82 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 15-No. 6 



did not come under my observation until 1887 

 wlien I sliot tlie lirst one I ever saw, and the 

 summer of 1887 when I had the good luck to 

 find a nest. When first found it was not com- 

 pleted. It was placed under a piece of barJc 

 which was on a tall dead tree and was about 

 ten feet from the ground. I watched the birds 

 as they built it. Tlie male was quite diligent, 

 and I noticed that when he came out before 

 her he would creep up the tree four or five 

 feet and then fly down (never crept) to the 

 nest, and if she did not make her appearance 

 for some time he would look in and they would 

 have a little chat together. After awhile they 

 would both come out and fly away. In a few 

 minutes both would return and repeat the per- 

 formance. After this I again visited the nest 

 to find in it three fresh eggs; these I carefully 

 packed in a small tin box, but in trying to get 

 to a Sparrow Hawk's nest I lost the box. The 

 nest was composed of the fine inner bark of 

 trees and was very shallow. 



63. House Wren. Common. Builds in 

 Martin boxes and natural cavities of trees. 

 The eggs, six to eight in number, usually six, 

 are of a pale reddish flesh color, covered with 

 fine dots and sprinklings of a darker color. 

 The measurement of the egg is 5-8 in. by 15-o2 

 in. Occasionally two broods are reared in one 

 season. The nest is composed of sticks, horse 

 hair and feathers, is v(!ry bulky and neatly 

 constructed; the hollow is quite deep. Tliis 

 pugnacious little bird is a very industrious 

 nest builder, carrying sticks three to four 

 inches in length. 



115, Golden-crowned Thrush. Not common. 

 Seems to desire the dense woods and under- 

 brush. 



135. Red-eyed Vireo. Common. This little 

 songster does not inhabit any particular local- 

 ity. It is a great benefit to the farmer in the 

 way of insect destroying, and is constantly 

 busy in this useful employment. The nest is 

 hung from a crotch at the end of a branch and 

 is composed outwardly of the inner bark of 

 trees, paper, cobwebs, etc. It is lined with 

 pine needles and is deeply hollowed. The 

 eggs, four to five in number, are of a pure 

 white, with a rosy tinge, and sprinkled with 

 brown, mostly at the largest end. 



148. Great Northern Shrike or Butcher Bird. 

 Common, but only as a winter visitor. Their 

 food at this time consists of Sparrows and 

 other small birds. I once shot one which had 

 caught a Sparrow and had its head nearly 

 eaten off. 



151. Cedar Waxwing. Common. This bird 

 is very useful in one way and quite destructive 

 in another; useful, because up to the first of 

 July their food consists of flies and insects; 

 perched on the top of a tree they quietly wait 

 for their prey to pass, when they dart out and 

 often catch three or four flies before returning; 

 destructive, because when cherries get ripe 

 their food consists principally of them. Tlie 

 Cedar Bird arrives from the south in flocks 

 about the middle of March. Near the middle 

 of May, immediately after mating, the nest is 

 built. This is i^laced on a horizontal limb 

 from twenty to thirty feet from the ground, 

 and is composed of dried grass and weeds, and 

 is lined with fine roots, pine needles, etc. It is 

 deeply hollowed, and contains four to five eggs 

 of a light bluish color with a slight purple 

 tinge, marked more or less with blotches and 

 spots of black and more obscure lines of 

 Ijurplish-brown. The measurement is 7-8 in. 

 by 19-30 in. About tlie first of September 

 these birds gather in flocks of fifty to seventy- 

 five individuals. At this time they live on the 

 berries of the mountain ash. As the last of 

 this month expires they leave for the south. 



152. Purple Martin. Rare. 



153. Cliff Swallow. Rare. 



154. Barn Swallow. Common; breeds. The 

 nest is placed under the eaves of a barn. It is 

 composed of mud and is lined with feathers or 

 fine straw, and contains four eggs, sometimes 

 five. They are of a creamy white color spotted 

 with two shades of brown, nrostly at the larger 

 end. The measurement is usually .76 by .56. 

 Two broods are sometimes reared in one 

 season. 



155. White-bellied Swallow. Common. 

 Bi'eeds. Builds its nest in stone walls and 

 Martin boxes. The eggs are pure wliite in 

 color and measure 3-4 in. by 17-32 in. 



157. Bank Swallow. Common. Excavates 

 a hole in a sand bank after the manner of the 

 Kingfisher, and builds its nest at the end of it. 

 Its food consists of insects, of which it destroys 

 great numbers. 



161. Scarlet Tanager. Has been quite rare 

 up to the year of 1888, when I found them to 

 be quite common in the woods. Although I 

 have searched many times for their nest I have 

 not been able to iind one. The song of this 

 bird is much like that of the Robin, only not 

 as loud. Perched on the top of a tall tree, the 

 male will sing for some time, and then dart off 

 on its useful mission of destroying insects. 



