88 



THE OOLOQI8T 



four as this species might be accused 

 of depositing. 



Several days later in the same large 

 woodland and under similar circum- 

 stances, another nest of the Kentucky 

 Warbler was located, containing five 

 minutely speckled eggs, the nest 

 though bulky was well built, and sub- 

 stantial. It rested entirely upon the 

 surface of the soil among the tall 

 weeds, and a profile view (on a level 

 with the eye) would justify no one sus- 

 picioning a bird's nest. The external 

 appeafance simply resembled a large 

 clump of dead brown leaves. The 

 nests are always well lined with very 

 dark stems, and sometimes a few hairs. 

 The cavity is deep and I am unfamiliar 

 with any bird in the east, other than 

 a Marsh Wren, which constructs so 

 large a nest for its size. 



In a patch of burnt over woodland, 

 I heard the nasal call of nervous little 

 Gnat Catcher, and finally caught a 

 glimpse of the bird. It seemed to have 

 confined itself to a strip about a hun- 

 dred yards long on the edge of the 

 timber, and after scanning the 

 branches of several trees, found the 

 beautiful lichen coated nest in the fork 

 of a little elm. 



Found two Mourning Warblers' 

 nests. The first on the edge of a large 

 piece of woods and almost stepped up- 

 on the nest before the parent flushed. 

 Was confident that two eggs in the 

 nest were practically fresh. It was 

 with some trouble that I relocated the 

 nest a few days later. The parent sat 

 very close this time, and no more eggs 

 had been added to the nest. Visited 

 the place for a third time on a rainy 

 evening and the female made her exit 

 by running through the flowers and 

 grass blades, and I did not see her rise 

 from the ground. There were still 

 only two eggs in the nest but I dis- 

 covered a third egg in perfect con- 

 dition lying on the ground beside the 

 nest. 



A week later while going through a 

 growth of brush, amid fallen logs, I 

 placed my foot at the very edge of 

 another Mourning Warbler's nest be- 

 fore she took leave. This contained 

 four beautiful fresh eggs. 



Was digging my heels into the hill 

 side while descending an abrupt de- 

 cline among black oaks when an un- 

 familiar note came from a tree just 

 ahead which suggested an immature 

 bird begging its parent for a morsel. 

 Closer observation revealed a Tufted 

 Titmouse indulging in one of his vari- 

 ous antics. Presently the mate arrived 

 with a mouth full and disappeared in 

 a verticle crevice in the main trunk of 

 the tree. She quickly emerged and both 

 flew away. Within two minutes they 

 returned and she again entered the 

 chasm head first with a quantity of 

 moss and backed out of the cavity. 

 She made seven trips in ten minutes. 

 I returned ten days later, climbed up 

 to the place where the tree trunk 

 seemed to contain a natural fissure 

 and could just distinguish an egg or 

 two amidst the accumulation or moss, 

 bark and hair, six inches below the 

 entrance to the hole Pilling the hol- 

 low with cotton, I succeeded after half 

 an hour's chopping, in enlarging cavi- 

 ty so that I could detect a set of four 

 eggs. During this operation both birds 

 appeared and protested mildly at my 

 presence. 



Killdeers were quite common, but 

 no nest seemed to contain sets before 

 May 1st, although my Michigan notes 

 indicate that one was apt to find tliem 

 up there in April. 



Kentucy is famous for its magnifi- 

 cent live stock. In the sprin;.; of the 

 year many of the pastures are strewn 

 with fodder and the grass closely 

 cropped. A little stream borders one 

 side of the inclosure. These places 

 are sought by the Plovers. I recog- 

 nized a couple of the hollows which I 

 (Continued on page 90) 



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