BIRD HOMES

A.R.DUGMORE

LX LIBRI5

ERNEST ALAN VAN VLECK

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BIRDW' HOMES

GLOBULAR NEST OF THE LONG-BILLED MARSH WREN.
<Thc voung V'-^ 'was last lea'ving the nest as the photograph luas taken.

BIRD HOMES, the nests

EGGS AND BREEDING HABITS OF
THE LAND BIRDS BREEDING IN THE
EASTERN UNITED STATES; WITH
HINTS ON THE REARING AND PHO-
TOGRAPHING OF YOUNG BIRDS

BY

A. RADCLYFFE DUGMORE

ILLUSTRATED WITH PHOTOGRAPHS
FROM NATURE BY THE AUTHOR

NEW YORK

DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY

1905

Copyright, 1904, by
Doubleday, Page & Company

Copyright, 1900, by
Doubleday & McClure Company

^^

AiiL

JCortoooO ^rfss :

Berwick & Smith Co., Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.

TO MY MOTHER

THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY

DEDICATED

CONTENTS

PART 1

I. Introductory

II. Birds' Nests and Eggs ....

III. Egg-Collecting and its Object

IV. Photographing Nests and Young Birds
V. Hints on the Rearing and Keeping of Birds

VI. Notes

Approximate Dates when Birds Begin to Nest

PART

I. Open Nests on the Ground, in Open Fields, Marshes,

AND Generally Open Country . . . .35
II. Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets . 52
III. Covered or Arched Nests on Ground :

Part I. Open Country 73

Part II. In Woods and Thickets ... 74

Contents

CHAPTER PAGE

IV. Open Nests in Marshes, Reeds, Saw-grass, and Low

Bushes in Open Country 77

V. Nests in Buildings, Bridges, Walls, Rocks, Banks,
AMONG Roots, Brush Heaps, and in Holes in the
Ground 81

VI. Nests in Holes in Trees, Stumps, or Logs . . 96

VII. Semi-pensile, Pensile, or Hanging Nests . . .114

VIII. Open Nests in Trees, Bushes, and Vines :

Part I. Large Nests in Trees . . .122

Part II. Nests in Trees, Bushes, or Vines . 132

IX. Nests Saddled on Branches 172

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Globular Nest of the Long-billed Marsh Wren (Colour)

Frqntispiece

\\ OF Leaving Their Nest

Worm-eating Warbler Feeding Young .

Young Catbird, a Few Days after Leaving Nest

Robin Just Out of Nest .

Bluebird, Three Weeks Old

A Trio of Bluebirds on the D.

A Nestling Song Sparrow

Young Baltimore Orioles

Chickadees Just Out of Nest

Immature Mocking-bird

Bluebird, Four V\'eeks Old

PA<X

i

iii
vi
vii

ix

X

xi

xvi

xvii

xviii

Wood Thrush on Nest . . . .
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, One Year Old
Young Phcebes Leaving Their Nest .

FACnJG PAGE
4

Crested Flycatchers, Two Weeks before Leaving Nest

List of Illustrations

FACING PAGE

Red-eyed Vireo's Nest in Which a Cowbird's Egg is Hid-
den BY A Floor having been Placed over It . 13
The Same Nest with the Rightful Owner's Egg . . 13
A Section of the Same Nest, Showing the Position of

the Two Eggs 13

White-eyed Vireo on Nest 14

Young Baltimore Orioles and Nest . . . .15

Ruffed Grouse on Nest 18

Young Redstarts, Day of Leaving Nest . . .18

Family of Oven-birds on the Day They Left Their Nest 20
Family of Young Chipping Sparrows Which Have Just

Left Their Nest 20

Young Red-eyed Vireo the Day after Leaving its Nest 22
Young Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Twenty-four Hours be-
fore Leaving Nest 22

Family of Blue-winged Warblers, Showing the Young

ON THE Day of Leaving Their Nest ... 24
Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak, One Year Old, Taking

Sun Bath 27

Bob-white's Nest Full of Eggs (Colour) . . . )6
Nest and Eggs of Bobolink, on the Ground in a

Meadow 40

Vesper Sparrow's Nest 42

Plate B: Common Eggs (Colour) 44

Nest and Eggs of Field Sparrow, on Ground in Field

OF Dead Grass 46

List of Illustrations

FACING PAGE

Parent Field Sparrow Feeding its Young on the Day

They Left Their Nest 46

Song Sparrow's Nest 48

Nest and Eggs of Brown Thrasher .... 50

Nest of Brown Thrasher on the Ground ... 50

Nest and Eggs of Ruffed Grouse S2

A Young Towhee Hiding beneath a Dead Oak Leaf . 64
A Mother Worm-eating Warbler and Her Young

Family 64

Nest of the Worm-eating Warbler in a Bank . . 65

Nest of Blue-winged Warbler on Ground in Damp Scrub 66

Blue-winged Warbler on Nest 66

Same Nest Showing Young Bird Just Out of the Egg . 66

Nest of Maryland Yellow-throat (Colour) ... 68

Nest and Eggs of Maryland Yellow-throat ... 70

Nest of Wilson's Thrush (Colour) .... 72

Meadowlark's Dome-shaped Nest 74

Nest and Eggs of the Yellow-winged or Grasshopper

Sparrow 75

Front View of the Oven-bird's Nest .... 76

Back View of the Same Nest 76

Arched or Domed Nest of Oven-bird, on the Ground in

Woods 76

Nest of Red-winged Blackbird (Colour) ... 78
Florida Burrowing Owl at Entrance of the Burrow

in Which its Nest is Situated .... 82

List of Illustrations

FACING PAGE

I^hcebk's Nest Built on a Beam, according to the Most

Up-to-date Style

Nest of Phcebe under a Stone Bridge

Barn Swallow's Nest of Mud Pellets and Straw

Nest and Eggs of Rough-winged Swallow

Brood of Young Barn Swallows at Time of Leaving

Their Nest

Plate C: Common Eggs (Colour) ....

Pair of Young Screech Owls

Young Downy Woodpecker

The Downy Woodpecker's Home (Colour)

A Brood of Young Flickers about to Leave Their

Nest

Nest and Eggs of Crested Flycatcher .
Interior of Chickadee's Nest with Young Birds
Chickadee about to Enter its Nest with Food for

Young

Nest and Eggs of Bluebird in the Branch of an Apple

TREE

Nest of Orchard Oriole

Young Orchard Orioles the Day of Leaving Their

Nest

Pendant Nest of the Baltimore Oriole (Colour) .
Nest of Red-eyed Vireo, with Young Bird about to

Leave

A Fair Example of the Red-eyed Vireo's Nest

86
86

90

94
98

lOI

102

104
106
1 10

112

114

115
116

118
118

List of Illustrations

FACING PAGE

Basket-shaped Nest of the Warbling Vireo . .118

Hanging Nest of the White-eyed Vireo (Colour)

Plate A: Common Eggs (Colour)

Crow's Nest, with the Young nearly Ready to Leave

Young Crow a Few Days after Leaving its Nest

Nest and Eggs of the Carolina Dove

Nest of Blue Jay in an Apple-tree ....

