Dec. 1886.] AND OOLOGIST. X/ 183 
hundred miles must have been traversed while 
constructing the nest. 
The eggs, as has before been stated, were two 
in number, and were slighliy nest-stained. No. 1 
is of a faint creamy white color, with points and 
small splashes of umber brown generally dis- 
persed over tile surface. Tliere are a number of 
larger spots, and a large patch of tlie same color is 
spread out, almost covering one side of the egg. 
The shape is a sliort oval. It measures 1.90x1.52 
inches. No. 2 is a creamy white, with scattered 
specks and spots of chestnut color, these increase 
in size until the larger end is heavily marked 
with large, bold spots of rich chestnut brown. 
Its sliape is a perfect oval and it measures 2.00x 
1.51 inches. 
The Number of Eggs Laid by the 
Swallow-tailed Kite. 
liY N. S. GOSS, TOPEKA, KAKSAS. 
In commenting favorably upon a valuable 
paper, “ Nesting of the Swallow-tailed Kite,” by 
Mr. J. A. Singley, of Giddings, Texas, Vol. 11, 
No. 10, p. 154, of The Oknitiiologist and 
O oLOGiST, the Editor of the Oblogical Department 
makes reference to certain statements of mine, in 
regard to the nesting habits of the birds, that 
seem to call for some explanation, which I cheer- 
fully give. 
The four nests referred to, that came under my 
observation, ought to bo taken as substantiating 
the conclusions reached by the Editor, viz : that 
two, or three, at most, should be entered as a full 
set. Major C. S. Clark, of the Ninth Kansas 
Volunteers, during the war, is my authority for 
the nest with six eggs, which, in the early settle- 
ment of the Stale, he collected from a nest in the 
branches of a tall tree on Deer Creek, in Allen 
county. A German from Woodson county, while 
looking over the birds in my collection, (then at 
Neosho Falls,) pointed to a Swallow-tailed Kite 
and said a pair of the birds built a nest in a tree 
on Owl Creek, and near his house ; tiiat he shot 
one oi the birds, but failed to get near enough to 
kill the other ; tlial he then climbed the tree, de- 
stroyed the nest, and broke the eggs, four in 
number, stating that he did this to save his 
chickens. I tried to convince him that the birds 
were harmless, but think I failed. 
Such proof, fj'om a scientific standpoint, might 
not be called good authority, but, coupied with 
the fact that Audubon and later writers assert 
that the birds iay from four to six eggs, I felt, 
from the light I had, tliat it would not be either 
safe or wdse to change, in catalogue, the number 
as given. In fact, I was governed, in my revised 
catalogue of the birds of Kansas, in tlie dimen- 
sions and color of the eggs, by the sets examined, 
but did not venture to change the numbers when 
uniformly given by other writers, fearing, from 
my limited observation, such changes might prove 
in error, or misleading. As to tlie theory, thought 
so “fanciful,” that tlie crows had robbed the nests, 
I think it best answered by copying tliat part of 
my article from The Auk, viz.: ‘‘On the 27th of 
the same month (May) I found the other pair of 
Mississippi Kites nesting in the forks of a medium- 
sized oak, about forty feet from the ground. It 
was an old Crow's nest, fitted up with a few extra 
sticks and green twigs in leaf, for lining. In the 
nest there was one egg. I returned on the 2d of 
June for the eggs, found the nest robbed, and the 
birds sitting in a tree, near by, but they appeared 
to take no notice of, or interest in, the nest, as I 
approached it. On July 5th, in strolling over the 
grounds, I noticed one of the birds on the same 
nest. In it there was one egg in an advanced 
state of incubation, but witli care I was able to 
save it. Color, pure white ; measurements, l.TOx 
1.35. This nest and the ones examined of Elan- 
okles forfieahis were on tiie breeding ground of the 
common Crows, wiiich accounts for the robbery, 
and the few eggs found.” Such was my belief 
then, and is now. I will only add that my brother 
(Capt. B. F. Goss) and myself found, one season, 
over ten Crows’ nests in the vicinity, the farthest 
not over iorty rods away from the described nests 
of the Kites. 
With the well known thievish habits of the 
birds, I leave it to the reader as to whether the 
conclusion reached was a natural or “fanciful" 
one.” I was not attempting then, nor am I now', 
to prove any number the correct one. What wm 
want in this, and all such cases, is to get at the 
facts. And to this end I think all information 
bearing upon the nesting habits of the birds 
should be eagerly sought for and the results 
published. 
[It is to be feared that Major Clark did not 
properly identify the nest with six eggs that he 
found, for surely it could not have belonged to 
Elanoides forficatus. The same remark will 
also apply to the German gentleman, w'ho evi- 
dently desires to remain unknown to fame. 
Mr. Goss will have to produce better evi- 
dence than this to convince the world that this 
bird lays more than two eggs. — .1. P. N.] 
♦ 
We enclose with tliis issue a complete index for 
Vol. XI, compiled by the editor of the Oological 
department. 
