NOTES ON BIRD NESTS—1920 
WALTER E. BATES 
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Wood Duck 
This nest was in a dead apple tree beside the Ipswich River 
in West Peabody; I located it June 13th by seeing the duck fly 
from a hollow limb about eight feet from the ground. I am 
unable to furnish data concerning the nest proper, as the cavity 
in the tree extended to the ground and there was no opening 
other than the entrance hole, which was at the end of a broken 
limb, nearly two feet long. 
I again visited the locality on June 19th and after lingering 
for some time in the vicinity of the tree saw a duck fly over, 
circle across the river and alight in a tree about fifty feet from 
the nest. I watched the bird with my glass at about two 
hundred yards distance. Its breast was noticeably reddish, 
indicating the male duck. After looking about for a minute 
or two it flew directly into the opening of the hollow limb. 
Going immediately to the nest tree I was unable to drive the 
duck out even after considerable effort. I have not seen 
either of the birds since, although I have visited the locality 
several times. 
A pair of Tree Swallows raised a brood in a hollow branch 
higher up in the same tree. 
Phoebe 
Nc. 1. In Salem under a culvert of B. & M. R. R.: April 19, 
Buds building; April 26, Nest complete containing one egg; 
May 3, Bird setting on five eggs; May 17, Four young, one egg 
unhatched; June 8, Nest empty; June 9, Bird carrying mater¬ 
ial as if to reline the nest; June 14, Three eggs in nest; June 26, 
Nest had disappeared, but a new nest containing one egg was 
nearby; July 1, New nest contained four eggs; July 5, Same 
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