Young Kingbirds, Day of Leaving Their Nest

Nest and Eggs of Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Colour)

Young Blue Jays Getting Ready to Leave Their Nest 138

Nest and Eggs of Blue Jay

Nest and Eggs of Chipping Sparrow

Plate D: Common Eggs (Colour)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak's Nest

Female Indigo-bird Feeding Her Young

Indigo-bird's Nest Attached to Upright Stems

Nest of Scarlet Tanager in Apple-tree, Nine Feet from

THE Ground ....
Nest of the Cedar-bird (Colour) .
Nest of Yellow Warbler in Elder Bush, Five Feet

from the Ground

Nest and Eggs of Chestnut-sided Warbler in Azalea

Two Feet from Ground ....

Brood of Young Chats

Yellow-breasted Chat's Nest (Colour) .
Catbird's Nest, with Young

120
130
130
130
132
132

135
136

138
144
146
148
ISO
150

152

154

156

158
162
164
166

List of Illustrations

FACING PAGE

Young Catbird at Time of Leaving Nest . . .166
Nest and Eggs of Catbird in Tangle of Vines, Three

Feet from Ground 166

Young Wood Thrushes the Day of Leaving Their Nest 168
Nest of Wood Thrush, with Pieces of Newspaper Used

IN Construction 168

Robin on her Nest 170

Young Robin on Day of Leaving Nest . . . .170
Nest and Eggs of Ruby-throated Humming-bird, Natural

Size 172

Wood Pewee's Nest, a Good Example of Nest Sad-
dled ON A Branch 173

Nest of Least Flycatcher (Colour) . . . -174

A bird's nest. Mark it well, within, without,
No tool had he that wrought, no knife to cut,
No nail to fix, no bodkin to insert,
No glue to join ; his little beak was all.
And yet how neatly finish'd ! What nice hand,
With every implement and means of art.
And twenty years' apprenticeship to boot.
Could make me such another?" — HuRDlS.

BIRD HOMES

BIRD HOMES

PART I

Chapter I
INTRODUCTORY

It has been suggested that a work on Bird Homes might do
more harm than good, since it would add to the knowledge
already possessed by the birds' human enemies. I think this
surely a mistake ; a near acquaintance with our feathered friends
in their homes will surely give to the most careless such an in-
terest in the birds and their daily lives, such a new sense of com-
panionship with them and affection for them, that it can but work
for their good. Yet it may be as well to say emphatically at the
outset : Make your object the study of birds through their nests
and eggs. Don't add a new terror to the many that already beset
anxious little bird-mothers by disturbing them during the breed-
ing season or taking their eggs for a so-called "collection." If
you stop at this you will lose some of the choicest pleasures that
fall to the lot of the nature lover.

So far as I know, this side of the birds' life has been com-
paratively neglected. There are plenty of scientific works on
oology and nidification, and so on, but hardly anything that
deals with the subject from what might be called the " human "
side, if this book helps the ordinary unscientific person to get
some closer glimpse of the birds in their roles as heads of a family ;
to study their wonderfully adapted nests and beautiful eggs as
manifestations of that bird nature which is so charmingly varied
and so endlessly interesting — if it does this in any measure at all
I shall be more than satisfied.

Introductory

Every one agrees that the study of birds should be fostered
and developed. The first thing is to teach people to see, and
very fev/ of those who have not gone into the matter sympa-
thetically realise how little of the visible world of nature they do
see. In particular are there recompenses for the patient observer
who devotes himself to the beauties of bird-life. There are but
few, especially among boys, who are really capable of doing sys-
tematic collecting of eggs, and unless formed with the utmost
care and system, a collection is of not the slightest value. On
the other hand, every one can be taught to see, to study the
birds in connection with their nests, eggs, and young.

Birds have so many natural enemies that our first impulse
should be to protect them. It is a dark reflection on man that,
with all his much-vaunted intelligence, he should do more toward
the destruction of birds than all other causes combined. And he
certainly is one of their most relentless foes.

If laws were made, for instance, forbidding the sale of bird-
skins for millinery purposes, what a boon it would be to our
feathered friends ! Much has been written and published on the
subject by that most excellent institution, the Audubon Society ;
but what little effect has it produced. Laws have been passed,
though rather late in the day, prohibiting the killing of egrets in
the South and of many varieties of the smaller birds in special
States ; but these laws are to a great extent disregarded, and there
are no adequate means for their enforcement. The destruction
of birds' nests is forbidden ; yet there are endless "collections"
made every season. How many boys — and men too — are there
in every village who take every year large numbers of eggs
which serve no purpose ! Their only idea is to get "a lot of
them," which are gathered together without notes or observation,
or even identification. All sparrow-like nests found on the
ground are said to belong to the "ground sparrow" or "grass
sparrow," or some such ambiguous bird. When the nest is found
and the eggs are taken the entire aim of this "collector " seems
to be satisfied ; the idea of making notes never even enters his
head. If asked where some particular egg was taken, he replies
vaguely : " I don't remember exactly, but I think it was in such
a place, or perhaps some fellow gave it to me."

Thus it is that eggs are destroyed and with them the means
of studying the birds during the most interesting period of their

4

WOOD THRUSH ON NEST

Introductory

lives ; for where a bird's nest is, there is its home in the strictest
sense of the word. It is true that most birds are wanderers ;
they go south shortly after the young are fully grown, to return
when the frost leaves the ground and the necessary supply of food
can be obtained. But during the migration the bird is seldom
resident for more thaji a few weeks in any one place ; he is rest-
less and only awaits the time when he may get back to his
nesting place of the previous year. Here, where he sings his
love-songs and sets up housekeeping, is surely his real home and
habitation.

In reading over the works of well-known ornithologists it is
surprising to see how very little has been written about birds
during the breeding season. The time occupied in nest-building ;
the period of incubation ; the appearance and habits of the young
at different ages ; how long they remain in the nest, and so on —
these and the many other facts which give each species and each
bird family definite individuality, though they are of the utmost
interest, have been to a great extent ignored. It is difficult to
realise why this is. Of course it requires great patience and
plenty of time to get accurate data of this sort ; but there are
thousands of enthusiastic nature students, and particularly bird
students, nowadays, and the difficulties only make it all the more
important that every one who is really interested should endeavour
to add all possible information that may be of value. And right
here let me say that all original and authentic notes — and only
these — are valuable.

Eggs of different birds of the same species, and indeed of the
same bird, vary greatly both in colour, markings, and size, yet it is
not at all necessary that every one should collect a large series to
show such variations. Such collections may be found in museums
when needed for comparison. Therefore 1 should say : Leave the
egg where it belongs — in the nest — and visit it frequently (using
all due caution against disturbing the owner even in this), making
notes of anything of interest you may happen to see. You will
be surprised at the number of things you will find that will prove
of real interest, and you will surely be glad after your first experi-
ment of this sort that you did not destroy the eggs, and with
•them your opportunity of gaining such an insight into the do-
mestic life of Mrs. Robin Redbreast or Jenny Wren.

