 1.05 by .76, 1.03 by .74, 1.01 by .72, 

 and .97 by .71. This set was sent to Capt. Charles 

 Bendire. 



No. 44. Male. Greensboro. Apr. 4, 1888. W. C. Avery. 



No 542. Male. Greensboro. July 16, 1890. W. C. Avery. 



No 711. Female. Greensboro. Sept. 29, 1890. W. C. Avery. 



No. 712. Male. Greensboro. Sept. 29, 1890. W. C. Avery. 



No 717. Female. Greensboro. Sept. 30, 1890. W. C. Avery. 



No* 875. Male Anniston. July 3, 1891. W. C. Avery. 



No 937. Male. Greensboro. Sept. 25, 1891. W. C. Avery. 



