nest about seven feet up in one of the birches. Hanging over 
the edge of the nest, and draped upon the bushes surrounding 
it, was about two-thirds of the body of a three foot Milk 
Snake. The forward portion of the body was coiled about 
the inside of the nest where one egg was just visible in the 
snake’s mouth, and a swelling of the body a little way down 
probably indicated the location of two more. 
Dashing through the bushes, screaming and scolding in a 
desperate attempt to frighten the intruder away, were the 
robin, two yellow warblers and one black and white warbler, 
but to all the racket the snake seemed to pay absolutely no 
heed, calmly enjoying his repast. Thereupon man interfered. 
Mr. Clark seized the snake by the tail and by holding him 
head down and shaking him slightly, endeavored to compel 
him to disgorge the egg in his throat. This the gourmand 
obstinately refused to do, swallowed it and then in some 
way, seemingly by compressing his ribs, crushed the shells 
and his distended body immediately resumed its normal 
appearance. Mr. Clark placed the snake in a bag and we 
continued on through the woods. Returning later we found 
the robin quietly sitting on the one remaining egg. A few 
days after, however, at dusk when the bird should have been 
on the nest, she was absent and the egg was cold showing that 
the nest had been abandoned. 
Mr. Clark then collected the nest and part of the tree. 
Later he killed the snake and mounted it in a life-like manner 
with the nest and egg, placing it in his unique museum where 
anyone interested may see it. 
W. E. B. 
The Nesting of a Whip-poor-will 
On the afternoon of June 12, 1917, I found my first Whip- 
poor-will nest. While Mrs. S. and I were hunting Moccasin- 
flowers among some scrub oaks, just off the Lynn-Lynnfield 
Road, near the old Anchor Club, Lynn, I startled a Whip- 
poor-will from her nest, if nest it could be called, revealing two 
fairly large, obtusely pointed, speckled eggs lying on the grass 
nnd dead leaves covering the ground. The bird fluttered 
39 
