196 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 97 



deer, whose nest was found May 20th, and the eggs thereof hatched 

 June 15th, making a period of twenty-six days in which the eggs 

 were known to have been incubated. The author concludes with 

 this question: "Can anyone add more accurate data as to the 

 period of incubation?" 



The Killdeer, one of the breeding birds of my neighborhood, has 

 furnished in years past many interesting notes for its family his- 

 tory. Its nest has frequently been found, but always some time 

 after it had received its full complement of eggs. For about fifteen 

 years I have maintained a standing offer of a dollar to any child, 

 who would tell me of a nest in which the set of eggs had not been 

 completed. Since the initial offer some of the boys have grown 

 to manhood, always forgetful of the name of the species, but re- 

 ferring to it as "the dollar bird." 



It was on our own home lot about one hundred feet beyond the 

 fence of the house yard, in the afternoon of April 19, 1916, that my 

 sister. Dr. E. Amelia Sherman, found a Killdeer's nest with only 

 three eggs in it, the fourth being added the next day. On the morn- 

 ing of May 17th two eggs (were hatched, and by six o'clock in the 

 evening three birds were out of the shell. Early the next morning 

 there was nothing in the nest but a newly hatched Killdeer, to the 

 brooding of which the mother returned as soon jas the Intruder 

 withdrew. A cold wind blew all that day, the nest was not visited 

 again until 5 p. m., when it was found empty, but not more than 

 two feet from it lay a velvety little Killdeer, dead, but not yet stiff. 

 So closely did its concealing colors harmonize with its surround- 

 ings it was found only after most careful searching. That the in- 

 cubation period for this nest of eggs was twenty-eight days there 

 can be no doubt. 



It is not certain that all of the other three young ones grew to 

 maturity, but it is believed that they did. So protective was their 

 coloration, so; adroit was parental management, that they were not 

 seen after leaving the nest until they had attained the size of the 

 adult House Sparrow. This has been the experience with other 

 broods studied in previous years, and it offers grounds for hope 

 that the Nebraska birds evaded the snake as successfully as they 

 did the ornithologists. 



Althea R. Sherman. 



National, Iowa. 



NOTES FROM LAKE COUNTY, OHIO. 



Holboells Grehe: The autumn 1916 flight of the Holboells Grebe 

 must have been halted a short time along our southern lake shore 

 for on Oct. 8th I counted no less than eleven in a half mile walk; 



