102 
OKNITHOLOGIJST 
[Vol 7-No. 24 
crowned S])iirrows are 2 )lentifnl in the 
dense aWIIow thickets tliat cover the tiat, 
marshy benclies of mountains and in willows 
along the creek I)ottom at the foot of the 
mountain. July ‘24 I found, accidentally, 
one of their nests with four young birds 
about a week old. The nest was placed 
ujjon some hoiizontal willow twigs on a 
steep bank of the (rreek. It was about 
tliirty inches from the ground, composed 
outwardly of coarse, diied grasses and weed 
stalks lined with fine soft grass and a 
small quantity of cow’s hair. Outside 
heighth 3 inches. l)readth inches, in¬ 
side depth IJ inches, width 3 inches. 
Oregon? Snowbirds are abundant 
throug-hout the mountains. Of this bird I 
have taken five sets of eggs. Four of the 
nests were in small cavities, under over¬ 
hanging clods of earth, in the bank of the 
wagon-road. Tlie fifth was on the ground 
by the side of a large rock on a hill side. 
Tlie nests are large for the size of the bird. 
The outer part is of coai’se grass and weed 
stalks, and small roots loosely placed to¬ 
gether, with a thick lining of soft grass. 
Outside height 2| inches, breadth G inches, 
inside depth 1^ inches, width 3^ inches. 
Tlie first tliree sets taken June 20 con¬ 
tained four fresh eggs. 
June 2(i.—The fourth set with three fresh 
eggs and the fifth one with four eggs con¬ 
taining large embryos. The average meas¬ 
urement of the whole five set is 84xG2. 
(iround color very ])ale bluish green, with 
S])ots and dashes of dark lilac blended to¬ 
gether about the larger end. forming cpiite 
a distinct circle, with a few lighter mark¬ 
ings on the rest of the sui'face. A\Jiile I 
was taking the eggs tlie jiarent birds were 
hopping about a short distance away, ut¬ 
tering loud “chij)s'’ but offenng no re¬ 
sistance. 
Mountain ISIocking Birds are quite ])len- 
tiful in the o])on places, but are seldom 
seen in the timber. 
June 20. — Took two sets of four eggs. 
— one fresh and the other containing large 
embryos. The nests are a large bulky af¬ 
fair, and were placed under a overhanging 
rock in a deep railroad cut. Composed out¬ 
wardly of dead twigs loosely laid together 
and lined with fine drv’ grass and weeds. 
Dimensions outside: height 4^ inches, 
width 0 inches, inside depth 2 inches, 
breadth 4 inches. 
June 2.0.—Found a nest under a rock in 
an old prospect hole far above timber line 
containing four fresh eggs. The parent 
bird when on the nest wll allow itself to 
be nearly touched by the hand when it will 
slip off the nest and out of sight. The 
eggs average .G8X-3.o. Ground color im¬ 
pure white, with splashes of umber and a 
few small spots of pale lilac blended to¬ 
gether, covenng the whole of the larger 
end, the remaining surface being coveia'd 
by small and separate markings of the 
same colors in a little lighter shade.— T>. I>. 
Stone, Jliineock, Colormlo. 
CoRirOKANTS BnEEniN'G IN C.APTIVITY.- 
^lany readers of land and M'oter, and 
especially those of the ornithological ty])e, 
will be interested to hear something about 
my Cormorants, which bred for the first 
time in cajitirtty in the Zoological Gar¬ 
dens. Begent’s Park, last Sjiring. whilst 
being there on “ dejiosit.’’ T think it is 
pretty well known that out of three eggs 
two were hatched and reared. Gf these, 
one was presented to the Zoological Gar¬ 
dens. whilst the other bird I removed and 
trained. I’robably the “Water Nymph." 
for such is the name I have given this 
young one. has derived great instruction 
from old “ Kao-wang," its mother, whose 
experience over nearly twenty years must 
be great, for she has turned out a most 
wonderful fisher. She has been fishing in 
Yorkshire with the old one. and tlieir score 
in three weeks is two hundred and twen¬ 
ty-six fish. .\11 kinds of fish were taken, 
but they consisted chiefiy of trout. — /*’. 
//. Soli'!)} in Land and B’otcr, Tjon 
don, Kixfiand. 
