150 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Yol. 12-]^o. 9 



ings very similar to the last. Measurements 

 .72X.54, .70X.53, .72x.55, .71x.53, .72 x .55. 



Sixth set, May 28th. Nest situated lilie the 

 last. Six eggs, marked similarly to first set. 

 Measurements .67 X .55, .67x.55, .GGx.51, .G4x 

 .53, .64x.52, .70x.55. 



Seventh set, May 29th. Steep hill-side under 

 small bush. Five eggs, markings similar. 

 Measurements .68 X. 52, .68 X. 51, .68x.51, .68 x 

 .51, .67X.50. 



Eighth set, same date. At foot of chestnut 

 sprout. Five eggs, markings similar. Meas- 

 urements .71X.53, .71X.54, .G9x.52, .69x.53, 

 .74 X .53. 



Ninth set. May 30th. Four eggs, marked 

 chiefly around the larger end with reddish 

 brown spots. Measurements, .65 x .50, .67 x 

 .52, .66X.52, .66X.53. 



Tenth set. May 31st. Six eggs, and one egg 

 of the Cowbird. A glossy white, with a wreath 

 of dark brown and lavender spots, globular. 

 Measurements .64 x .53, .64 x .54, .66 x.63, .68 x 

 .54, .66 x .54, .66 x .54. 



Eleventh set, June Gth. Five eggs, marked 

 similar to fourth set. Measurements .71 x .55, 

 .69 X .55, .68 X .53, .68 x .56, .69 x .51. 



Twelfth set, June Gth, placed on level ground 

 at top of hill. Five eggs, marked with bold 

 blotches of lavender and reddish brown over 

 the entire surface. Measurements .71 x .57, .72 

 x.58, .71X.58, .76X.57, .77x.55. This set is 

 now in the cabinet of Mr. J. Parker Norris. 



Thirteenth set, June 7th. Four eggs and one 

 egg of the Cowbird ; lightly marked with red- 

 dish brown mostly around the large end. 

 Measurements .67 x .53, .68 x .52, .68 x .52, .68 x 

 .52. This set is now in the possession of Mr. 

 Josiah Hoopes, of West Chester, Pa. 



Fourteenth set, June Sth. Position of nest 

 not peculiar. Five eggs marked chiefly around 

 tlie large end, spots larger than common, and 

 of a darker brown. Measurements .69x.57, 

 .71 X .57, .71 X .56, .71 x .58, .71 x .57. 



Fifteenth set, June 10th. Six eggs, similar 

 to first set. Measurements .70x.55, .70 x .53, 

 .70X.54, .68X.54, .66x.55, .70x.54. 



Sixteenth set, same date. Placed under a 

 low bush on level ground. Eggs like last set. 

 Measurements .66x.53, .75 x .56, .74x.56, .72 x 

 .55, .70x.56. 



Seventeenth set (dwarfs) described in the 

 July number of the O. and O. These eggs are 

 smaller than those of the Humming-bird. 



Eighteenth set, July 15th. Eggs four; in 

 their mai-kings\very similar to those of the 

 Rock Wren, (Salpinctes obsoletus). Measure- 

 ments .72X.56, .73X.55, .75 x .56, .71x54. 



Nineteenth set, June 19th. Nest on level 

 ground at foot of oak sprout. This I consider 

 my handsomest set. They are heavily marked 

 on the large end only, with blotches of a heavy 

 rich velvety chestnut, completely obscuring 

 their ground (;olor. Measurements .70 x .57, 

 .72X.57, .70 x.58, .72 x.58, .73x.57. 



Twentieth set, June 19th. Three eggs and 

 one of the Cowbird, marked similar to the first 

 set. The largest eggs yet found of this bird. 

 Measurements .80 x .55, .79 x .56, .78 x .58. 



Twenty-first set, June 23rd. Nest under a 

 mere drift of leaves with no bushes near it, in 

 sloping woods. Five eggs, markings not pe- 

 culiar. Measurements .65 x .53, .66x.54, .65 x 

 .53, .G6X.53, .64X.53. 



Twenty-second set, same date. Nest under 

 a fallen dead sapling; mai'kings not peculiar. 

 Measurements .66x.57, .GGx.55, .66 x .55, .66 x 

 .55, .66 x .56. 



Twenty-third set, June 25th. Nesting and 

 markings not peculiar. Four eggs, measuring 

 .76 X .56, .76 X .55, .74 x .57, 73 x ..53. 



Twenty-fourth set, June 30th. Nest at foot 

 of beech sapling. Four eggs. Excepting the 

 dwarf set this is the smallest, measuring .64 x 

 .49, .64 X .50, .65 x .48, .64 x .49. 



Total number of eggs (barring the dwarf set) 

 one hundred and eight. Average size about .68 

 X ..54. These were all collecited within a radius 

 of twelve miles from AVest Chester. 



Nesting of the Black and ^Vhite 

 Creeper. 



BY SAMUEL B. LADD, WEST CHESTER, PA. 



This species (Mniotilta varia) which connects 

 the Certhndcti witli the MiiiotiUidoi, is in gener- 

 al considered quite common owing to its large 

 breeding range, but until recently was not 

 known to breed here, though given as one of 

 our common migrants. I was not satisfied last 

 year when I found them for the first time, as 

 the birds were then feeding their young, which 

 were at that time (June Gth, 1886) nearly ready 

 to fly. However, I tried to be consoled in 

 thinking they would be located for another 

 season. But I was disappointed again in my 

 second set which were taken May 29th, 1887, as 

 the eggs, four in number, were so heavily incu- 

 bated that but two of them could be saved. 



Regarding the third and last set I took, my 

 note-book runs as follows : — 



After a long and tedious daj^'s walk after the 

 eggs of the Worm-eating Warbler, {Helmintho- 