Last summer, while walking through the woods, I found a
5

Introductory

yellow-billed cuckoo's nest containing two eggs, which showed
that incubation was far advanced, it was three days before I had
another chance to visit the nest. During this interval the young
had hatched, and when I saw them they were little naked objects
with but the first beginnings of pin feathers showing. Unfortu-
nately, I did not know their exact age (as you can see, notes should
be exact down to days and hours), but as I visited them day by
day I noticed how the feathers grew. Instead of breaking through
the envelopes gradually, as do the feathers of other birds, the little
cuckoo's feathers remained sheathed and finely pointed until the
day before the birds left the nest. Then in twenty-four hours
every envelope burst, and the bird was completely feathered,
with no trace of the sheathing except at the base of the tail.
Had I taken the eggs I should not have been able to note this
fact (which I have not been able to find any record of in the
books) or to secure the amusing photograph which is reproduced
further on.

While I deprecate the taking of eggs as being in most cases
entirely unnecessary, I should strongly advise both boys and girls
to look for nests. It will be a means of developing a love of
nature in one of its most attractive forms, and it will stimulate
the powers of observation and add to the knowledge of birds in
striking degree.

The love of nature in any form is an acquisition well worth
striving for. Besides adding enormously to one's interest in a
walk, whether on the high road or along the woodland paths, it is
a resource which would do a great deal towards banishing that
silly phrase, " I wish I had something to do." How often do we
hear people say that, even when living in the country where wild
life in its thousands of different phases exists all around them, un-
noticed by all except the very few who are devoting themselves to
some particular study. Unfortunately the power of observation
is lacking in most of us who have not been trained to it — we look
without seeing. Mr. Burroughs says that "some people seem
born with eyes in their heads, and others with buttons or painted
marbles, and no amount of science can make the one equal to the
other in the art of seeing things." But even those who by ill-
fortune are born without keen eyes can by constant practice cul-
tivate the fiiculty of observing to a surprising degree.

That so little is known about the common birds is a good il-
6

Introductory

lustration of this lack of seeing ; even birds as conspicuous as the
Baltimore oriole, the cardinal, or the scarlet tanager are as re-
mote as birds of paradise to many people who live in the country.
I have heard men and women ask whether these birds, which
they had just seen as mounted specimens in some museum, were
from South America or some other tropical country. They were
much surprised when told how common these and others of
equally brilliant plumage are within a few miles of New York City.
How many people who live in the country throughout the
summer months, or even countryfolk themselves, have ever seen
the rose-breasted grosbeak, a common and most gayly coloured
summer resident ? Or the yellow-breasted chat, or the Maryland
yellowthroat, or the indigo-bird ? Even these flashing bits of
animated colour are generally unknown, while the less conspicu-
ous birds, if seen at all, are called "sparrows " or " small birds."
Now that the public schools are taking up nature studies,
we have good reason to hope that people will learn more about
the birds. I think any woman who had seen a mother-thrush on
the nest, with her anxious, wild, little eyes looking out in fear
of the intruder, could never again wear a stuffed bird as a hat orna-
ment, to be used for a short month or two and then thrown
away. For herein lies, perhaps, the chief cause of the partial
extermination of our birds, both those that are sombre in colour
(for they can be dyed to any desired shade) and those that are
by nature of brilliant hues. And who gains by this cruel sacrifice
to a heartless fashion save the dealers ?

Keeping native song-birds in captivity is forbidden in some
States, the idea being, of course, to protect the birds. But this
law undoubtedly does harm as well as good, for many people
are thus prevented from becoming intimately attached to the
common birds. Who, having once owned a bluebird, could
injure one in any way or take its eggs ? And the same applies
to almost any other species. Then, again, children would
become fond of such birds as they knew, and the cruelty dis-
played by some boys would be a thing undreamed of. In Eng-
land, where I understand the song-birds are not protected by
law, they are more abundant than anywhere else. What boy
would kill an English robin— the robin redbreast— that he hears
about in the earliest nursery rhymes and stories ? He has been
brought up to know and care for it, and it is therefore to be

Introductory

reckoned as one of his friends. Here the robin, were it not pro-
tected by law, would be shot off for food purposes, and 1 think
this comes largely from the fact that the bird, like all the other
birds, is not /nioivn really intimately, and therefore not cared
for. Only last summer an instance attracted my attention of the
utter barbarism that exists among some boys in this connection.
I had noticed a robin's nest containing eggs, and being anxious
to obtain certain notes in connection with the young, I visited it
again three days later. What I saw made me fairly sick at heart.
The parent bird was hanging from a branch — dead. Some boy
had fastened a fish-hook baited with a worm to the branch
above the nest. The poor bird had swallowed the hook and
had hung there to die a slow, lingering death by starvation.
The young had also starved to death. Such cruelty seems
almost incredible; yet it was done by a boy supposed to be of
average intelligence, who was being educated at a good school.

Keeping pet birds is a much discussed question, but after all
my experience I have no reason to believe that they are neces-
sarily unhappy in captivity. Some of my birds have been out for
a fly many times, but they always seem glad to return, and I am
sure they enjoy themselves, even when in their cages. Of
course they receive every care and are allowed a good deal of
freedom; they have no cares, no trouble to search for food or
shelter, and they are nearly always well, and to all appearances
happy. The whole question is, of course, one that each person
must decide for himself, but unless there is a great deal of cer-
tainty in one's mind it is surely better to give the birds the
benefit of the doubt — and their freedom. One aspect of the case
has been put acutely by a p^oet who loved birds and sympathised
with them very fully. He says of his mocking-bird :

" We have sometimes discussed the question : Is it better on
the whole that Bob should have lived in a cage than in the wild
wood ? There are conflicting opinions about it: but one of us is
clear that it is. He argues that although there are many songs
which are never heard, as there are many eggs which never
hatch, yet the general end of a song is to be heard, as that of an
egg is to be hatched. He further argues that Bob's life in his
cage has been one long blessing to several people who stood in
need of him : whereas in the woods, leaving aside the probability
of hawks and bad boys, he would not have been likely to gain

8

Introductory

one appreciative listener for a single half-hour out of each year,"
and so on.

But 1 must remind all readers that any one who does keep
pets incurs responsibilities along with the pleasure they bring.
To deprive any wild animal of its liberty and then neglect it is
sheer barbarity.

Having birds in this way affords almost the only means of
studying the remarkable individuality possessed by different
members of the same species. That each bird has a character
peculiar to itself may be doubted by some, but I have never seen
two individuals showing the same peculiarities. Two rose-
breasted grosbeaks that have been reared together from the same
nest, and are now eighteen months old, are different in almost
every way. One is intensely jealous and objects to attention being
paid to any other bird; the other seems not to know what
jealousy means. One wants to sleep at night; the other keeps
up a perpetual jumping from perch to perch until all hours.
The female (who has most of the bad traits) never lets her mate
have any little tid-bit in the way of food; no matter how much
she has, she immediately seizes whatever is given to her better-
natured companion. So it is with all the other birds; one will
be naturally wild and timid; another knows no fear; one, though
tame, cannot endure being touched; another, like a bluebird I
have, wants to be handled most of the time, and is quite content
if allowed to sit quietly (and go to sleep) inside a partly closed
hand.

