138 
ORNITHOLOGIST 
[Vol 7-N(). IS 
2.78x1.no inches, while another ont of 
the same set measures Imt 2.40X182 
inches. One of the finest sets in my col¬ 
lection measures as follows: 2.73x1-88. 
2.70x1.94. 2.71X1 98. 2.60x1 90. 2.44X 
1.84. The average size, as determined by 
me from a large numbei% is 2.65x1.80. 
Similar to the Pelicans, the young of 
this species for the first week or two are 
entirely destitute of feathers or down, the 
bare skin being pale slaty bine. They sit 
close together on their Tiests. forming a 
circle with the heads all turned inward to 
the centre, and emit a hissing noise, simi¬ 
lar to young Wood-peckers, when dis¬ 
turbed. The old birds are vei’y shy ; at 
the least unusual noise they may be seen 
standing upright on their nests with necks 
fully extended, and at the slightest sign 
of danger make out of sight at once. 
They do not seem to care much for their 
young, judging from what T have seen. 
On this same \dBit I found the Double- 
crested Cormorants occui^ying the westeni 
slopes of the Islands in full force, while the 
Pelicans occupied the more sheltered posi¬ 
tion on the east side, and the Great Blue 
Heron the central parts. Each species 
kept to a certain degree bv itself and did 
not encroach on the other’s territorv. 
About two-thirds of the Cormorajits’ nests 
were ]daced oii the ground and raised a 
few inches from it by coarse pieces of drift, 
small sticks, etc., the balance on low grease 
wood bushes. The nests, considering the 
size of the bird, are small, and were lined 
more or less with ])ieces of bark or tule 
and coarse grasses, and as a rule might be 
called well constructed. They were all. 
with scarcely an exce])tioji. iilaced very 
close to the water’s edge, ‘\\nien the lake 
was rough, the water must have splashed 
into a good many of them. The eggs, four 
or five in number, are of an elongated oval 
shaj)f‘. considerably ]>ointed at the smaller 
end. pale green in color aTid coveied more 
or less with a chalky matter, which can 
easily be washed off when freshlv laid. 
They average about 2.42x1 48 inches. 
The largest set in a number measures 2.86 
Xl.6(). 2.70X1.65. 2.66X1.64. 2.70x1.60. 
A single egg was found measuring but 
1.80 X 1.20 inches. In the early stages the 
young of this species iirjj also jierfectly 
naked, the skin being a deep glossy black: 
they are greasy and loud smelling crea¬ 
tures. In fact the Islands are reeking with 
filth duiing the breeding season, and it 
reejuires a strong, healthy stomach not to 
be affected by the overpowering smells en¬ 
countered on landing. I was unable to 
leani anything about the tactics employed i 
by the Cormorants on their fishing excur- ' 
sions, but I presume they are about the j 
same as used by the Pelicans. The nnm- . 
ber of pounds of fish destroyed by these t 
birds must be enormous, and there are still 
larger colonies to be found on the westeni 
end Of the Lake, but with all this I have 
never seen more fish at any one time than 
near the head of the spring mentioned in 
this article, the water being perfectly alive 
with them. 
Curious Nestino Pl.\ces. — In the Spring 
of 1878. I found a Robin’s nest on a rock 
and level with the ground. There was ' 
scarcely any attemjit at a nest. sim])ly a 
few weeds around the edge, and the eggs 
laid on the bare rock. Still, the bird was 
as noisy at my jiresence. as if she were 
defending a much more elaborate stnic 
ture. On June 18. 1880. I found a Song 
.Sparrow’s nest jilaced in an abandoned 
Downy AVoodjiecker’s nest, eight feet 
from the ground, in a dead witch hazel 
stub. The identification was positive, ns I 
stood within three feet of the nest ami 
watched the female feed the half-grown 
young. May 20. 1881, took a set of five 
Cat Bird’s «-ggs. Is this not an unusual 
number 1 I have examined dozens of 
nests of this bird. l)ut never saw five eggs 
in a set until this year, when M. B. G and 
myself have each t:iken a set of five. — IP. 
IP. Sfulter *Veie 
VorA-. ; 
