156 



THE YOUNG OOLCMG^IST. 



known by their constant chattering which 

 they keep up all day long and often far 

 into the night. They commence to build 

 about the 25th of April, as I have found 

 their nest with eggs as early as May 9th. 

 Incubation advanced. They build a com- 

 pact nest (seldom more than four feet from 

 the ground), composed outwardly of grass 

 and bark from the grape vine, lined with 

 fine roots and dry grass. Lay four white 

 eggs speckled with reddish brown spots. 

 For three consecutive years I have found a 

 nest of this species in the Sfime spot and on 

 the same day of the niontli and same 

 number of eggs, three, in it. 



They seem to prefer the the myrtle 

 bushes to others to build in, at least I have 

 found it so, as I have found them oftener 

 in them than in any others. They are a 

 very jealous bird, hating for anj" one to 

 intrude on their haunts, chattering and 

 scolding as long as you are in sight. I 

 I know they raise two, if not three; broods 

 during the season, as I have found their 

 nests as late as July 17th with fresh eggs. 

 T. D P. 



Savannah, Ga. 



The Maryland Yellow-throat. 



( Geotldypis trichas. ) 

 This beautiful little warbler, is a com- 

 mon summer resident of Massachusetts, 

 appearing from the south from -the 1st to 

 the 15th of May. When it first arrives it 

 usually frequents low swampy thichets. 

 You may see one of these birds perched on 

 the topmost branch of a bush wai'bling its 

 beautiful song. The instant he observes 

 an intruder he darts down into the under 

 brush. If you stand still for a while, you 

 may see him hop up into the bush again, 

 first from one twig to another, until he has 

 reached the upmost twig again, and if he 

 does not see any suspicious movements he 

 will resume his interrupted song. The 

 Maryland Yellow-tln-oat usually commen- 

 ces building their nest in the latter part of 

 May. They usually select a swampy lo- 

 cality. Their nest is usually placed on the 

 ground, but I have found them over two feet 

 from the ground in a bush. Their nest is 



a large bulky affair, usually composed of 

 dead grass, leaves, feathers, grape-vine 

 bark, dead ferns, or most anything that 

 will make a fit receptacle for their eggs. A 

 nest that I found in a fresh meadow was 

 composed externally of wide blades of 

 fresh grass, and lined with moss. They 

 lay four or five eggs usually, the eggs 

 x'arying a great deal both in size and mark- 

 ings. They are creamj' white in color with 

 numerous spots of dark brown and obscure 

 spots of lilac at the greater end of the egg. 

 I have one set of four eggs that are pure 

 white in color with faint dots of light red- 

 dish brown at the large end. One egg has 

 but a single spot, and that is hardly large 

 enough to be noticed. Average dimen- 

 sions of several specimens, .70x.52 inch. 

 The birds rear two broods in a season in 

 Massachusets. I found a set perfectly 

 fresh .Inly 7, '88. The Maryland Yellow- 

 throat departs for the south by the middle 

 of September. 



Charles S. Phtllips, 



Dighton, Mass. 



White-bellied Nuthatch. 



On the 23nd of May, 1882, I found a 

 nest of this bird in a hole in an apple tree, 

 in an orchard, about 54 feet from the 

 ground, which contained five young birds 

 about a week old and One unincubated egg. 

 I discovered the nest by seeing the parent 

 bird carrying food to her brood. 



On tho 27th of xipril, 1883, being near 

 the place where the above was found I 

 thought 1 would see if the birds were 

 about. As I neared the locality I sud- 

 denly saw the bird on the tree near the 

 hole where the nest was. On examination 

 I was very mach surprised to find six as 

 handsome eggs as anyone would wish to 

 see. I examined one, and as the incuba- 

 tion had begun I secured them. 



The nest is quite bulky, made of root- 

 lets and fine bark, lined with hair. The 

 eggs are a beautif\il roseate-white, spotted 

 quite thickly with reddish brown, chiefly 

 at the larger end. 



Charles E. Doe, 



Providence, R. I. 



