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VOL. VI. 



ALBION, N. Y., AUG., 1889. 



NO. 8 



Notes on the Eg-g-s and Birds of Hills- 

 borough. Co., Florida. 



The following i,s a list oi' the eggs tak- 

 en l;,y tlu! writer during the S])ring and 

 •summer of 1888, and some n.otes made 

 at lime of taking the eggs. 1 have 

 larefully prepared the notes and trust 

 they Avill ue of interest, and lio]»e to 

 see more such from other states. Write 

 your experiences, eolleet<;rs, and tliiis 

 help to popularize oology. 



Mar. a. Took my tirst >set for the 

 season consisting of a set Loggerhcaded 

 Shrike, containing live fresli eggs. The 

 nest was plufcd in a lemon tri'c in a 

 neglected orange grove. 



April 25. Took my second set 

 of Shrike's eggs, in the same grove and 

 am positive, of the same hirds. Tlie 

 location of the nest A\ras unchanged to 

 an orange tree. This set also contained 

 live eggs. 



April 27. Took my tirst set of Mock- 

 ing Bird's, containing four fresli eggs. 

 Nest situated in an orange gro\-e in one 

 of the trees. And the same diiy I found 

 a set of tAVo, same species, the con^ple- 

 ment not being complete. 



April 28. Visited a large Florida 

 Cormorant an<l Brown Pelican rookery. 

 The Ijirds had built many nests, but 

 there were yet no eggs. There "was 

 perha])s 500 Cormorants and 200 Peli- 

 cans breeding on this key which con- 

 .sisted of aljout 8 acres of liea\'y man- 

 grove timber. The nests Vi'cre mad(.' in 

 the mangrove trees, from 10 to 35 feet 

 from the ground, and made of coarse 

 mangrove twigs, lined, with grass arjd 

 green lea\'es (m;uigrn\c). 'J'hcy wcvv 

 wlute v.'itli e\cr(>ment, and liltlsy. 



Ai)r. ;]0. Decided to spend tlie day 

 hunting sju'i'imens. 10 A. M. I took 

 my lirst set of Fisli Crow. The nest 

 Avas situated in a pine tree, about 35 

 feet from the gi'ound, composed of 



coarse twigs. Then Avalking by a })ond 

 and seeing many Boat-tailed Crackles, 

 I commenced hunting for their nests 

 and soon took a set of two. The nest 

 was placed in a low !a;sh, and was 

 bulky, dee]) and strongly fastc^ned. 

 Comi)osed of \ cry coarse grass. In a 

 few minutes I found a second set of o. 

 As the itond was nearly dry, 1 Avaiki'd 

 out to the ce;iter. In a small hole was 

 manjf small alligators. I found two 

 more sets in the grass, and walked on. 

 My next find was a set of o Mocking- 

 bird 's placed in a deserted orange grove. 

 The set M'as fresli. On my way home 

 I walked through a])utton-wood swamp 

 and discovered a set of 4 (ireen Heron's. 

 The nest w^as a frail structure of twigs 

 placed in l)ushes, 4 fert al>o\e water. 

 In a ncighljoring pond took a set of 4 

 and one of 3 fresh B. T. Crackles. 

 Reached home tirt-d but h;!i!])y. 



May 1. Took a- set of 4 Lt'a.st Bittern. 

 The eggs V\^ere fresli. The nest was a 

 mere platform placed in a cluster of 

 ferns, on the edge of a mutldy pond. 



May 2. Tramped all day, and took 1 

 set of 4 Mocking-bird's. Nest in orange 

 tree. Eggs fresh. 



May 6. Took a walk up the bay 

 shore and found a set of 3 and one of 2 

 Boat-tailed Crackles id the pond where 

 I fou.nd my tirst set. The set of 2 was 

 found in the same nest in Avhich I found 

 my lirst set of 3, (April 30.) I thought 

 It rather odd. 



May 15. On my way home from 

 worl;, found a set of 2 Mocking-ljird',K 

 eggs. The nest, as usual, Avas in an or- 

 a'.igi' ti-ee, and composed of ora.nge 

 twij>;s, i-oot tibers a,nd i)lue lupeu h/aves, 

 not so com])aet and strong as that of 

 the Shrike. The set was fresh ami in- 

 complete. In another tree near )jy 1 

 found a set of 5 fresh eggs of the Lg. H. 

 Shrike. The nest was w ell built of or- 



