Birds of Indiana. 1145 



County (V. H. Bamett). In Carroll County they are rather coTnmon 

 (B. W. Evermann); at Waterloo it is common. (F. P. Feagler); Sedan, 

 tolerably common (Mrs. J. L. Hine). It is rare in Allen County (C. 

 A. Stockbridge), and has been reported from Starke County, and 

 breeds (G. Fream Morcom, H. K. Coale); Porter, summer resident 

 (J. W. Byrkit); Lake, breeds (G. F. Clingman). In Cooke County, 

 HI., it is not common and breeds (C. A. Tallman, Elliot Blackwelder). 

 It is common at Hillsdale, Mich. (C. L. Cass), and tolerably common 

 at Petersburg (Jerome Trombley). I found them at Brookville, paired, 

 April 4, 1884, and they are usually mated when they arrive. April 

 18, 1882, four days after arrival, they were building. The earliest 

 completed nest I have seen was April 21, 1883, seven days after they 

 were first seen. A set of eggs was noted. May 10, 1881. I have found 

 young as late as July 9 (1886). Mr. E. E. Quick has found, at Brook- 

 ville, June 4, two well-incubated eggs in a nest which he thinks was 

 begun May 21 (Langdon, Cat. Birds, Vic. Cin., 1877, p. 2). Prof. B. 

 W. Evermann obtained full sets of eggs. May 17, from two nests which 

 were commenced May 5. He thinks they were completed and the first 

 egg laid May 12 (The Auk, January, 1889, p. 29). The nest is one of 

 the most beautiful pieces of bird architecture to be found with us. 

 It resembles the nest of the Euby-throated Humming-bird, but is 

 much larger. Indeed, it seems from the outside too large for the size 

 of the bird, but the cavity is comparatively small, and in order to sit 

 within it the bird has to erect her head and tail — apparently a very 

 uncomfortable position. The nest is composed of fine fibres and spider 

 webs, and the outside is covered with lichens. It is placed in the fork 

 or saddled upon a limb of a rough-barked tree in the more open woods. 

 When completed, owing to its resemblance to a lichen-covered knot, 

 it is hard to find. While the birds are building it — for both share in 

 the work — they are very industrious and often pay little attention 

 to a visitor. At other times they spy him when afar ofE, and, like the 

 Tufted Titmouse, continue noisilj' to pay him attention while he is in 

 the vicinity. The female is the chief architect. Every little while 

 during the course of the construction, she settles herself into the nest 

 and, pressing her breast against the inside wall, stretches her neck 

 over the side, reaching with her bill as far towards the base as pos- 

 sible, and presses it together and works it into shape. Often she works 

 half way around the nest, apparently with much effort and taking 

 great pains. She uses her bill in forming the nest as a potter uses his 

 fingers in shaping the plastic clay. Nests are usually placed 25 to 60 

 feet from the ground. 



