12 FIELD AND FOREST. 



after visiting nearly every side of the excavation but the right one, 

 and resumed her complaints. 



We remained perfectly motionless for at least ten minutes longer, 

 when, after becoming gradually quiet, she flew straight to the 

 opposite bank and disappeared behind a tuft of stiff, glossy ferns ; 

 she then fed her young, and disappeared. The nest was found 

 at last, and no time was lost in examining it ; the fern-leaves 

 were pulled away, and there in a recess in the bank, completely 

 sheltered overhead and on the sides, was an elaborate nest, deeply im- 

 bedded in the ground, and containing five nearly fledged young ones. 

 The nest was much more substantial and elaborate than most ground 

 nests are, and was large for the bird ; its base consisted of a broad 

 mat of dead leaves, inside of which was a firm-rimmed saucer-shaped 

 structure of fine roots and mosses. Owing to its completely concealed 

 location, it would have been impossible to have found it had not the 

 owner herself betrayed its position. 



This was the only one of the species found in the locality that day, 

 though other birds, as the Cat Bird, Wood Thrush, Redstart, Golden- 

 crowned Thrush, and Black-and-white Creeper were abundant. From 

 our observation, we conclude that, according to Mr. Jackson's opinion, 

 the species is strictly a ground nester, like the members of the allied 

 genus Helminthophaga, and that it also selects the most completely 

 shaded, thickly wooded, and damp localities. 



Robert Ridgwav. 



Smithsonian Institution, June 14, 1875. 



Interesting Case of Snake Poisoning. 



At a recent meeting of the Club, I gave a brief history of a case of 

 poisoning by the Agkistrodon Contortrix, (B. and G.,) or Copperhead, 

 occurring under my observation in the District, and I have thought 

 that some further remarks on the subject, together with my previous 

 experiences with the reptile, miight be of interest. 



A young man, about 2 1 years of age, was spending an afternoon on 

 the Potomac river on the 22d of last month, in company with a few 

 others. The party had landed from their boat at a point on the Vir- 

 ginia shore frequently selected for pic-nics, and known as " Potomac 



