OF VIRGINIA 19] 
River Peninsula, during November, 1909, 1910. As the 
chinquapin nuts or acorns are numerous along this sand 
dune coast, it is somewhat surprising that this species is 
not more numerous. Resident birds remain throughout 
the winter months. The nest is a bulky affair, placed in 
a live oak, chinquapin, cedar or pine tree, from ten to 
twenty-five feet up, composed of small sticks, twigs and 
rootlets, lined with finer rootlets. Four to five eggs is a 
complete set, with brownish or greenish ground color, 
blotched and spotted with olive brown. Size, 1.10x.80. 
Fresh eggs May 1st to 10th. They are a noisy bird, and 
mimic many of the common species. Their bad habits 
of eating both eggs and young make them disliked by 
all other birds, who set up a terrible racket as soon as 
a jay comes in close proximity to their nest, in which all 
the surrounding nesting families join. Numerous 
varieties of insects, and the wild nuts, such as the acorn, 
chinquapin, beech and chestnut, form their chief article 
of diet, while table scraps from the house and corn from 
the field are well liked by these birds. I do not consider 
them of any great benefit to agriculture. I found them 
breeding in the top of rhododendron bushes, in the 
mountains, +,500 feet altitude. 
