THE IOWA ORNlTHOLOGIvST. 



57 



nest in the brancli of a lonely 

 forest tree, the nest is bulky, and 

 made of twigs vegetable fibres, 

 roots, leaves etc. One nest in 

 my collection that I highly prize 

 has a piece of newspaper strongly 

 interwoven with vegetable fibers 

 and rootlets and contains an article 

 on agriculture. Wasthis J a}'- a far- 

 mer? Nests May and June. "(Carl 

 Fritz Henning. ) "This is a very 

 common species in Marshall Co. 

 making its abode here during the 

 year. When food is scarce in 

 it may be often seen about the 

 dooryards and in spring- it often 

 builds its nest in some quiet spot 

 near a dwelling. In late summer 

 it more or less retires to the 

 woods where it may remain un- 

 molested until hunger again 

 drives it to the habitation of man. 

 where it is g-enerally unwelcome. 

 The nest is begun earlj^ in 

 April and by the second week in 

 April full sets are to be had. In 

 this locality I find the nest to be 

 placed rather low, inore often less 

 than ten feet from the ground 

 than more than that distance. A 

 thorny bush is often chosen for a 

 nesting site. The composition is 

 various materials; commonly 

 twigs, roots, rags, strings, paper, 

 etc., lined with rootlet?. Dr. 

 Coues gives the numter of eggs 

 constituting- a set to be five or 

 six; I have never found more than 

 five and often find onl}^ four. 

 The eggs are olive in color, 

 spotted with lilac and black; spots 



being thickest about the larger 

 end. "(A. P. Godley, ) "Cyano- 

 citta cristata is abundant the year 

 round seeming more so in early 

 spring about the cities, and in 

 midwinter prefering woods near 

 some farmers corn crib. Breeds 

 in all sorts of locations. Have 

 often seen it destroying egg-s and 

 0:1 o.ie occasion, the young of 

 other birds, and once saw one kill 

 a young chicken. "(J. H. Brown. ) 

 "L Lki Mills, Winnebago Co. 

 May 27, '93; set 1-4 fresh. Nest 

 about 9 feet up in crotch of burr 

 oak tree against the trunk. Nest 

 composed of large oak twigs, 

 weed stalks, strings, paper, flaxen 

 grass, and oak leaves. Lined 

 with rather coarse roots. Lining 

 from half to one inch thick. 

 Largest diameter, outside 12x6 

 inches. Greatest depth 5. In- 

 side ditimeter 3^2. Depth 2. 



Perry, Dallas Co., Abundant 

 resident, most abundant in winter 

 months. Not uncommon breeder 

 though more retired in its breed- 

 ing-habits than in northern part 

 of state. April 30, '94, saw one 

 fly to an eave trough, snatching 

 up as mnch muddy leaves as it 

 could carry and fly immediately to 

 nest overhanging the main 

 avenue of the town. May 8, Set 

 1-5 hig-hly incubated. Nest about 

 25 feet up in bnrr oak m large 

 crotch. In woods. June 4, Set 

 1-4 fresh. 15 feet up in oak. 

 Upper side of horizontal limb. "(J 

 Eug-ene Law.) "Rather common 



