During the succeeding season the swamps 
were very dry, only one or two ponds con- 
taining any water, and perhaps for this 
reason only a very few Bitterns were to be 
seen. ‘I'wo nests only were found. The 
first was in the edge of the main swamp 
and held but two eggs, which were left, but 
only one more was laid. ‘This nest, if nest 
it could be called, was beside a tussock of 
grass and the eggs were on the bare ground, 
with a few pieces of dry rushes to keep them 
together. 
The other nest was in the large pond 
spoken of before, now dry, and held four 
eggs, the nest consisting of a few pieces of 
dry rushes laid on the ground among a lot 
of dead rushes. Cattle had fed all about 
the nest until very few rushes were left. 
These sets were taken on the 22nd of May. 
In color the eggs range from a dead grass 
to the green sometimes found in grass dried 
in the shade,and both shades may be found 
in the same nest. Others are of a dirty 
cream color, but as all sets of this color were 
taken late in the season they may possibly 
have been second sets, from birds laying 
darker eggs at first. In any case they are 
very near the color of the rushes used for 
the nest. i 
In size the eggs run from 1.90 to 2.08 in 
length, and fromz.4i to1,51 in width. The 
average measurements of twenty-threeeggs 
were 1.97 X 1.45. 
The nests willaverage 15 x 10x 4inches. 
When placed over water a few rushes are 
bent flat on the water, and on these the 
nest is laid. They seem to prefer ponds as 
nesting places, and are not particular as to 
depth of water or how open the pond may 
be, provided it has plenty of dead rushes. 
One or both of the old birds are usually to 
be found near the nest, but in no case did I 
find more than two birds near the nest,even 
when the set was incomplete. When several 
birds were observed near each other no nest 
was to be found, and none of the nests were 
nearer each other than too yards. A plat- 
form much like a nest is built by the birds 
to stand on during the day, except that 
green rushes are more commonly used in 
its construction. 
The call of the Bittern is not unlike the 
sound made by driving a nail in a board, 
It is much faster than a blow could be given 
by a sledge. Sometimes it ends with a 
bellow very much like that of a bull, and 
sometimes this bellow is all that is given 
THE NIDOLOGIST 
119 
When frightened it has a hoarse croak, 
much like that of the Herons. 
A. C. MurcHISON. 
Kewanee, IIl. 
——__—» 
Raptores of Maryland. 
BY WM. H. FISHER. 
Cathartes aura:—Turkey Vulture. 
HE Turkey Buzzard, as it iscommonly 
called, is an abundant resident. On 
account of its habits as a scavanger 
it is protected by the law, a penalty of $5.00 
being imposed for killing one. I have 
many times seen dozens of them about the 
carcase of a horse or cow, and others per- 
ched in the neighboring trees waiting their 
turn at the feast. On one occasion I saw 
a circle of them around the remains of a 
calf, and perched on it, eating his fill. was 
a Bald Eagle. 
The eggs, twoin number, are deposited 
from the middle of April to the middle of 
May, in a hollow log or under a ledge of 
rock. 
Elanoides forficatus:—Swallow-tailed Kite. 
This beautiful southern species, occasion- 
ally, in the summer, strays as far north as 
the state of New York. 
In either July or August 1889, one was 
shot near Catonsville, Baltimore county. 
Circus hudsonius:—Marsh Hawk 
The Blue Hawk is resident the whole 
year, except during severe winters. It is 
fairly common, but not abundant excepting 
in the lower counties, and in Baltimore 
county,and the adjoining counties, is gener- 
ally seen in the spring and fall. This 
Hawk can easily be recognized by the 
white feathers of the upper tail coverts, 
which are plainly discernible as it skims low 
over the meadows and marshes in quest of 
mice, of which it destroys immense num- 
bers. 
The nest is placed on the ground, in 
marsh or meadow. 
Accipiter velox:—Sharp-shinned Hawk. 
Resident, but not at all common, especi- 
ally during the summer months. 
The Sharp shinned Hawk although small 
in size, is not lacking in courage, and fre- 
quently kills birds much larger than itself. 
Some years ago one of these Hawks was 
seen every morning about one of the North- 
ern Central R. R. elevators in this city, 
chasing the pigeons which congregated 