The method of eating adopted by each of the birds is quite
individual. The wood thrush makes rapid and regular dips into
the food-cup, taking only a small mouthful each time, but repeat-
ing the operation until its hunger is satisfied ; feeding takes place
at rather long intervals. The yellow-breasted chat feeds some-
what after the same manner, but is not so quick or so dainty in
its movements, and eats more frequently. The mocking-bird eats
often and much, but does not draw his beak away from the cup
between each mouthful. The bluebird eats fairly frequently and
dips his beak into the food with a sharp jerk, pausing a second or
two between each mouthful, and making a snap with his beak
every time he takes the food. If given a live grasshopper, he
carefully kills it, then shakes off its legs and swallows the entire
body, afterwards gathering up the legs. The Baltimore oriole

9

Introductory

seems to chew his food, and eats very frequently ; if given any-
thing, either eatable or otherwise, he holds it, hawk-fashion, with
his feet (or foot) and quickly picks it to pieces, usually prying it
apart with his sharply pointed beak. The rose-breasted grosbeaks
eat nearly all the time, even late at night, and 1 fancy this accounts
for their tendency to become very fat when in captivity. So it
may be seen that each bird is a study by itself.

Undoubtedly this same individuality exists in birds when in
their wild state, perhaps even to a greater degree, but it is more
difficult to discover. Some nests show individual peculiarities,
but whether the same bird builds the same kind of nest each year
is, of course, unknown.

The object of this book, I may repeat, is to stimulate the love
of birds ; and though descriptions of nests and eggs are given, as
well as instructions for egg-collecting, it must be borne in mind
that it is generally neither necessary nor advisable that collections
of eggs should be made. Remember that, as Mr. Frank Chapman
says, the two points of interest in a bird's egg are " what the egg
is in and what is in the egg." Much more knowledge may be
gained by observing the birds themselves throughout the breeding
season than by taking the eggs. Leave egg-collecting to those
who are able, through scientific study, to make use of such col-
lections and devote your leisure hours to the far more interesting
process of collecting knowledge which will lend increased interest
to your every-day existence and give you new insight into the
fascinating world of bird-life.

Chapter II

BIRDS' NESTS AND EGGS

A CAREFUL examination of a bird's nest will convince any one
that it is a work of art. One cannot help wondering at the in-
genuity displayed by its architect. How carefully a bird adapts
itself to environment is well illustrated by endless examples : the
red-winged blackbirds (whose nests are usually built among
reeds, flags, or bushes) make their nests very much deeper when
the place selected is subject to strong winds than in more shel-
tered spots ; and then, as a further safeguard, the mouth of the
nest contracts so that the eggs will not fall out when the flags are
swayed by the wind. These clever birds have even been known
to place their eggs in a deserted woodpecker's nest in places where
the fish crows were numerous — for the fish crow is worse even
than the jay as an egg and fledgling thief. In this way the red-
wings managed to elude their persecutors and saved their eggs
and young from destruction.

Some birds readily avail themselves of new and favourable
conditions. The phoebe formerly built its nest exclusively on
rocks, but now that houses and bridges are to be found through-
out the country, this bird has to a great extent changed its former
custom, and it now builds nests on almost any sort of structure
erected by man. This also applies to the barn swallow, while the
chimney swift has taken possession of our chimneys, and almost
forsaken the hollow tree-trunks, in which, but a few years ago,
they built in large colonies.

Mow rapidly birds are changing their habits is not known,
but it is evident from the few examples we have about us that a
change is progressing, in some cases very noticeably.

Of course a bird's main idea when depositing its eggs is that
they shall be safe from enemies of all kinds and from unfavourable
weather conditions. With these objects in view it is interesting to

II

Birds' Nests and Eggs

six or eight feet deep, excavated in a bank by the birds themselves
after as much as two weeks' work. One possible reason for the
choice of such a place is the fact that the young, which are fed on
fish, regurgitate large pellets of scales and bones and such indi-
gestible matter ; were these dropped beneath a nest built in a tree
or on the open ground it would betray the presence of the home
to the natural enemies of the bird. Why the cowbird declines the
responsibilities of maternity has never been satisfactorily explained.
It is certain, however, that there is some good and sufficient
reason.

The European cuckoo, like the cowbird, lays her eggs in
the nests of other birds, those of the smaller birds being usually
chosen. A certain French writer gives as a reason the fact that
the cuckoo cannot lay eggs on succeeding days. How long the
interval is has not been decided, but if it is of many days' duration
that would be an ample reason for the bird's not building a nest
for itself, since the eggs might be stolen were they left unpro-
tected until the full complement were laid. The eggs of the yel-
low-billed cuckoo are said to be deposited at irregular intervals of
from two to five days, and are occasionally found in the nests of
other birds. Whether in days gone by they placed their eggs en-
tirely in the care of other birds or whether they will do so in the
future is of course a problem, but it is quite possible that some
such change is taking place. There are birds who, having laid
their eggs, cover them up and allow them to hatch by themselves,
trusting to the heat generated by the covering chosen. I know
of none of our eastern birds that do this, yet some of them make
use of vegetable substance that has heating qualities.

The grebes, for instance, use decayed and damp vegetable
matter, while many of our small birds place in their nests woolly
stuffs and other non-conducting material, probably to protect the
highly sensitive eggs from sudden changes of temperature.

The shapes of eggs show in many instances the forethought
of nature. Eggs that are laid on bare rocks and exposed places
where little or no nests are made, are generally rounded at the
larger end and come almost to a point at the other extremity ; this
makes it possible for them to be turned by the wind without roll-
ing away ; whereas the ovate or elliptical eggs that are found in
well-protected places, such as holes in trees, would soon be blown
off by a strong wind in such exposed situations.

13

Birds' Nests and Eggs

The ways of birds are difficult to understand. Why should
some build in colonies, and others singly but in close proximity,
and others again miles away from their kind ? The passenger
pigeon gives the best example of nest colonies, immense numbers
breeding in a very limited area. Prof. H. B. Rooney speaks of
a nesting area forty miles long and from three to ten miles wide,
where, in 1878, a million and a half of the pigeons were killed for
food purposes, while if those that were taken alive and the dead
nestlings were included, the number would reach the enormous
total of a thousand millions. This is thought to be somewhat ex-
aggerated, but shows what an immense number of birds must
have been breeding in this limited space. Some of our small birds
nest in colonies ; among them the red-winged blackbird and some
of the swallows afford the most noticeable examples. The bobo-
link and marsh wrens also live in scattered communities during
the breeding season. Most of the larger hawks select a desirable
copse or fairly large tract of woodland as a common home, and it
is seldom that another nest of the same species is found within
that area. In Florida, where each cypress swamp is usually clearly
defined, it is seldom, except in the large swamps, that one finds
in each more than one nest of the Florida red-shouldered hawk —
a species very abundant throughout the more southern parts of
the State.

Some birds return regularly year after year to the same nest-
ing site, even after their nests have been robbed several times. I
have known a crested flycatcher to build in the same hole for
three years in succession though each set of eggs was taken.
Phoebes return with great regularity to the same bridge, building,
or rock, where they make one or two nests each season. Some
of the owls also use the same hole for many years, and hawks
and crows rebuild their old nests, so that each year the nest be-
comes larger as layer after layer is added.

Most, if not all, birds are governed in their habits by regular
rules — from which, however, they occasionally depart just as
human beings depart from the rules which seem most generally
applicable.

