THE OOLOGIST. 



m'y 



137 



place, although a couple of hours be- 

 fore they had not deigned to heed any- 

 one, yet if they be disturbed while tak- 

 ing their midday "siesta," they lift up 

 their voices in the most complaiuiog 

 tones. 



About the middle of April, I observed 

 one building its nest 30 feet from the 

 ground in a large oak right iu the 

 midst of a mining camp. 



In due time the 7th of May came 

 around, and with it very little for me 

 to do, as I was then bridge engineer. 

 So after discharging what duties I had, 

 I sat out for a climb to the top of a hill 

 close by, "For," said I to myself, "I 

 may run across a nest of that festive 

 Jay." I looked around me very care- 

 fully as I went. When about half way 

 up, I disturbed a dozen individuals, 

 who were taking an evening nap. My 

 face flushed with delight. Sui-ely I was 

 in for a valuable set. A careful exam- 

 ination of all the trees in the nighbor- 

 hood terminated in a disappointment, 

 but as disappointments are common to 

 a collector, I did not mind this. 



After a while I reached the top. I 

 looked about me. At my feet was the 

 partly constructed bridge, the railroad 

 winding and twisting along ! he side of 

 the hill, while farther down the valley 

 were the engine and the track-laying 

 gangs. On the other side was the ma- 

 jestic mountain range towering sky- 

 ward 4,000 feet, the San Pedro mine 

 with its red dump about on the same 

 level that I was, and with a long cable 

 reaching nearly to the railroad. T'he 

 view was indeed lovely, and I stopped 

 for a few moments enjoying the scen- 

 ery. Then I looked around again, but 

 this time at the trees, when suddenly I 

 saw a sight that made me want to jump 

 up and whoop a la Comanche Indian. 

 Not 50 feet from me in a small oak was 

 a Jay sitting serenely on hier nest which 

 was situated close to the main bi^anch. 

 fifteen feet from the ground. I went 

 up and stood undei" the tree, yet she 



took no notice of me, so by way of 

 amusement! snapped a few twigs at 

 her to see what effect it would have. 

 At first she paid no attention whatever 

 of them, but when one smote her on 

 the head, she decided that the place 

 was getting too warm for her, and left 

 in great haste. Lighting on a tree near- 

 by, she called to her "old man," who 

 was exceeding prompt in making an 

 appearance. As I began to climb the 

 ti'ee the pair raised a terx'ible I'umpus, 

 flying about close to me utterring their 

 harsh cries, and lighting frequently. 



I reached the nest and looked in. Any 

 one who has ever made a rare find can 

 imagine the thrill that Avent through 

 me as I gazed upon four eggs. They 

 were bluish-green in color similar to 

 the eggs of the Robin,sparsely sprinkled 

 with small spots of reddish lavender 

 brown quite evenly distributed over 

 the entire surface. One egg was almost 

 entirely free from markings. Size about 

 1.25X.80. 



The nest was composed of twigs, very 

 loosely yet neatly arranged, and scanti- 

 ly lined with rootlets. It was neatly 

 rounded, and well cupped, measuring 

 5x4, 8x2iin. 



But now comes the sad part of my 

 story. The eggs were far advanced in 

 incubation, and being out on my work, 

 I did not have the best tools that were 

 ever used, so I could not save my prec- 

 ious set. Alas, I found no more eggs 

 of this Jay, but am looking forwai'd to 

 next year to have the opportunity of 

 taking and preserving at least one set. 

 Irving H. Wentwokth, 

 Monterey, Mexico. 



A Few Notes on the Nesting of the Great 

 Crested Flycatcher. 



So little has been written concerning 

 the nesting habits of this species that it 

 occurred to me to write a short account 

 describing, from my own experience, 

 its nidification. 



