May, 1884.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



53 



dart from a limb and after a few moments 

 re-appear and alight on the same limb. 

 This convinced me that there was a nest 

 somewhere in the vicinity. Dodging care- 

 fully from tree to tree, I cautiously ap- 

 proached the bird and had succeeded in 

 getting quite near, when suddenly catch- 

 ing sight of me, he darted away. Hastily 

 getting as near the limb as I thought pru- 

 dent, I awaited his return. In company 

 with his mate he was soon back. By the 

 frantic way in which they darted around 

 my head, I was convinced that their treas- 

 ure was within a few feet of me. Turn- 

 ing my head, I beheld the prize — so near 

 that a step to the right would have 

 knocked the eggs from the nest. There 

 were two pearly white eggs, my delight in 

 discovering which may be more easily im- 

 agined than described. When I had re- 

 covered my equanimity, I retired a short 

 distance and sat down to watch the habits 

 of the birds, as this was the first nest of 

 the species I had ever found. 



They soon thought I had gone, and the 

 female returned to the task of incubation. 

 She would fiV along until directly over the 

 nest and about an inch above it, when 

 suddenly closing her wings, she would 

 drop into it and settle herself in position. 

 The male meanwhile kept watch on an ad- 

 joining limb. I frightened the female off 

 her nest several times for the purpose of 

 watching this manoeuvre, which was re- 

 peated each time. Finally concluding that 

 I had learned all that I could, I started 

 forward to take the nest, when I was as- 

 sailed on both sides by the infuriated 

 mites, who darted past my face so close' 

 that I began to be afraid of my eyes. 

 They kept chirping loudly all the time, 

 which I see is denied by some writers, 

 who, had they been present, would never 

 have denied it again. 



The nest was built near the extremity 

 of an apple bough, and was not more than 

 five feet from the ground. To describe 

 the nest, I cannot do better than quote 



Nest of Ruby-throated Hummingbird (full size, from nature.) 



from my note-book. " The nest is an ex- 

 ceedingly small structure, being not more 

 than three to three and one-half inches in 

 circumference, one inch in diameter, and 

 half an inch deep — inside measurements — 

 and an inch and a half high. It is com- 

 posed of thistledown, willowdown, cob- 

 webs and caterpillar's silk. It is plas- 

 tered all over the outside with lichens. 

 The lining is of the materials named. 

 One peculiarity of this nest is that a jrine 

 needle of extra length is just caught on to 

 the side by a few turns of cobwebs as if 

 for ornament, and projects from each side 

 about two inches." — E. 31. Hasbrouk, 

 Syracuse, JV. Y. 



Notes from Smithville, Georgia. 



This village is situated in southwest 

 Georgia, just below the thirty-second par 

 allel, and to the ornithologist, whether 

 professional or amateur, the surrounding 

 country affords an interesting field for 

 observation and study. 



At this date (January) great flocks of 

 Blackbirds may be seen every morning 

 flying from northeast to southwest, and 

 about 4 or 5 o'clock in the afternoon re- 

 turning on their passage to roost. 



Then- flight is about 100 feet above the 

 earth and is rapid and vigorous. In these 

 daily journeys they move with striking 

 order and precision, and at no time is this 

 more noticeable than when pursued by a 