The Wilson's thrush, whose nest is commonly on or near the
ground, has been known to build in a hole in a tree. Bob-whites'
nests containing thirty-seven eggs have been reported — though
these were, of course, not all laid by one hen. The eggs were

14

WHITE-EYED VIREO ON NEST
The extreme tameness of these birds renders them good subjects forthe camera

YOUNG BALTIMORE ORIOLES AfiD NEST

Birds' Nests and Eggs

said to be arranged in tiers, with the smaller ends pointing towards
the centre, it is curious to note that if the female bob-white is
killed after the eggs ar*^ laid, the male bird takes upon himself the
entire duty of incubating. This may not be an invariable rule, but
a number of instances have been reported by reliable observers.
Robins will sometimes build their nests in buildings or bridges
with no vegetation in the immediate vicinity of the nest, and
mocking-birds have chosen fence rails and other such queer places
for their building sites.

in parts of the old world and in South America will be found
birds that build extraordinary nests and have curious habits. The
male hornbills have a remarkable custom of incarcerating the female
in a hole in a tree during the period of incubation, by sealing up
the entrance with mud, leaving a small opening through which
she is supplied with food. Should the male be killed it is a ques-
tion whether or not the female could free herself. This habit is
doubtless a method of protection.

The nest of the tailor-bird is a good example of the skill dis-
played by birds in building and concealing their homes. They
sew the edges of a large growing leaf round the nest, so that it is
absolutely hidden from view. The bower-birds use queer ma-
terials, such as bones, pieces of metal, shells, etc., but perhaps the
greatest curiosity supplied by birds is the nest of the esculent
swift, known commonly as the edible bird's-nest, so much appre-
ciated by the Chinese as a table luxury.

These are but a few examples of the endless variety to be
found in bird architecture. It is a subject a full treatment of which
would fill many volumes, and it is a study offering unusual attrac-
tions to all who want to do "original work " in nature subjects.

'5

Chapter III
EGG-COLLECTING AND ITS OBJECT

A COLLECTION of eggs, to be of any real value, must be formed
according to some prearranged method and for some definite pur-
pose — not haphazard, with merely the idea of accumulating a great
quantity of eggs. The amateur collector is generally without any
notes, such as where found or the number in nest ; in fact, he is
apt to have nothing but somewhat uncertain names of eggs ob-
tained by exchange or purchased from some dealer — secured in
any way so that the number be great. What, may I ask, has ever
been gained from such a collection ? And after the craze has
lasted a year or two, the whole thing is put aside and forgotten,
to be destroyed by neglect.

The object of a collection is to show not only the individual
tgg, but how conditions affect eggs of a given species in different
parts of the country. Thus it is of the utmost importance that it
should be known where the eggs were procured ; the date should
be given, so that it may be possible to find out whether in differ-
ent places the nesting season varies, and, if so, how great is the
variation. The catalogue should contain exact information on these
points, together with notes relating to the nest ; whether placed
on the ground, or in bushes or trees, etc.

All notes should be made on the spot and not from memory.
A small pocketbook should be carried for that purpose, and these
notes ought fmally to be arranged in a larger book, either in chrono-
logical order or under the name of each bird ; the latter is proba-
bly the better way as it is easier to refer to and needs no index.
Be careful that all information is accurate. Anything taken from
hearsay should be marked as such. In most cases it is better to
have nothing but notes made from personal observation.

As I have said before, birds, though governed by certain rules,
do occasionally change or modify their habits ; so that notes on

i6

Egg-Collecting and Its Object

the habits of a given species should specify whether or not they
were taken from an individual bird or from numerous individuals
of that species.

Among the numerous points to be noticed may be mentioned
the following : When birds are seen pairing ; when nests are
commenced ; how long building ; whether built by one or both
birds ; materials used in the construction, from where gathered ;
where the nest is placed ; if on the ground, whether on a sod or
tussock, in a tuft of grass or in a depression, in damp or dry places,
in open country, in woods or in thickets ; if in a bush, what kind
of bush ; the height from the ground ; whether in a crotch, sad-
dled on a branch or pendent ; the size of nests ; when the eggs
are laid ; interval between laying ; period of incubation ; whether
both birds or only the female takes part in that duty ; appearance
of young when hatched, and at different ages ; at what age they
leave the nest ; which of the parent birds provides the food, or
whether both do ; of what does the food consist ; what becomes
of the young when they leave the nest ; and so on with the num-
berless points which go to differentiate one bird from another.

The period of incubation varies of course with different birds ;
for instance, with the white-eyed vireo it is about seven days ; the
indigo-bird takes ten days, the wood thrush twelve, and the rutTed
grouse eighteen. The time should be taken from the day the bird
actually commences sitting and not necessarily from the day on
which the last egg is laid. Eggs are usually laid during the morn-
ing, between the hours of nine and eleven, but the bird does not
always begin to sit the same day that the last egg is laid. Some
birds commence sitting before laying the full complement of eggs ;
in these cases the young are hatched at intervals.

The age at which young birds leave their nests is not de-
pendent on the si:(^e of the bird. The gallinaceous species, such
as the grouse, quail, turkey, etc., being well developed when
hatched, desert the nest within a few hours after leaving the egg ;
the young wood thrushes keep to the nest for ten days, by which
time they are pretty well feathered, the tail being rather more than
one inch in length ; the white-eyed vireo leaves when seven days
old ; while the owls stay in their nest for several weeks.

A few birds build their nests indiscriminately on the ground
or in bushes. In some localities certain birds almost invariably
choose the ground, while in some other place, where conditions

2 17

Egg>Collecting and Its Object

do not appear to be in any way different, the same bird selects
bushes. Notes of this kind are of interest and should be worth
the trouble of systematic investigation.

Certain birds, such as the prairie horned lark, build several
nests during the season, the first nest being constructed in a much
more substantial manner than the second or third. This is prob-
ably owing to the change in the weather conditions. Early in the
season the ground is damp from the frequent rains, while later on
the ground becomes dryer and there is more protection from the
weeds and grasses which surround the nest. Such observations
as these soon lead one to realise that much more interesting in-
formation may be gathered by studying carefully, systematically,
and intelligently the habits of the birds, together with the peculiari-
ties of their nests and eggs, than by making collections of the
eggs themselves.

In order to get a collection of eggs it is by no means always
necessary to destroy the nest, or even to cause the birds to aban-
don it ; that is, of course, unless you wish to have complete sets of
eggs, and this may fairly be said seldom to be essential for the
amateur or general student.

If you are fortunate enough to find a nest before the eggs are
laid, watch for the first one. This should not be touched, but the
second may be taken and sometimes a third and fourth ; then
leave the nest alone, and in most cases the bird will lay the com-
plete complement.

Care should be taken not to disturb the nest or frighten the
birds. In this way 1 have seen as many as six eggs taken from a
single nest, and four more were afterwards laid and hatched.

Some birds are exceedingly shy and will desert their nests
upon small provocation, especially if they are disturbed while
building. Others, however, such as the golden-winged wood-
pecker and crested flycatcher, are difficult to drive away.

