130 i THE NIDOLOGIST 
eggs was in an aspen, whose stem was less 
than six inches in diameter. 
15.—Sphyrapicus ruber. A single pair 
taken. 
16.—Melanerpes formicivorus  bairdi* 
Abundant through all this country, spend- 
ing most of their time in chasing one 
_ another round the live oaks or decorating 
the trunks with acorns, thus depriving the 
Indians and Zamzzas of their stores: or is it 
that they object to seeing the acorns on the 
ground, so put them on the trees again? 
17.—Colaptes cafer.* Abundant. Favor- 
ite food consists of the disagreeably smell- 
ing antsso abundant in parts of California. 
I could find no reason for referring speci- 
mens to C. saturatior, or even to an inter- 
mediate form, as I had expected possible. 
18.--Chetura vauxii? A number of 
Swifts were seen in the air, which may 
have been of this species. 
19.—Calypte anna. Rather common. 
20.—Selasphorus allent. Wess common 
than the other Hummer. 
21.—Tyranuus verticalis.* Abundant. 
22.—Sayornis nigricans.* Abundant. 
23.—Contopus richardsonti. One of the 
most abundant birds. Seen every day, 
calling from some high branch or darting 
“with nervous accuracy for a fly or other 
small insect. 
24.—Empidonax difficilis. Rare. 
25.—Cyanocitta stelleri frontalis. Very 
abundant. Two specimens (May 8 and 
June 3) are easily distinguished from 
Beaverton, Oregon, specimens (February), 
as follows: Lighter back, crest less black, 
tinged with blue to the tips. I cannot 
make out any difference in the coloration 
of secondaries and tail, nor in the blue 
streaking of the forehead. 
The following are hardly distinguishable 
from the Cahto birds: 
Monterey. July 4 and rq. 
Red Point, Placer county. 
Slightly darker. 
Madrone Springs, Santa Clara county. 
December. Back very dark, but still a 
little lighter than Oregon birds. 
26.—Aphelocoma californca.* 
abundant. 
27.—Corvus americanus.*® 
June 24. 
Rather 
Seen once. 
[CONCLUDED NEXT MONTH] 
The Coloration of Eggs. 
[Extract from a paper read before the Nebraska City 
Naturalists’ Association. ] 
BY J. R. BONWELL,. 
OME of the work laid out for the present 
season was to ascertain by observation 
whether there was any regularity in the 
coloration of eggs; that is, was the coloring 
heaviest in the first of a set aud lessened 
towards the last, or was it irregular? 
Several sets of the following species were 
examined: Bronzed Grackle, Blue Jay, 
Brown Thrasher, Bluebird, Wood Thrush, 
Catbird and Wren. 
It took a great deal of time to visit these 
nests daily until the sets were completed, 
but there can be no mistake in the order of 
laying, as they were marked each day as 
laid. 
The first egg of a set is found to be not 
always the heaviest in marking, but is the 
heaviest in ground color. ‘The greatest 
irregularity of markings occurred in the 
sets of the Grackles and Thrashers. ‘The 
most uniform in coloration were those of the 
Wood Thrush and Catbird. ‘Two sets of 
the Bluebird were watched, and in both 
cases the ground color was heaviest in the 
first egg, gradually fading towards the last 
of the set. 
The Blue Jays had greater regularity in 
markings. Three sets were noted. The 
markings were heaviest in the first eggs. 
The last egg in each set was faded and faint- 
ly marked. 
In the sets of Grackles the markings 
were most irregular; sometimes the heavier 
marked were in the middle of the set, and in 
two cases the last egg laid contained the 
geater markings. The observations on this 
species were more complete than in the 
others, as nine sets were examined. 
From the observations made the tollowing 
conclusions are drawn: ‘That it would be 
impossible to tell without observation the 
exact order in which the eggs are laid; that 
the coloration varies so much with the dif- 
ferent species that no law could be applied 
governing the coloration; that there is less 
difference in the ground color of solid colored 
eggs than in those with markings; that the 
coloration of an egg, uniformly or not, 
depends upon the system and condition of 
each individual birds. Notes from other 
observers would be greatly appreciated. 
2 
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