lO 



tliroc with incubation about ono.-fifth, and on May 38th, a set of five fresh 

 eggs were taken. Tlie sixth set. one of five eggs, taken May 26tli. was two 

 old to save. 



On two or tliree occasions when I have been near other marshes near 

 Madison. I have noticed the songs of the males, seemingly as abundant as 

 in the marsh I was acquainted with. Hence. I feel safe in saying that 

 the Swamp Sparrow is an abundant breeder in all the marshes about 

 Madison. 



Now for a bi'ief summary: The first set of eggs is laid between th(> 

 middle and last of May. Of the ten sets e.xamined, five were of five eggs, 

 three of tliree. and one of four. The other contained two Sparrows' and 

 two Cow-Birds" eggs. Whether they keep on breeding all summer, as 

 Wilson says they do in Penn.. 1 am of course, unable to say. Pethaps I 

 owe something of an apology to the association for giving notes from out 

 the state, but tliey are at l(>ast about a bird which occurs within the 

 state. 



DISCUSSIONS. 



Mr. \V. W. Loomis opened the discussions by stating that he had found 

 one nest of the Swamp Sparrow in Allamakee county about the r30th of 

 May, it was placed on the bank of a stream, perhaps two feet from the 

 water. Mr. Wilmon Newell had noted one specijiuui in Story county 

 about the middle of April, but liad not found the species nesting there. 



Mrs. M. A. Triem found one nest in Deleware couuty. it was placed on 

 the ground by a small bush and not far from a stream. Mrs. Triem also 

 stated that on several occasions she had seen old birds in the nesting sea- 

 son and was positive tluit the uests were not far away, although slie was 

 uuabh' to find them. 



Mr. Brown says that he has never found either the Swauip or >Song 

 Sparrow nesting iu his locality, and Mr. Savage gives the same assertion. 

 Mrs. Triem rises to state that the latt(>r speces nest abundantly near Man- 

 chester. 



Mr. New(>ll informs us tluit tli<" Song Sparrows are not rare in Story 

 county, but has never found them nesting. He thinks that perhaps tiie 

 Nelson's Song Sparrow may lie found as a emigrant in the state. 



INTERESTING NOTES. 



HY ARTHUR A. JEFFREY 



l>('ing a mcinber (tf the association. I fed it my duty to add what I can 

 t(» the interest of its little paper and. as it is lieyond my powers to dis- 

 course; at lengih on any one species or family of birds, or fill page after 

 page with their scientific nanu's, I will simply set down those of my notes 

 taken during the past season that I think will be ofintfrsst to mv brother 

 ornithologists. 



The Mouse Wi'en is. in my estimation, the most industrious little bird 

 we have. They never se(un so h;i])py as when th(>y aro employed buikiing 

 a nest oi' feeding tiieir young. I liave K'liown nuiny easels whei'e a jiair of 