When eggs vary in size, shape, or colour, as those of most of
the sparrows, the bobolink, and many others, it is an advantage
to procure a fairly large number or series of sets, showing as
many of the differences as possible ; this adds greatly to the interest
of a collection, particularly when the difference correlates with
locality and varied conditions. A well-arranged collection of bird's
nests, even without the eggs, is both picturesque and valuable.
They should as far as possible be left as the bird had placed them ;

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Egg-Collecting and Its Object

if built in a bush or on a branch, enough of the support ought to
remain with the nest to show by what method it was secured.
With ground nests that are placed in tufts of grass, the tuft should
be removed with the nest ; in the case of woodcock, ruffed grouse,
or any bird that forms its nest roughly of leaves, a wire hoop
covered loosely with muslin or wire gauze will answer the pur-
pose ; this can be slipped under the nest so that it need not be
disturbed.

When the eggs are laid in a hole in a tree it is not always
feasible to cut down the tree or even the branch. Sometimes the
branch can be cut just below the nest (taking care not to cut
through the lower part of the nest itself), and then an opening can
be made in order to show the eggs and whatever there may be
in the way of a nest, leaving the original hole through which the
bird had entered. If the nest is taken before the eggs are laid, or
even when the bird has commenced sitting, during the early part
of the season, not much harm is done, as the bird immediately
begins building again. As the season advances it is better that
the nest should be left until after the departure of the young, al-
though then it is not in such good condition as before being used
— particularly if it happens to be the nest of the cuckoo, which
leaves its nest in a most filthy condition.

The egg-collector's outfit comprises a few drills of various
sizes, a blow-pipe of either glass or metal (for home work those
made of glass are preferable, as they are easily cleaned, but for the
field metal is, of course, more serviceable), forceps of various sizes,
scissors, and an embryo-hook.

When the eggs are fresh they are easily blown, and the hole
should be very small ; the blow-pipe may be used by holding it
near the hole and forcing air into the egg, thus emptying it of the
contents. By this method the hole need not be large if the tgg is
fresh ; another way is to insert the end of the blow-pipe, when
the contents may be quickly blown out.

The usual plan adopted by boys is to make two holes, one
very small and the other varying in size according to the condi-
tion of the egg ; this has the disadvantage of making two holes,
and when the egg isn't quite fresh, it takes a boy's stomach to
stand it.

When the embryo has formed it is generally necessary to use
the embryo-hook and to make a large hole. Never try to take

19

Eggr-Collecting and Its Object

out the contents of an egg through a hole of insufficient size. In
large eggs, the scissors or forceps come into use. if the embryo
is very large soak the egg in water for a day or so.

It is of the utmost importance that the egg should be thor-
oughly washed, both inside and out, with either cold or tepid water,
which may contain some weak antiseptic solution, but on no ac-
count must very hot water be used. The water should be taken
up with the blow-pipe and discharged into the egg, repeating this
operation several times. Finally dry thoroughly, letting it drain,
hole downwards, on cornmeal, sawdust, blotting-paper, or sand
if nothing else is obtainable.

In the case of white eggs their beauty is much enhanced by
inserting a little pink cotton-wool ; this makes the specimen ap-
pear more as though the yolk were inside.

For field work have a few small metal boxes (such as those
used for holding tobacco) filled with cotton wadding cut into
squares, so that each egg may be wrapped up separately. Put on
each a number, written lightly in pencil, referring to your Held
notes on that egg ; this saves a great deal of confusion, especially
when many eggs are found in a day. The A. O. U.* check list
number should be written on every egg to prevent the occurrence
of any possible mistake.

If the collection consists of nests with the eggs a cabinet
with glass top will be needed, so that the nests may be seen, while
at the same time the air and dust may be excluded as much as
possible ; camphor or naphthaline must be kept in the cabinet.
Strong sunlight ought not to be allowed to fall on the eggs, for it
causes them to fade, so it is advisable to keep the cabinet covered
with some opaque material. Each nest should be marked either
with a number referring to the catalogue, or with that and the
name of the nest. If the collection contains only eggs, they should
be kept in a cabinet with well-made drawers, each drawer di-
vided off with partitions large enough to contain a complete set.
The eggs may be laid on cotton, sawdust, sand, or finely grated
cork, the last being perhaps the most suitable.

* American Ornithologists' Union.

A FAMILY OF YOUNG CHIPPING SPARROWS WHICH HAVE JUST LEFT THEIR NEST

FAMILY OF OVEN-BIRDS ON THE DAY THEY LEFT THEIR NEST

Chapter IV

PHOTOGRAPHING NESTS AND YOUNG BIRDS

In making notes on young birds the camera will be found to
be most useful, as it shows exactly the growth of feathers and
other points of interest ; but here again it is necessary to be par-
ticular as to the age of the bird. Guesswork will not do, as a
single day often makes a great difference in the appearance of
young birds. It is extraordinary with what rapidity they grow.

In order to secure good photographs great patience is neces-
sary, especially so in the case of young robins and others of the
thrush family, for they are very shy even before they can fly.

Any good long-focus camera with the regular lens will do,
but of course a very rapid lens will give better results. The lens
that has given me the greatest satisfaction, both on account of its
rapidity and depth of focus, is the Goerz, series III.

My method of photographing the bird before it can stand is
to place it on a piece of smooth white or light-gray paper laid on
a flat surface and raised at the farther side so as to form a per-
fectly smooth blank background with no lines or creases ; this
may be placed in the sunlight or shadow, according to the speed
of the lens.

A very quick shutter is essential, owing to the rapid breath-
ing of the bird when young and to its restlessness when able to
perch (in a fife-sized photograph the slightest movement shows
unless the shutter works with unusual rapidity). Once the young-
sters can fly, it is necessary to make some sort of enclosure ; this
may be arranged temporarily by hanging some white cheesecloth
in the sunlight, with a piece of mosquito netting at the top so as
to allow sufficient light inside. Sunlight may be used to advan-
tage in some instances to give striking effects of light and shade.
(When sunlight is used, a developer rather weak in pyro will be
found to give the best results.)

21

Photographing Nests and Young Birds

The dead branch of a tree makes a natural and effective perch
for the bird to stand on ; it should be carefully selected, with no
twigs that would be much out of focus. Then focus your camera
on some particular point ; mark this lightly with a penknife and
take the photograph when the bird stands on the marked place.
When several birds are to be photographed together, they must
be arranged so that each one shows in a different position from
his companions. You may say that this sounds easy, but is most
difficult to accomplish ; here is the time for the much-needed pa-
tience already mentioned.

Young birds may be photographed while in the nest, but this
is not often satisfactory, since only the heads show. Especially in
the case of the smaller birds is it difficult to get all parts in focus.
Moreover, the location of the nest is generally in the shade, so that
to get good results a time exposure is desirable. But the birds
invariably move ; so, on the whole, I think the best results are to
be obtained without anything in the way of accessories. This has
been my experience, though others who have been more fortunate
in getting good effects with the young in the nests think that is
the better method.

When nests containing eggs are to be photographed it is
better to choose a cloudy day, otherwise a screen should be used
in order to soften the light, or the markings on the eggs will
scarcely show in the picture, and the detail of the nest will often
be lost in the strong light and shade. The screen may be made
of cheesecloth or fine muslin, and a light, portable frame for it
may be constructed of thin bamboo, arranged so as to fold and be
carried with the tripod.

