put on over some other shade, a reddish tinge | 
allowing through in the centre. This led me 
to try an experiment. First using a piece of 
white silk dipped in water, I tried to remove 
the lavender; a little rubbing made it appear 
rather darker. Not satisfied, X then took my 
sharpest scalpel and carefully cut off the 
marking. Evefiy shave, as fine as it was, 
made the lavender blotch darker, until X 
finally cut down to a dark reddisli-brown with 
a very dark browu\spot in the centre. Still 
continuing the scrape, my brown began to 
lighten up. Thinking ft about time to let up 
scraping, if I wanted any shell left, X laid down 
the scrapel and put the egg .back into the box, 
scraped spot up, which was g plain lavender 
when I started to scrape, but n 6 w it had a dark 
brown centre with a light brownmircle around 
it which was in turn enclosed with^a lavender 
circle; then came the buff ground c«dor. . Tak¬ 
ing the other egg and treating it in a similar 
manner the same result was obtained^ Some 
of the lavender spots do not have brown under 
them. 
Has it ever been proved beyond doubt how 
the Wood Pewee and Hummingbirds attach 
the lichen so tightly to their nests? I am 
aware that some argue that it is wound on 
with spiders thread; others, again, seem to 
think that the bird uses a sticky fluid, which is 
secrete, similiar to the Eave Swallow. 
Any reader of the 0.& O. who will furnish - 
the latter it is seiabm'seen, out, 
former is far the more common. The time of 
the breeding of this bird seems to be very 
indefinite, as fresh eggs may be found from 
the latter part of April until late in June. 
The nest of the Bittern is generally hard to 
find, being placed in tall, rank grass which 
covers the ground and hides the nest. X’he 
nest is seldom placed elsewhere than upon low 
| ground that is covered with water part of the 
year, although they sometimes build in open 
fields after the grass has grown to a good 
height. When found in low places the nests 
are placed on the ground or upon decaying 
vegetation lying in shallow water. 
The nest is made of coarse, dry grass and 
|j weeds that are dragged together by the birds, 
and lined with finer material of the same kind. 
Sometimes the grass and weeds overhanging 
the nest are drawn together above it, 
completely hiding the nest and eggs. 
Thra eggs are four or five in number, genei- 
ally five, and of a uniform drab in color. As 
soon ; is the eggs are hatched, the parent birds, 
occupy their tinje j» carrying food for their 
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, Botaurus lentiginosus. American Bittern. 
Mountain ±->ir g S pi aces throughout these mountains. 
Breeds commonly in 
It was especially abundant 
Me 
Of .Arizona. a t M ormon Lake, where it finds a most congenial home. earn8 ’ -Auk, VII. Ja,n. 18Q0, p.$7, 
53. The American Bittern, Botaurus minor (Gm.). By Everett Smith. 
Jhkl, XI, p. 283. — A detailed account of its habits, as observed by the 
writer, at various localities in New Hampshire, Maine, New Brunswick, 
and Nova Scotia. OilicaffO B'told 
1944. Topographical Odlogy. By Frank H. Nutter. ‘ The Oologists , 
Exchange; Vol. I, No. 4, April, 1888 —Buteo Pennsylvania, Accifiter 
cooperi, Botaurus lentiginosus . 
342. American Bittern. By Guy C. Rich. Ibid., VI, p. 77. As 
observed at Saratoga, N. Y. 
497. A many-named Bird [ Botaurus lentiginosus ]. Bv J. E. Todd 
Ibid., XVII, pp. 431, 432. — Reference to its various vernacular flames 
Q.aiwi Q» 
Amer. Naturalist. 
i?s- 
