22 THE WREN. 
banging of baggage did not appear to disturb the mother bird for, 
on one occasion, I crawled underneath to see what she would do 
when a train passed. Although the ground on which the nest 
was built trembled, the bird remained on her nest. A pair of 
Juncos nested under this platform till 1908, when the entrance 
leading under it was blocked. 
Another strange location for a nest was directly under a kitchen 
window where there was usually much noise. Probably when the 
birds built their nest, before the house was opened, the situation 
was a quiet one. However, these birds objected to noise for soon 
after the hotel opened they deserted their nest which contained 
four eggs nearly ready to hatch. During the season of 1906 a 
pair of these birds nested under a small board walk which led ~ 
through the garden. People were constantly walking within a 
few inches of the female’s head, but very rarely did she leave her 
nest and then for only a few moments. In the garden are several 
small stone pyramids, over which nasturtiums climb, and among 
them a pair of Juncos usually nest. 
When the railroad was constructed a large amount of sand and 
gravel was used as an embankment. In this some Golden-rod 
grew which formed a nesting site at its base for a pair of Juncos. 
One nest was built at the base of the plant in such a position that 
the base-leaves acted as a roof for water and yet gave room for sun 
and air. Mr. Nathan Clifford Brown showed me this nest in July, 
1907. 
Apparently the nesting sites most preferred are in the banks along 
the roads and paths, and among the roots of overturned trees. 
Along the road I have, during several years, found numerous nests 
in a comparatively short distance. Along the Mt. Willard road I 
have noticed an interesting phenomenon, about July 10; at the 
base of the Mountain Juncos about a week old; at half the distance 
up Juncos not more than three or four days old, while at the top 
the eggs have not hatched or have not been hatched more than a 
day. My records show that Junco’s eggs hatch at the altitude of 
1920 feet on or within a day or two of July 4. Occasionally, 
however, I have found unhatched eggs on the eighth. Of course 
the eggs hatch later at higher altitudes; for instance, I found a 
Junco’s nest containing eggs on July 18 near the summit of Mt. 