If the nest is photographed in bright sunlight, a piece of white
paper or cloth may be used with advantage as a reflector in order
to soften the shadows. When photographing ground
nests the ordinary tripod is troublesome and difficult
to tilt to the necessary angle. After trying various
schemes, I am now using a device which works satis-
factorily, its disadvantage being its weight. Three-
ply wood should be used in making this, and the
metal parts may be taken from an ordinary tripod top.
The bar AB is cylindrical, Ji inch in diameter ; to
this is clamped a ball-and-socket device, allowing the
camera to tilt forward without moving the legs of

22

YOUNG RED-EYED VIREO THE DAY AFTER LEAVING ITS NEST

YOUNG YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS, TWENTY-FOUR HOURS BEFORE LEAVING NEST
Showing how late the feathers remain sheathed

Photographing Nests and Young Birds

the tripod. A hole may be made (C) so that the regular tripod
screw can be used when taking photographs of other objects.

Occasionally it is desirable to take a photograph of the old
bird on the nest, but this is by no means easy. The camera
should be arranged and focussed on the nest while the parent bird
is away, taking care to remove the leaves or twigs that would be
out of focus in the immediate foreground. The instrument must
be concealed to some extent by leaves and twigs, and the operator
will have to take pains to see that nothing interferes with the
working of the shutter. A long tube must be substituted for the
short one, and either a large bulb or, if convenient, a bicycle
hand-pump will answer the purpose admirably. In this way I
have made time exposures with the camera fastened to the higher
branches of a tree, where the shade made it necessary to give a
five-second exposure and I found that the branch shook if I stood
on it. Once a tube nearly forty feet long was used, and with the
aid of the bicycle pump I got an excellent picture.

A very useful accessory to the bird-nest photographer's out-
fit is a pair of pruning clippers for removing small twigs and
leaves.

The surroundings of the nest should not be disturbed more
than one can help, since this gives an artificial appearance to the
picture and is apt to frighten away the owners.

as

Chapter V

HINTS ON THE REARING AND KEEPING OF
BIRDS

Most of the hard-bliled birds and many of the soft-billed may
be reared with ease, but the latter are rather more delicate. The
hard-billed birds, so called, include the finches, sparrows, and any
birds that break seed. The soft-billed are those that eat chiefly
insects and fruit.

People often complain that their birds die from no apparent
cause : my experience has been quite different, for though 1 have
reared a good many birds of various kinds, 1 have never had but
one death in my bird family, and that was a young redstart which
had fallen from the top of a tree, where its nest was situated. I
attribute my good fortune to the fact that my young birds get their
meals with regularity and with each meal a driii/i of ivater.

1 believe it is the lack of water that is responsible for so many
deaths, especially when the birds are very young.

The best time to take fledglings is about a day or so before
they are ready to leave the nest ; they are then fairly strong and
have something to boast of in the way of looks.

When the nest happens to be a long way from home, it is
necessary to feed the birds every hour en route. With any of the
frugivorous varieties a blackcap or any thoroughly ripe berry may
be given, but it should first be masticated. For regular diet during
the first two weeks or so feed with mashed boiled potato thor-
oughly mixed with the yolk of eggs hard boiled ; this must not
be used if in the least sour, and to guard against this it should
be made fresh every day. A small smooth stick of hard, non-
absorbent wood, such as clay-modellers employ, may be used for a
spoon ; after each meal it should be dipped into water and a few
drops put into the bird's mouth ; every hour this performance
takes place, from six in the morning till nearly dark. You see

24

Hints on the Rearing and Keepings of Birds

bird children are almost as much trouble as the human variety,
and no one should keep them who is not willing to take infinite
pains.

The next aiticle of diet should be ants' eggs (which may be
procured from any bird fancier), mixed with the potato and eggs —
a little at tirst, and gradually increasing the amount ; finally, with
hard-billed birds, seed may be given as soon as the bill is hard
enough, though at first it is sometimes necessary to crack the
hemp-seed before giving it.

For soft-billed birds 1 know of nothing better than what is
known as "mocking-bird food" ; this may be bought either in
the dry or the moist form. The latter kind can be made from the
following recipe :

6 parts corn-meal,

6 parts pea-meal.

6 parts German moss-meal.

Add a little melted lard and molasses, fry well for half an hour,
keeping it well stirred. If put in a covered jar it will keep for a
long time.

This is rather rich, and if found to disagree with the bird the
dry form of food should be substituted, mixing it fresh every day
with grated carrot and water sufficient to moisten it. Birds must
be watched carefully to see that their food agrees with them ; ex-
cept when moulting they should be lively and have good appetites ;
if such is not the case, it is probable that the food does not suit
them, and a change should be made immediately. Occasionally
birds have fits ; that is to say, they drop down without any warn-
ing, and either lie perfectly still, with feet upturned as though
dead, or they revolve rapidly while on the ground. This hap-
pened to one of my favourite pet birds, and in despair 1 consulted
a bird dealer, who told me to cut the nail and thus draw blood.
1 did so, but without any result. Several times on alternate days
the poor bird had these fits, and every time we believed him to
be dying. Finally, as a last resource, we changed his diet from
the moist to the dry food with plenty of carrot, and from that day
he has been perfectly well, very much to our delight.

It is advisable to give birds as much ripe fruit and green stuff
as they wish. Young lettuce they are particularly fond of, but
they will eat almost any young leaves.

25

Hints on the Rearing and Keeping of Birds

Frequent baths will do much toward keeping birds clean and
healthy ; every day or two they should be given, but it will be
noticed that during the period of moulting the bath will be but
little used.

Never put young birds, no matter how young they may be, in
any artificial nest that differs essentially in texture from their own ;
for example, a young crow or catbird should have sticks and not
soft rags or cotton, but a young phoebe may get along very well
in a cotton nest. The reason for this is that some birds require
greater development of the leg muscles than others, and when
quite young they keep their feet in constant motion, grasping the
small twigs that form the inside of the nest ; in this way they
develop and strengthen the necessary muscles of the leg. When
unnatural conditions have prevented this exercise, 1 have known
the birds to become partly paralysed and die, and I have no doubt
that the absence of suitable rough material was the direct cause.
Nature is very wise in regard to her children, and you will do
well to follow her example whenever you are at a loss.

Should young birds become droopy, a little diluted whiskey
or paregoric put in their mouths with a medicine-dropper will
generally restore them to normal condition.

Cage-fighting invariably takes place sooner or later ; as a rule
it only lasts a day or so, but if persisted in cover the cage with
fine wire mosquito netting, so that the bird may not be able to
get his beak through.

At night the cage should always be covered, otherwise the
birds wake at amazingly early hours ; this applies more particu-
larly to fledglings, as their waking means they must be fed, and it
is not always pleasant to have to get up at daylight to minister to
their wants.

26

MALE ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, ONE YEAR OLD, TAKING A SUN-BATH

Chapter VI

NOTES

The illustrations of nests in this book are from photographs,
which, with few exceptions, were taken without disturbing either
the nest or its surroundings. In a few instances, such as the nests
of the bluebird, downy woodpecker, and crested flycatcher, the
branch was cut down, and an opening made in order to show the
eggs. The photographs of both young and old birds are from life.

