, Nest and Eggs of the Ruby-Crowned f' 

 , Kinglet. 



On the second of Juno last year, I wrote 



: concerning the taking of the nest of Golden- 

 crested Kinglet with nine eggs, also having 

 discovered nest of Ruby-crowned Kinglet but 

 as explained at that time, the latter, after 

 having completed the nest, deserted it. I re- 



ii marked in the end of letter that I expected to 

 take one yet, and I now have pleasure in ad- 

 vising that the fact has been accomplished, 

 and the nest and eggs are before me while 

 writing. | 

 On the nintli of June I started out to hunt I 

 for a Hummingbird's nest that had been seen ' 

 close to my house, and I soon located the bird 



i and watched her movements from about 9 a.m. 



1 until 12 M., but I did not succeed in discov- 

 ering the nest. She was too quick on the P 

 wing, and the eye could not follow her flight, i' 



' However, while watching her a pair of Ruby- I' 

 crowned Kinglets came along and my attention 

 was given to them. After hopping around 

 overhead for a little while they flew to some j 

 black spruces. I immediately started after 

 them and in a short time had them in view 

 again, then I sat down again, lighted a cigar, 

 and took things easy, for I knew tlie nosst 

 could not be far away. 



In a little while the J disappeared in a 

 thick clump of tall, young, black spruces; I 

 followed up and looked and climbed every tree 

 in the vicinity, but it was no use. Meantime, 

 the $ was flitting from the top of one tree to 

 another, uttering that queer sort of a whistle 

 that I do not know how to describe, except 

 that it is unlike any other bird's note that I 

 know of, and easily distinguished from all 



, others when once heard and known. 



In a little while the ? appeared again, and 

 then I made up my mind tliat that nest must 

 be found, so to work I wont, and at 2.40 p.m. 

 I found the nest, but it was only aocomplislied 

 by climbing the tree, as the nest could not be 

 seen from the ground, it being built near the 

 top of a thick, black spruce tree, and this 

 time it was built on the limb, and not under- 

 neath as described by me last year. It was 

 not on the branches of the limb but placed on 

 the hare limb about one foot out from body of 

 the tree, and about fifteen feet from the [ 



, ground when I saw contents of nest, eleven 



; eggs. I got down the tree and watched the 

 old birds. After I had seen the f go on the 

 nest twice I shot her, and then shot the $, 

 then taking the nest left for home. On the 

 way back I foiind the nest of a Wood Pewee 

 with four eggs, which I took to-day, and shot^ 

 9 bird. This nest is made entirely of hen 

 feathers, and is one of the prettiest I have 

 ever seen. 



I might say that before shooting the King- I 

 , lots and after having discovered the nest I | 



watched the birds for over an hour, as I wished 

 I their identity to be beyond dispute. The 

 I nest is built on the outside with moss and 

 lined with feathers. It measures 3 inches 

 across the top on outside, and 1% inches inside, j 

 and 1% inches deep inside. I have blown the 

 eggs which were badly incubated, but ha^e,| 



made a fair job of it, and am satisfied that 

 they are good enougli for any collector. 



On the 14th inst., I found the nest of another 

 Golden-crowned Kinglet, but unfortunately it 

 was full of young. This time the nest was 

 way up in the tiptop of a tall, straight black 

 spruce, and built underneath the limb and 

 clinging to the twigs, Just like the two nests 

 I discovered last year. Tins makes in all four 

 nests of the Kinglets I have taken, and in 

 every instance they have been built on black 

 spruces, three of them placed underneath tl.e 

 limb, one on the limb. //• Auf<ten. 



I Halifax, N.S. 



■ Further Notes on the Nesting of the 

 Ruby-Crowned Kinglet. 



Yesterday I was to the woods all day hunt- 

 ing up above species. In knocking about I heard 

 a $ getting off that peculiar note of his, and 

 soon located the little chap; that done, I sat 

 down, lit a cigar, and waited for something to 

 turn up. In a little while the J came along 1 

 and by her actions I knew the nest was near, 

 and full of young, when I considered I had 

 the spot pretty well fixed I began to climb the 

 ' trees and in one hour and ten minutes I had 

 the nest. It was as I expected, full of young, 

 and as near as I could make out the number 

 was nine. The nest was the prettiest one I 

 have yet found, being lined with Partridge 

 feathers, and placed on tha straight limb, about 

 twonty-flvo feet from the ground, and about 

 twenty inches out on the limb. Tliis nest 

 I intend to take, with the young, also the other 

 one I have located, named in my last, and 

 mount the whole business with the old birds. 



H. Austen. 



0,S0, 15. Jaly.1800. p, /// 



