THE NIDIOLOGIST. 



approach of winter they still remained com- 

 mon. 



Knowing that nidification of this family 

 always takes place during the colder portion 

 of the year, I set about collecting what 

 knowledge, concerning the actual dates 

 upon which eggs had been taken with lo- 

 cation of nests, etc.. that I could glean from 

 my library. 



I find one recorded in an early number 

 of the Young Oologist as having been found 

 in Wisconsin in the depth of winter. The 

 nest was said to have been built in an ice 

 house. I am led to believe this a depart- 

 ure from the usual mode of nesting of this 

 bird. 



Another record comes from New Hamp- 

 shire. The nest in this case was built in a 

 pine tree. Another found in the same 

 State, was built among the leafless branches 

 of an elm. Still another nest was found 

 in the city of New York by Mr. Eugene 

 Bicknell [Bulletin Nuthall, Ornithological 

 Club], which was built in a small cedar of 

 scant growth, offering but little conceal- 

 ment, and still further exposed to danger 

 by its close proximity to two roads which 

 intersected at that point. With this knowl- 

 edge, coupled with the fact that Mr. Mor- 

 rison took his eggs of the Mexican Cross- 

 bill on the 29th of January, I began my 

 search early in that month. On the 5th of 

 the month I shot a young bird, evidently 

 but a day or two from the nest, 



A week later I had the pleasure of see- 

 ing a female bird fly heavily from the 

 ground, freighted with material for her 

 nest. This was carried direct to a small 

 pine tree — the bird disappearing in a dense 

 mass of growing pine needles near the ex- 

 tremity of a large limb growing on the 

 south side of the tree. My ob.servations 

 were all made without stepping from the 

 spot where I stood when the bird flew from 

 the ground. In all it occupied about ten 

 minutes. During this comparatively short 

 space of time the female returned to the 

 ground three times, carrying each time a 

 beakful of withered grass to her nest. The 



male, who is always close to his industrious 

 mate, was perched on a convenient limb, 

 uttering a low, sweet warble, watching all 

 the while that nothing molested his "better 

 half." Should an alarm note be given, 

 which is a loud sharp whistle, both birds 

 scurry off, and are soon lost in the depths 

 of the woods. On visiting this nest later 

 I found it deserted. The accompanying 

 illustration shows a nest with eggs and the 

 female parent. I will relate the taking of 

 this set of eggs and the conditions that 

 surrounded it. 



The morning on which I drove over the 

 five miles which lay between the station 

 and the belt of pines to get these eggs, was 

 a bitter cold one, the dry-bulb thermome- 

 ters at the station showing a temperature 

 of 22 degrees below the freezing of water, 

 with a very humid atmosphere. The drive 

 was rather cheerless, and I found it diffi- 

 cult to keep warm. 



The nest, which was built out upon a 

 large limb growing from the south side of 

 the tree, was somewhat over thirty feet 

 from, the ground. 



In addition to the low temperature, a 

 brisk wind was blowing from the southwest. 

 In preparing for the ascent I found it nec- 

 essary to retain my overcoat, leave my hat 

 tucked among the roots of the tree and 

 in its place substitute a scarf which I had, 

 knowing if precautions were not taken I 

 would be left hatless and at the mercies of 

 the biting air. Upon the nest sat a Mex- 

 ican Crossbill. It was too cold for her to 

 leave the nest, yet danger stared her in the 

 face. My outstretched hand was allowed 

 to touch the edge of the nest before she 

 would leave. The eggs, three in number, 

 were packed, the limb sawed off with the 

 nest in position. On reaching the ground 

 the bird was taken. Two more nests were 

 found during the day, and in all twelve 

 during the season. Four of these con- 

 tained no eggs, and for reasons unknown 

 were deserted. Two of the eight sets 

 taken contained four eggs each, the others 

 but three eggs each. 



