22 Joint Bulletin 7 



blackberry patch it was in the top of a 40-foot elm tree at the foot of 

 of a ledge 300 feet lower down the mountain. The cliff did not look like 

 a good nesting spot, but I decided to search it a little, and I had hardly 

 commenced before I found a bulky nest, that looked new to me, under 

 a low growing branch of purple flowering raspberry (Rubus odoratus). 

 The nest had not yet been lined. There was no female bird in sight. 

 The male moved to a tree a hundred yards away and sang, apparently 

 unconcerned. 



My next visit was on June 10, and the nest was finished and con- 

 tained four eggs. The bird had completed it and laid the four eggs in 

 foin- days. 



Again, there was no female bird in sight, and, not being positive 

 of the species to which the nest belonged, I paid it another visit on the 

 14th. It then contained five eggs, and the female mourning warbler 

 was incubating. 



This nest was well hidden by the large leaves of the raspberry, and 

 it was supported by slender branches of the bush. The bottom of the 

 nest was only nine inches from the ground. It was much different 

 from the nest of a chestnut-sided warbler and Maryland yellow-throat, 

 which build in somewhat similar situations, the loosely woven grass of 

 the outside reminding one somewhat of a song sparrow's nest, al- 

 though, of course, the size was smaller. The nest was well cupped and 

 was lined with dark colored rootlets and black hairs. There were a 

 few dead leaves loosely woven into the bottom of the structure, as in 

 the case of a Maryland's nest. 



BIRD NOTES 



Inez Addie Hoive 



During the severe weather of January and February, 1920. pine 

 and evening grosbeaks were very common in St. Johnsbury. From 

 April 8 to 12 a pair of fox sparrows fed at my food shelves, even going 

 into an open shed for grain and crumbs. Winter wrens nested in St. 

 Johnsbury last season. 



I saw but one ruffed grouse with brood last season, and that was 

 on July 14. Surely there is need of an endless closed season on ruffed 

 grouse if we would preserve the species in Vermont. 



