Sept., 1883.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



67 



4-20. At (42) they were still ver}^ plenti- 

 ful on 3-29 and after, gradually growing 

 fewer. The last left 4 16. At (43) they 

 were still present as usual 4-5, but left 

 soon after, and 4-18 was the last. "WHien 

 we reach (45) we are beyond their normal 

 winter home for last winter. On 2-11 he 

 saw forty, the first seen since fall. The 

 height of the season was about over 4-8. 

 No. (47) sends a single note that on 3-17 

 they were passing north by the thousand, 

 some flocks all singing. Still farther be- 

 yond their winter home (51) saw none un- 

 til 4-2, but probably a few stayed in that 

 part of the State as (52) found them an 

 occasional visitor all winter. The full re- 

 cord at (52) is as follows : First single 

 ones came from north Oct. 17 ; first flock 

 of over one hundred Oct. 20 ; by Nov. 8 

 they had scattered into small parties of 

 five to eight, and these nearly all left in 

 Dec. Parties of three to seven were seen 

 Jan. 3d, 8th, 31st, and then only one bird 

 until 3-23, when one flock of eighteen to 

 twenty appeared. Small flocks were seen 

 until 4-2, when they suddenly increased, 

 and the bulk came 4-4. I then saw about 

 one hundred and fifty in a few acres. The 

 same day was also the height of the sea- 

 son, as large numbers, and perhaps the 

 bulk, left that night. On 4-12 only three 

 were seen, and I thought each day would 

 be the last, but a few stayed, though keep- 

 ing still, and looking very disconsolate, un- 

 til 4-28, when the last straggler departed. 

 No. (55) saw the first one about 4-4, the 

 bulk left 4.20, and only a few scattered 

 ones remained 4-29. No. (60) is very near 

 the southern limit of the breeding of thxs 

 species. He saw his first one 4-5, and the 

 last 5 12; yet it is very probable that in 

 the dense tamarac swamps a few miles 

 north of him some remain to nest. 



Fish Hawk's Eggs. Large set. Chas. 

 C. Richards, Norwich, Conn., took a set of 

 four Fish Hawk's eggs from one of the 

 rocks on the west side of Plum Island, 

 May 20, 1883. 



Peculiar Nesting Place. On May 21, 

 1880, Paul Hofi'man, of Rockville, Conn., 

 while out collecting noticed a Purj)le Mar- 

 tin enter the end of a hollow rail in a Vir- 

 ginia fence. On examining the cavity he 

 found the nest of the Purple Martin about 

 eighteen- inches in the cavity. It was com- 

 posed of dried grass and contained four 

 eggs. The opening to the nest was about 

 four feet four inches from the ground. 

 Our illustration is a correct representation 

 sketched on the spot. 



Great Yellow-legs. On June 9, 1883, 

 I found, a nest of Totanus melanole^icus 

 in a bog quite near a brook. The nest 

 was composed of bog grass and a very 

 few feathers for lining. It was concealed 

 by tall grass so that one might have 

 walked over it often and not have seen it. 

 The nest contained two eggs, about 1;^^ 

 inches in length by ^. The ground color 

 was dull olive, with dark umber blotches, 

 which were largest at the larger end. I 

 had one ^^^ taken away at a time, taking 

 two and leaving two in the nest to hatch. 

 I have seen the bird a number of times at 

 the brook before and since finding the 

 nest. Can any of your readers inform me 

 whether this is a rare find or not in this 

 section. — Thos. Morgan , Somerville, N. J. 



