190 



OEOTTHOLOGIST [Yol. 12-Ko. 11 



hours more watching this bird on the 23rd but 

 did not see it go near the hole. Nearly all the 

 lollowing afternoon was spent in this woods. 

 Both birds were seen and the male was noticed 

 giving the female a bit of food as they were 

 clinging to the trunk of a tree. I also saw the 

 male enter the knot-hole into which my friend 

 saw it go. The next day I watched the hole a 

 short time and saw one of the birds carry in a 

 bit of bark. On May 1st I followed one of the 

 pair for some time ; it did not go near the knot- 

 hole but, two days later my friend saw one en- 

 ter it, so I determined to settle all doubt about 

 the matter. On May 7th [ strapped on my 

 spurs, ascended the tree and cut open the hole, 

 only to find a large handful of oak bark with- 

 out any sign of a nest. I did not pursue this 

 pair any further. 



On April 23rd while returning home through 

 the woods from watching the above birds, I 

 heard a low note uttered and looking up saw a 

 male Nuthatch on the trunk of a large chest- 

 nut tree, eyeing me suspiciously. 



Moving around to the opposite side of the 

 tree I saw a knot-hole in the trunk, thirty-five 

 feet from the ground, and very soon was pleas- 

 ed to see the bird creep to the edge of this hole 

 and look in, then it flew off, but returned short- 

 ly with a bit of bark which it dropped in the 

 hole. On the following day I observed it 

 again and saw it carry something into the hole. 

 Fearing that if it was left any longer I would 

 find only young birds, I climbed to the hole on 

 the 2oth. The entrance was but two inches in 

 diameter and the bottom could not be seen, so I 

 was obliged to cut it open. This was accom- 

 plished after hacking fifteen minutes with a 

 dull hatchet, while I clung to the trunk with 

 the assistance of one hand and the spurs. 

 Looking in I saw that the cavity was a natural 

 one and enlarged from the entrance downwaid 

 and inward. At the further end of it, ten inch- 

 es from the entrance, and in the middle of the 

 tree, was the little nest. It was composed of 

 fine strips of inner bark and bits of rabbit fur. 

 I was much grieved and vexed too, however, to 

 see that it was empty ; I was too early. While 

 removing the chips that had fallen in I caught 

 the side of the nest accidentally and had drag- 

 ged it out before I knew it. I felt that this 

 ended all possibility of the birds returning to 

 nest in this cavity. However, hope was re- 

 vived when as I was passing the tree on May 

 1st, both birds were on it. On the 7th I de- 

 termined to see if a new nest had been begun. 

 Imagine my surprise and delight on seeing that 

 there was another nest and it held eight eggs. 



The pair must have started working at their 

 second nest immediately after the first was de- 

 stroyed. I thought it very strange that they 

 should return to this hole after my hatchet had 

 made such a great alteration. 



The nest was not disturbed until the 9th, 

 when as it still held the same number, the eggs 

 were taken. On blowing them it could be seen 

 that they were incubated evenly, about live 

 days as the eyes and soft bones were formed. 



The bottom of the cavity where the nest was 

 built was about eight inches wide and the space 

 not occupied by the n(«t was thickly covered 

 with bits of bark such as I had found in the 

 other hole. 



Whether or not this pair had the courage to 

 nest here again I do not know, as I did not visit 

 the place again. Each visit to these woods re- 

 quired a walk of four miles, so everything con- 

 sidered, it is not surprising that I look on these ,' 

 eggs with so much esteem. 



O.&Q. XII.NoY.iaST v,n^-t^D. 



