232 



THE OOLOGIST 



Catbird — I have found four sets of 

 five eggs of the Catbird and have ex- 

 amined six hundred and forty-five 

 nests to find them. They were col- 

 lected May 28, 1907, at Torresdale, 

 Philadelphia County, Pa., incubation 

 slight; June 1, 1913, at Bustleton, this 

 county, Pa., incubation one-third; May 

 20, 1906, at Pensauken, Camden Coun- 

 ty, N. J., incubation fresh; and May 

 19, 1906, at Holmesburg, Philadelphia 

 County, Pa., incubation slight. 



Wood Thrush — I have examined four 

 hundred and thirty nests of this spe- 

 cies in the vain quest of a set of five 

 eggs. 



Yellow-breasted Chat — But twe 

 nests containing five eggs or young on 

 this moonlight songster has come un- 

 der my observation in the one hundred 

 and twenty-seven nests I have exam- 

 ined. The first of these was found on 

 July 16, 1907, at Frankford, Philadel- 

 phia County, Pa., and held five naked 

 young (no Cowbirds) and was certain- 

 ly a large brood for a second setting; 

 the other nest contained five eggs, one 

 infertile and four containing large em- 

 bryos and was found at Chestnut Hill, 

 Philadelphia County, Pa. 



Field Sparrow — Of the one hundred 

 and sixty-four nests of the species 

 which I have examined but three held 

 over four eggs or young. They are as 

 follows: (1) May 20, 1909, Delair, 

 Camden County, N. J., five eggs, one 

 infertile and four almiost hatched; 

 (2) June 3, 1912, Bustleton, Philadel- 

 phia County, Pa., four half-grown 

 young and one infertile egg; (3) May 

 25, 1913, Walnut Hill, Montgomery 

 County, Pa., five hatching eggs. 



Indigo Bunting — I have found but 

 one set of five eggs in the one hundred 

 and twenty-nine nests of this species 

 I have examined and this set was 

 found on June 8, 1906, at Rowland- 

 ville, Philadelphia County, Pa., and in- 

 cubation was highly advanced, pip- 



ped in two and the eggs were extra 

 large ones too. 



Robin— c-f Oologist 1912, page 330 

 for my data on large sets of this spe- 

 cies. 



Phoebe — The only nest of this spe- 

 cies holding more than five eggs I 

 found on April 30, 1901, at Holmes- 

 burg, Philadelphia County, Pa., in a 

 spring house; it consisted of six fresh 

 eggs and was one of the sixty nests 

 that I have examined in hopes of find- 

 ing over five eggs. 



Cardinal — The books assert that this 

 species commonly lays three and four 

 eggs, but out of an examination of 

 two hundred and ten nests I have 

 found only three holding over three 

 eggs. As follows: (1) May 6, 1906, 

 Pensauken, Camden County, N. J., four 

 pipped eggs; (2) April 30, 1908, Torres- 

 dale, Philadelphia County, Pa., four 

 fresh eggs; (3) June 2, 1912, Bustleton, 

 Philadelphia County, Pa., four fresh 

 eggs and a second set, the first con- 

 sisted of three fresh eggs. 



Song Sparrow — Some books state 

 that this species lays from four to 

 seven eggs, but five is the highest 

 number of eggs or young I have ever 

 seen in the four hundred and thirty 

 nests I have examined. 



Swamp Sparrow — Out of the Five 

 hundred and sixteen nests of this spe- 

 cies to come under, my notice only 

 one held over five eggs or young. This 

 was found on June 1, 1905, at Brides- 

 burg, Philadelphia County, Pa., and 

 consisted of six eggs, two sets of two 

 and four respectively; the couple was 

 fresh and incubation in the four was 

 two one-half and two infertile. They 

 were laid by two females as the set 

 of two were much smaller than the 

 other clutch and different in markings: 



We regard the foregoing as one of 

 the very best of the oological articles 

 of the year appearing anywhere, bar 

 none. — Editor. 



