24 THE O. & O. SEMI-ANNUAL. 
Now these nests had all been commenced within a few days of 
one another, and there was no reason for supposing one nest 
much more advanced than the rest. The result was as follows: 
tst, set of four fresh; 2d, a beautiful nest empty ; 3d, three eggs 
incubated ; 4th, set of four commenced; 5th, oneegg. This was 
the only nest we could feel in, and we afterwards took a set of 
three from it; 6th, an empty nest; yet all these ought to have 
had full sets of fresh eggs. 
Then again I found a Nuthatch’s nest in a dead stub in a 
swamp; I knew there ought to be a nest somewhere near, but 
from the date was afraid the eggs would be incubated. The stub 
was rotten and the climbers did not hold well, but I got the re- 
sult of my labors in safety—four fresh eggs. 
Then again Hummingbirds have a bad habit of building their 
nest where one can’t get at them. I had one curious but fortu- 
nate experience with one last summer. I had found an old nest 
and was looking around, when a Hummer made a fuss and I lo- 
cated her nest right away. It was built in an oak sapling, the 
top of which was bent over so as to be horizontal, and here, 15 
feet from the ground, was the nest. I managed to get a cord 
over the top of the oak, and hung my hat, full of cotton, under- 
neath to catch the eggs if they tumbled out. Just as the nest 
came within reach, the cord slipped, the oak jerked up about a 
foot and away went the eggs. I found them both unharmed on 
the dead leaves below. 
Nuthatches, both species of Tit, Pine Warbler, Gnatcatcher 
and any other small birds, who build nests where one cannot 
tell the number of eggs without taking the nest, are always more 
of a trouble to get full, fresh sets from, than species like the Yel- 
low-breasted Chat, whose nests one can look right into. and see 
how many eggs there are, and then leave if there are not enough. 
Another difficulty which I will not enlarge on now, is how to 
take a desirable nest when found. Jn some cases, a lone reed 
with the point sharpened comes in handy to poke through the 
nest and then dislodge it and bring it safe to hand. Miniature 
grappling hooks attached to the reed also serve the same purpose. - 
Another method is to hang one’s hat, filled with cotton, below, 
and then poke nest and eggs off the limb into the hat. (We have 
taken several sets this way.) 
