30 THE O. & O. SEMI-ANNUAL. 
The opening is not over I 1-2 inches in diameter ; the cavity us- 
ually a foot or more deep—a few much less—and does not run far 
back, but follows down, generally obliquely, close under the 
bark, or outside layer of hard wood, the next, therefore, being 
not directly under the opening. 
Several that I have examined were composed of a considerable 
mass of shredded cocoons, hair, soft decayed wood and cotyledous 
of pine. 
March 12. A nest taken to-day with five eggs was placed di- 
rectly under the entrance, and not more than six inches deep, but 
this is not the usual way. 
A second nest found to-day had four young, just hatched, and 
one egg. A crack in the stub which extended to the cavity was 
chinked or caulked effectually with lichens, cocoons and wool, to 
exclude light and air, I suppose. I have noticed the same on 
other occasions. 
Another set of five taken to-day were perfectly fresh, and other 
nests found nearly completed by middle of February have not 
yet been laid in. 
March 16. One nest with six fresh eggs was in a dead stump, 
hole on east side, four feet from ground, nest directly under open- 
ing, cavity about ten inches deep, three inches from front to back 
and four to five inches wide. This nest was composed almost 
exclusively of fine cotyledous. 
Another nest carefully examined to-day was composed of about 
three-quarters of the cotyledous, balance largely of torn cocoons. 
a little soft wood and some lichens. 
Another was placed behind a large flake or section of decayed 
sap wood, which was four feet or more long and extending less 
than one-quarter of the way around the body of the tree, and al- 
most detached from main trunk. There was no opening proper 
to this nest, the birds using the natural or existing fissure for the 
purpose. 
