THE OOLOGIST. 



All these nests were built on twigs 

 either hanging over or very near the 

 creek. 



One nest was built in a bush only a 

 couple of feet from the ground- 

 in most cases I was attracted to the 

 nest bv the bird either^flying around or 

 to it. 



I have fifteen nests, three of which 

 are made entirely of willow down and 

 the down from the backs of sycamore 

 leaves. Twelve are composed of the 

 same; but covered with lichens to make 

 the likeness of it and the branch or 

 leaves more complete. 



The nests have spider webs around 

 them and are fastened to the twigs with 

 them. 



The average size of sixteen eggs in 

 my collection is .51 x .33 and a nest 

 measures about 1.67 wide, 1. high and 

 .50 deep in the inside. 



It would be quite difficult to find 

 their nests if it was not that the Hum- 

 mer generally tlew around you and 

 then to her nest, or attracted your at- 

 tention in some other way. 



Fred A. Schneider, 

 College Park, California. 



Was it a Cowbird's Nest? 



Having read A. L. Thome's article in 

 Nov. Oologist, I will contribute some 

 notes which I have on that subject. 

 About June 1, 1889, as I was penetrat- 

 ing a thicket similar to that mentioned 

 by Mr. Thorne, I heard the scolding 

 voice of the Yellow-breasted Chat a 

 short distance ahead. Upon advancing 

 slowly and as still as possible, I saw the 

 Chat sitting by the nest and evidently 

 much disturbed by something there. 

 As I approached nearer I discovered a 

 Cowbird sitting near and evidently 

 waiting for a chance to lay an egg. 

 Upon going to the nest I found it to 

 contain one egg which I left for further 

 investigation. Upon going a few feet 

 further I found a nest of the American 



Redstart containing two eggs and one; 

 of the Cowbird's. 



The resemblance between the Cow- 

 bird's egg and the egg in the Chat's- 

 nest was striking. The only difference- 

 being a slight one in the ground color. 

 Of course then I was uncertain whether 

 the egg in the Chat's nest was an egg of 

 the Chat or the Cowbird. After think- 

 ing I resolved to blow them both and 

 keep for study. Upon blowing them I 

 noticed the yolk of the egg in the Chat's 

 nest was much brighter in color than 

 that of the egg in the Redstart's nest. 

 Also that the ground color of one took 

 on a bluish tint when the yolk was 

 taken out, while the other kept its pink 

 ground color. 



Now of course the bird that laid in 

 the Redstart's nest was a Cowbird, and 

 as the other egg varied as Davie says 

 eggs of such birds as the Chat, Towhee, 

 Oven-bird, etc., will from eggs of the 

 Cowbird, I checked an egg of the Chat 

 and since then my experience has 

 proved this to be a good test. 



Now as Mr. Thome's nest in position 

 and construction would seem to be a 

 Chat's nest also, is it not probable that 

 a majority of the eggs were those of the 

 Chat? 



I think so, and I also think that a- 

 comparison of the yolks when blown 

 would have enabled him to pick out the 

 Cowbird's egg if she had left one. 

 Ernest H. Short, 

 Chili, N. Y- 



And in looking over my Nov. Oolo- 

 gist I notice Mr. A. L. Thome's note 

 of the nests and eggs of the Cowbird. 



I should like to make a suggestion in 

 regard to this. As the eggs of the Cow- 

 bird often so closely resemble those of 

 the Brown Thrasher, and also as the 

 nest described was similar to that of 

 the Thrasher, might it not have been a. 

 nest of this bird ? 



B. S. Bowdish, 

 Phelps, N. Y, 



