General Notes. 
95 
Nest and Eggs of Selasphorus platycercus. — The following inter- 
esting observations are communicated by Mr. Edwin A. Barber, of West 
Chester, Pa. : “While stationed in the extreme southwestern corner of 
Colorado, near the head-waters of the Rio la Plata, with a branch of the 
United States Geological Survey, during the summer of 1875, I was so 
fortunate as to observe large numbers of the Broad-tailed Humming-Bird. 
Our party was encamped on a small spring-rill, along the banks of which 
a thick hedge of dwarf willows had sprung up, and through and over this 
thicket these little birds were darting and chattering all day long. On 
July 26 I searched the bushes for nests, and in a couple of hours I discov- 
ered jive , each containing two diminutive white eggs. Mr. W. H. Holmes 
found two more. I contented myself with securing two sets, picking 
out those which represented extremes of form. Both nests were composed 
of vegetable cotton and thistle-down, and were covered externally with 
lichens and bark-fibre, so that in color they resembled the twigs to which 
they were attached. The color and form of the two nests, however, dif- 
fered materially, — one was broad, shallow, with thick walls, and of a 
brown color ; while the second was narrow, elevated, and of a light yel- 
lowish hue. Each, of the nests was built not more than three to five feet 
above the ground, and not one of them was fastened to the main trunk or 
larger limbs of the shrubs, like the nests of our Ruby-throat. On the 
contrary, they were all suspended by slender swaying twigs, often directly 
over the flowing water. One was attached to a little piece of curled bark, 
which presented a horizontal resting-place, just large enough for the nest. 
The eggs are not distinguishable from those of Trocliilus colubris, except 
that, in some instances, the former may be a trifle larger than the latter. 
The fact that the nests w*ere found containing eggs in the latter part of 
J uly would indicate that two broods of young are raised during the sea- 
son. All of my specimens of eggs had been laid for the space of about a 
week, as the embryos were all advanced to about the same stage of develop- 
ment, and I had great difficulty in blowing them. I believe there is no 
other case on record where the eggs of this species have been found in 
such numbers within a limited space.” — Elliott Coues, Washington , 
I). G. 
Nesting of Vireo olivaceus. — Mr. W. L. Collins, of Frankford, 
Philadelphia, Pa., writes : “Whilst walking in a grove I found a nest of 
this species, upon which the female was sitting, although the framework 
was barely completed. Watching awhile, I presently saw the male fly to 
the nest with some soft substance in his bill, which he gave to his mate 
to arrange on the nest while he went in search of more. On then looking 
into the nest, I was surprised to find that it contained three eggs. Three 
or four days afterward, I again visited the spot, and found that the struc- 
ture had been completed in the interval. Thus the female had begun to 
lay some time before the nest was ready for the reception of eggs.” — 
Elliott Coues, Washington, D. G. 
