REMARKS ABOUT THE SITTA CAROLINENSIS. S I 



similar with the black of the base more and more extended in each, tili, 

 in the fifth the black Covers all except a white tip, the two centre feathers 

 are colored like the back blueish gray. The hood in the female is but 

 little darker than the back. The lenght of the bird is about six inches. Com- 

 mon as it is here I collect ed a good many years before I succeeded in 

 securing a set of its eggs. In 1881 about the middle of june I observed 

 a brood of young in my orchard, they had apparently but just left the 

 nest but I was unable to find the site of it, I made a note of the fact 

 however and resolved to keep my eyes open another Spring and waten 

 for them. In 1882 they were there as antieipated, and about the first 

 week in May I set myself to watch a male bird which long eluded me 

 but nearer and nearer I traced him gathering food for his mate, at last 

 he flew to the tree where the nest was located and immediately I saw 

 the female meet him and take the food he had brought ; then, as I trans- 

 ferred my attentions to her, she began skipping around among the 

 branches in the most indifferent manner imaginable, but perseverence 

 conquered at last and I saw her slip into a little round knot-hole in a 

 large green branch and the secret was out. In a short time the male 

 came again and the same manoeuvres were repeated, it was all very 

 piain now, except how to get the coveted eggs — however, armed with 

 a ladder and all necessary paraphernalia I invested the fortress — imagine 

 my disappointment at finding a brood of callow young, this was the 

 8 th - of May and the next day making a trip into the woods I found two 

 more Nuthatch nests in the same way and with the same result, each 

 containing young, apparently just from the shell. One was in the trunk 

 of a large Elm about twelve feet from the ground and the other in an 

 (Jak, the entranee to the hole in the trunk being only about eighteen 

 inches from the ground. Making note of my discoveries I prepared to 

 watch and wait, but success met me sooner than antieipated for, on the 

 7 th - day of June passing the Elm a rap on it with a stick brought out the 

 female Nuthatch and investigation disclosed a fine set of fresh eggs seven 

 in number which proves that the bird does sometimes lay a second set, 

 neither of the other birds did so however. In 1883 with large expeeta- 

 tions I watched the old nests. One in the Apple tree was deserted but 

 the one in the Oak was early taken possession of by a pair of birds and 

 on the 22 nd - of April I had the satisfaction of finding the set completed 

 with seven fresh eggs. Visiting the nest in the Elm 1 found a Squirrel 



