16 Roberts and Benner on the Ornithology of Minnesota. 
elm-trees, and were placed on the top of the limb, but not so much exposed 
as the Kingbird’s. They are somewhat larger than those of the latter bird, 
but the eggs are so similar that identification was only possible by seeing 
the female sitting upon the nest, which was no easy matter, for after they 
were once disturbed they would hover over the tree for a while, uttering a 
short note, and then one of the pair would disappear for some time, and 
only return when its mate had escorted it back, and then both would sit 
upon an adjacent limb for twenty minutes or more before the female 
would approach the nest. At this date (June 17) one of the nests con- 
tained four eggs perfectly fresh, and the other was not quite finished. 
The first was composed of stems of plants and dried grasses, and lined 
with finer grasses and a few bits of wool. The second was about the 
same, except the lining, which was composed entirely of feathers. 
36. Contopus virens, (Linn.) Cab. Wood Pewee. — Common. 
37. Empidonax trailli, (And.) Bd. Traill’s Flycatcher. — On 
July 19 a nest with three fresh eggs of this species was taken in a tangled 
growth of wild-plums and grape-vines. The nest was built about three 
feet from the ground, in the fork of a small plum-tree, and entirely hid- 
den by the grape-vines which covered the tree. It was composed of dry 
grasses rather compactly woven and lined with finer pieces of the same. 
External diameter 3^ inches ; depth 3. Internal diameter 2 ; depth 
about ll inches. The ground color of the eggs, which measure .75 of an 
inch in length by .56 in breadth, was a very rich cream-color before 
blowing, and afterward assumed a creamy-white appearance, having a 
circle of dots and spots of a reddish-brown color at the larger end. The 
female was shot. 
38. Empidonax minimus, Bd. Least Flycatcher. — Common. 
Nest and four fresh eggs taken June 17. 
39. Chordiles virginianus, ( Gm .) Bp. Nighthawk. — Common. 
Eggs taken June 6 were nearly fresh. A specimen taken is not nearly as 
light-colored as many from the eastern part of the State. 
40. Cheetura pelagica, (Linn.) Bd. Chimney Swift. — A few seen 
in the timber at Elbow Lake. 
41. Ceryle alcyon, (Linn.) Boie. Belted Kingfisher. — Noticed 
at Big Lake, Grant County, and several along the Minnesota River at 
Brown’s Yalley. 
42. Coccygus erythrophthalmus, (Wils.) Bp. Black-billed 
Cuckoo. — Common. Nest and one fresh egg found, June 1 7, at Brown’s 
Yalley. 
43. Colaptes auratus, (Linn.) Sw. Golden-winged Woodpecker. 
— Common. Young well advanced, June 7. 
44. Bubo virginianus, (Gm.) Bp. Great Horned Owl. — In the 
timber at Elbow Lake an old bird and two young, fully fledged and flying 
around, were seen. A large nest in a big oak near by evidently belonged 
to them. 
