26 



AMEBIC AN ORNITHOLOGY. 



composed of sticks and roots, also large pieces of white tissue paper- 

 On the 26th of May the nest contained four eggs. About the same 

 time two other Cat Bird nests were found in the vicinity; all composed 

 of the same materials and containing about the same number of eggs. 

 The song of the Cat Bird is extremely sweet and beautiful at this sea- 

 son of the year, almost rivaling that of the Thrushes and other noted 

 vocalists. 



On June 1st, noticing a Yellow-breasted Chat come out of a bramble 

 patch on the hillside, and acting in a suspicious manner, I made a short 

 search and soon found a newly completed nest and one eg§.. June 

 11th a second Field Sparrow's nest was found on the ground among- 

 some low maple saplings; this nest also contained four eggs. During 

 June a third Song Sparrow's nest was discovered on the groundamong- 

 some tall grass and cat tails. Aside from birds, nests and eggs above 

 mentioned, "Meadow-Brook" was a paradise for wild flowers. The 

 dearly loved blue violets head the list, first appearing about the 20th of 

 April and blooming continuously until the latter part of May. There 

 were several varieties, the deep purple of the warm, dry banks, the 

 paler blue of those growing in the wooded portions of the locality, and 

 the light blue, long-stemmed ones that grew in the marshes. The very 

 small white and yellow varieties were also noticed in the wet places. 



Spring Beauties made their appear- 

 ance about April 23rd, and were espec- 

 ially numerous on the hillside, looking 

 as if a large white sheet had been 

 spread on the grass. Dog-tooth vio- 

 lets first made their appearance about 

 April 28th and bloomed in profusion, 

 for a time, being especially numerous 

 under a large spreading beech tree; 

 what a pretty sight, all those delicate 

 yellow bells hanging on their graceful 

 stalks over the spotted leaves, which 

 were so thick as to form a carpet of 

 green. May 8th the Indian Turnip or 

 "Jack-in-the-pulpit," made its appear- 

 ance, followed about May 12th by the 

 large yellow Buttercup and white Daisy,, 

 which bloomed in company and count- 

 less numbers throughout the season. 

 This is one of the pretty sights of the spring time; hundreds of white 

 flowers nodding with every gentle breeze, and intermingled with the 



