Juno 1890.] 



AISD OOLOGIST. 



83 



168. Purple Finch or Linnet. Common in 

 the spring and fall but does not breed. 



181. American Goldfinch or Thistlebird. 

 Common. Seems to desire the companionship 

 of man rather than the country, although it 

 is occasionally found there. These birds make 

 their arrival from the south about the last of 

 March, anil do not commence building until 

 June. The nest is placed in a maple tree or 

 willow bush, and is composed of thistledown 

 and horse hair. It is deeply hollowed; the 

 measurement of nest is 1 1-4 in. in width by 

 1 8-4 in. in depth. The nest is also very neat 

 and compact. The eggs, usually four in num- 

 ber, are of a beautiful bluish-white color, and 

 measnre 82-48 in. by 1-2 in. As the middle of 

 October draws near these birds congregate in 

 immense flocks (at this time they live on 

 seeds) and depart for the south. 



211. Chipping Sparrow. Common. Arrives 

 from the south March 22d, or later, in small de- 

 tached flocks. About the middle of May or a 

 little later these birds begin nest building. This 

 is placed in a crotch at the end of a limb of an 

 apple tree, or in a small pine or evergreen. It 

 is deeply hollowed and is very frail, often 

 blowing down and spilling its contents. It is 

 composed mostly of small grass and horse 

 hair and is lined with horse hair. The eggs, 

 usually four in number, sometimes three, are of 

 a light green color spotted and scrawled with 

 black and obscure brown. The measurement 

 of the egg is usually 14-1(5 in. by 1-2 in. Two 

 broods are usually reared in one season. This 

 little bird is one of the many victims of the 

 Cow Bunting or Cowbird. As winter approaches 

 some of these birds go south, but the majority 

 of them stay with us the entire winter. At 

 this time their food consists of seeds whicli 

 they find on the snow and pick off the woods. 



281. Song Sparrow. Common. Breeds. 

 This little songster is one of the earliest to 

 arrive and latest to dejjart. It arrives about 

 the last of March. The nest is jjlaced in a 

 small bush or on the ground. It is composed 

 of dried grass and is lined with horse hair. 

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

 bluish-white color spotted anil blotched with 

 reddish-brown, thickest at the lai'ger end. 

 Tills bird leaves for the south about the last 

 of October. 



E. S. English Sparrow. Don't mention him. 



287. Chewink. Common. Found in the 

 thick brush and margins of the woods. 



285. Fox-colored SijaiTOw. Quite rare, 

 found in the brush lots. 



242. Cardinal Grosbeak. Rare. I have 

 only seen one of these birds. They seldom 

 come so far north as this. 



244. Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Rare. But 

 two of these birds have come under my ob- 

 servation; those I shot and mounted. 



248. Indigo Bunting. Common in the sum- 

 mer. Found along the country road. 



275. Bobolink. Common. Stays here just 

 long enough to breed. 



2.58. Cow Bunting or Cowbii'd. This lazy 

 little tyrant is very common, making its arrival 

 from the south about the middle of March. 

 Too lazy to build itself a nest the female de- 

 posits her eggs in the nests of other birds, the 

 princii^al victims of which are the Bluebird, 

 Yellow Bird, Yellow Warbler and Chipping 

 Sparrow. I have found as many as three eggs 

 in one nest. As soon as the egg or eggs are 

 hatched the ground bird wriggles and twists 

 till it throws the other birds out. I remember 

 once seeing a little Yellow Warbler feeding 

 a Cowbird which was full grown. The meas- 

 urement of their eggs is about 7-8 in. by 5-8 in. 

 As the last of October draws near the yoinig 

 and old birds assemble in large fiocks and 

 leave for the south. 



2(U. Swamp Blackbird. Common. This 

 bird is one of the earliest to arrive on its north- 

 ern migration, making its appearance about 

 the middle of March. It arrives in large flocks, 

 the males preceding the females a week or 

 more. The nest is built in a small bush or 

 hung from two or three cattail stalks. It is 

 composed of dried grass and weeds, and is 

 lined with fine roots. It is deeply hollowed. 

 The eggs, usually four in number, are of a 

 light blue color, blotched and scrawled with 

 dark brown and obscure spots of black. The 

 measurements of a set of four are 1 in. by 

 11-18 in., 85-8(3 in. by 28-36 in., 35-36 in. by 

 22-36 in., and 1 in. by 28-36 in. These birds 

 love the society of each other and breed in 

 communities. I have found as many as twelve 

 nests in a space of less than half an acre. Two 

 broods are often reared in a season. 



263. Meadow Lark. Common. Breeds. 

 Arrives here from the south about the first 

 week in April. The flight is regular with 

 short intervals of soaring. The nest is placed 

 on the ground under a tussock of grass, and 

 has a canopy built over it, leaving just room 

 enough to enter. The eggs are four in 

 number. Mr. Samuels says, " Their color is 

 generally nearly pure white, sometimes 

 reddish-white with fine spots of reddish- 

 brown diffused over the entire surface of some 



