i8 THE SEMI-ANNUAL. 



All agree that .the upright crotch is the usual place for a nest. 

 Mr. Burns says that of 58 nests examined, 53 were placed in up- 

 rio-ht forks of saplings, 3 out on branches of trees, 2 in briar 

 tangles ; nest always in a thicket. In Iowa a larger proportion 

 are on horizontal branches. I have found nests saddled on a 

 drooping grape-vine which the wind rocked almost constantly. 



There is much variation in height ot Wood Thrush's nest. At 

 Berw^n, Pa., the highest was 12 feet, lowest i foot, average 6 

 feet; at Columbia, . Pa., highest 17 feet, lowest 3 feet, average 8 

 feet; at Pittsburgh, Pa., highest 15 feet, lowest 3 feet, average 6 

 feet ; at Grinnell, Iowa, highest 20 feet, lowest 2 feet, average 6 

 feet ; at Wauwatosa, Wis., highest 30 feet. 



At Bervvyn, Pa., 40 nests were on hill sides, 18 close to water ; 

 at Perrineville, N. J., " the nest is in thickly wooded tracts;" 

 at Pittsburgh, Pa., " Wood Thrush is found in damp woodlands 

 and sparingly distributed over groves and dry leafy woods ;" at 

 Grinnell, Iowa, the dark deep woods are preferred without 

 reference to nearness to water ; nests are the most common on 

 dark, shady uplands. Wood Thrush also nests not uncommonly 

 in deep shady places in city, often very near occupied houses. 



COMPOSITION OF NEST. 



In Pennsylvania and New Jersey the nest is made of " dead 

 chestnut and oak leaves appearing as if placed together in a 

 humid condition ; upon these are arranged weeds, grass and 

 mud, all thickly lined with black rootlets, with rarely a few dead 

 twigs in the outer structure, and a little grass on the inside. 



Mr. Burns found a nest containing much tissue paper and 

 circulars hanging from the nest in strips. 



In Iowa the nests are universally made outwardly of dead oak 

 and hickory leaves, with some fine, almost white, dry grass 

 hanging down ; weed stalks and long coarse grass show through 

 the leaves, within them there is a thick layer of punk formed into 

 a welt, almost like felt, inside of this there is a thin layer of 

 black rootlets, rarely thick enough to conceal the punk, with 

 never any grass. I have never found a Wood Thrush's nest with 

 inud in it. Either punk of a greyish color, or old horse di'op- 

 pings are used, rarely the latter. I am aware that I may call 



