jBtote0 from JTteld ana ^tudp 



An Interesting Phoebe's Nest 



The accorapanyinf< iUustration shows an 

 interesting PhoBbe's nest. It is well-known 

 that this bird prefers to build close to 

 some overhead protection, but I have never 



NEST OK PHfEHE 

 Photographed from nature 



seen, and have heard of only one other 

 similar structure, showing such evidence 

 of forethought by the builder ; for this 

 bird has constructed a pedestal by means 

 of which her nest was raised to the desired 

 height. 



The location chosen was three feet or so 

 back under the piazza roof of a lonely, 

 unused summer cottage by the shore of 

 Webster lake, in Franklin, N. H. 



The foundations were begun on a door- 

 cap to the left of, although almost in touch 

 with, an upright cleat. Soon the builder 

 made a turn to the right, that the pedestal 

 might rest firmly against this cleat. From 

 this point the work continued perpendicu- 

 larly full twelve inches, with the breadth 

 of about three inches and a thickness of 

 one and one-half inches. Upon this the 

 enlargement was made for the nest proper, 

 which was destined to safely cradle her 

 brood of four. — Ellen E. Webster, 

 Franklin Falls, N. If. 



[Two years ago John Burroughs showed 



us a nest similar to the one here described, 

 built beneath the eaves, on a slight pro- 

 jection in the rough hewn rock of the rail- 

 way station at West Park, N. Y. — Ed.] 



A Useful Nest-Holder 

 After the leaves fall many deserted birds' 

 nests will be exposed to view. The larger 

 number will still be found serviceable for 

 study, and in collecting them a note of the 

 site, height from the ground, if in a tree 

 or bush, etc., should be made to aid in 

 their identification. 



The accompanying cut shows a very use- 

 ful holder for such specimens. It was de- 

 signed by Mr. George B. Sennett, and is 

 made of annealed wire, about the bottom 

 of which is tied hair wire, as shown. At 

 this stage, the nest is placed in the holder, 

 the four uprights are cut ofi" to the required 

 height, and bent in or out, in order to 

 bring them closely to the sides of the nest ; 

 the wrapping with hair wire is then con- 

 1 



tinned until the nest is (irmly bound. In 

 this way such loosely built nests as those 

 of the Mourning Dove or Cuckoo may be 

 held in shape without in the least conceal- 

 ing their structure. — P2». 



A Singing Blue Jay 



Not long ago, when the snow covered 

 the ground several inches deep, I heard as 

 sweet a little song as one could expect to 

 hear from a Warbler in May, come from a 

 clump of small plum trees in the back yard. 

 Creeping softly in the direction of the 

 sound, I could see nothing but a stately 

 Blue Jav perched upon one of the upper 

 limbs. I waited patiently, and soon the 



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