NESTING HABITS OF BIRDS. 155 
stubs or decayed tops of trees in which to nest, usually 
excavating these cavities themselves. Occasionally the 
yellow hammer (Colaptes auratus) will appropriate a 
knot hole in an apple tree for the purpose; but he and the 
red-headed woodpecker (Lrythrocephalus melanerpes) are 
partial to living trees with decayed tops. To these they 
often return year after year, only clearing out the old 
cavity each year. 
The swimmers nearly all make their nests on the 
ground, and generally near the water; there are excep- 
tions, and among them notably the wood duck (Aza 
sponsa) Which often hatches its young in a hollow stub 
or tree, sometimes fifty feet or more from the ground. 
The American gold finches (Spinus tristis) are very 
partial to the maple, and probably two-thirds of all 
their nests are placed in this favorite tree. They next 
show a preference for the peach, birch, and wild cherry. 
Mr. Cowell tells me that two small maples by the road 
side each contained three new nests of these birds. 
Probably the young of last year returned with the old 
birds, and so kept near one another. No doubt the 
young of former years often return in company with 
the parents and build in the nearest available place. 
A pair of phebe birds placed their nest on an iron 
rod running through some beams over a barn floor. 
The following year two couples built on the same rod, 
and the summer succeeding there were three nests in a 
row, and all occupied; as these birds are hot gregarious, 
it is reasonable to suppose that they only obeyed the 
patriarchal instinct in keeping the family together. 