Under the headings of breeding range the reference is only
to the United States, and only the land birds that breed in the
Eastern States are described. The description of the plumage
of each bird is not meant to be very complete ; the principal char-
acteristics are given so that the bird may be recognised. No
attempt has been made to give the notes or songs of the birds.

The number before the name of each bird is the number
adopted by the American Ornithologists' Union check-list, and
will save looking through the index when referring to other works
on birds.

The book is arranged so that all the birds that build open
nests on the open ground are in one chapter, those that build
open nests in woods or thickets are in another chapter, and so on.
In cases where a bird builds usually in a bush but sometimes in
the open fields the description is given under the heading of nests
in bushes, etc., and the name of the bird, together with the colour
of the eggs, is referred to in its numerical order in the chapter of
nests in open fields, etc. Thus, for example, if an arched nest is
found in a field or swamp, it will be necessary to look in Chapter
III. But it may be the nest of a seaside sparrow, which is rarely
arched ; in that case you will be referred to Chapter I for the de-
scription. All measurements of birds and eggs are given in inches
and hundredths.

The sign 5 signifies male, and ? female.
27

Notes

1 must acknowledge my indebtedness to many works, in
particular to the following : Frank M. Chapman's " Handbook of
Birds," Davie's " Nests and Eggs of North American Birds," H.
I). Minot's "The Land Birds and Game Birds of New England,"
Charles Bendire's "Life Histories of North American Birds, with
Special Reference to their Breeding Habits and Eggs," and the A.
O. U. check-list of North American birds.

APPROXIMATE DATES WHEN BIRDS BEGIN
TO NEST

THESE DATES APPLY TO THE VICINITY OF NEW YORK (wiTHIN ONF
HUNDRED MILES OF THE CITV) EXCEPT WHEN THE BIRDS RANGE
IS NOT WITHIN THAT AREA, OR WHEN OTHERWISE SPECIFIED

January : First week.
February : Fourth week.

March : First week.

Second
Third

Fourth

Some time during March.

April : First week.

Bald Eagle (Fla.)

Golden Eagle (Cal.)

Great Horned Owl

Canada Jay (Me.)

American Crossbill

White-tailed Kite (S. C.)

Marsh Hawk

Audubon's Caracara

Barred Owl

Short-eared Owl (Ohio)
474*^ Prairie Horned Lark (Iowa)
372 Sawwhet Owl

Screech Owl

Ivory-billed Woodpecker (?)

Black Vulture

Swallow-tailed Kite
339^ Florida Red-shouldered Hawk
(Fla.)

Duck Hawk (Southern States)

Red Cockaded Woodpecker (?)

Florida Jay (Fla.)

Brown-headed Nuthatch

Mourning Dove

Sharped-shinned Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk
29

352
349

484
521
328

331
362
368
367

373
292
326
330

556
395
479
729
316
332
331
343

Approximate Dates When Birds Begin to Nest

April

Some

May :

First week.

366

American Long-eared Owl

«( ((

488

American Crow

(( t,

766

Bluebird

Second '*

360

American Sparrow Hawk

(( 1*

456

Phoebe

<( it

727

White-breasted Nuthatch

(( <(

76.

American Robin

Third -

300

Ruffed Grouse

«( <<

305

Prairie Hen (Kansas)

(( ((

333

Cooper's Hawk

K H

365

American Barn Owl

it €t

511

Purple Crackle

(( II

547

Henslow's Sparrow (111.)

<( t*

593

Cardinal

Fourth "

329

Mississippi Kite

(< II

364

American Osprey ; Fish Hawk

(< 11

394

Downy Woodpecker

<( II

663

Yellow-throated Warbler

28ga

Florida Bob-white (Fla.)

320

Ground Dove

325

Turkey Vulture

327

Swallow-tailed Kite

339

Red-shouldered Hawk

time during April. -

378^

Florida Burrowing Owl (Fla.)

416

Chuck-will's-widow (Fla.)

513

Boat-tailed Crackle (Fla.)

575^

Bachman's Sparrow

. 731

Tufted Titmouse

First week.

390

Belted Kingfisher

(( ((

406

Red-headed Woodpecker

<i II

409

Red-bellied Woodpecker

II II

412

Golden-winged Woodpecker ;
Flicker.

<« II

477

Blue Jay

>¥ li

501

Meadow-lark.

II II

533

Pine Finch ; Siskin (New Eng-
land)

II II

560

Chipping Sparrow

11 l<

563

Field Sparrow

II «<

58.

Song Sparrow
30

Approximate Dates When Birds Begin to Nest

May : First week.

Second

Third

6i} Barn Swallow

617 Rough-winged Swallow

676 Louisiana Water-thrush

703 Mockingbird (Va.)
718 Carolina Wren
393 Hairy Woodpecker
467 Least Flycatcher
494 Bobolink

498 Red-winged Blackbird

542a Savanna Sparrow

546 Yellow-winged or Grasshop-
per Sparrow

584 Swamp Sparrow

587 Chewink ; Towhee

601 Painted Bunting

610 Summer Tanager

611 Purple Martin
614 Tree Swallow
616 Bank Swallow

638 Swainson's Warbler

652 Yellow Warbler

654 Black-throated Blue Warbler

658 Cerulean Warbler (?)

674 Oven-bird

675 Water Thrush

683 Yellow-breasted Chat

704 Catbird

705 Brown Thrasher
721 House Wren
726 Brown Creeper
735 Chickadee

755 Wood Thrush

289 Bob-white

388 Black-billed Cuckoo

420 Nighthawk (New England)

423 Chimney Swift

452 Crested Flycatcher

461 Wood Pewee

490 Fish Crow

506 Orchard Oriole

Approximate Dates When Birds Begin to Nest

lay : Third week.

507

Baltimore Oriole

517

Purple Finch

540

Vesper Sparrow

549

Sharp-tailed Sparrow

550

Seaside Sparrow

595

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

612

Cliff Swallow

624

Red-eyed Vireo

" " 627

Warbling Vireo

" " 651

White-eyed Vireo

636

Black-and-white Warbler

639

Bachman's Warbler

659

Chestnut-sided Warbler

681

Maryland Yellow-throat

687

American Redstart

722

Winter Wren

724

Short-billed Marsh Wren

725

Long-billed Marsh Wren

" " " 756

Wilson's Thrush

Fourth " 428

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

444

Kingbird

459

Olive-sided Flycatcher

" " 598

Indigo Bunting.

608

Scarlet Tanager

" " " 641

Blue-winged Warbler

648

Parula

" " 655

Myrtle Warbler

662

Blackburnian Warbler

" " 677

Kentucky Warbler

" - 684

Hooded Warbler

" " 759^

Hermit Thrush

^ 298
445

Canada Grouse

Gray Kingbird

567^

Carolina Junco

575

Pine-woods Sparrow

ome time during May. ■

597

Blue Grosbeak

604

Dickcissel

622

Loggerhead Shrike

^31

Prothonotary Warbler

I 751

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

32

Approximate Dates When Birds Begin to Nest

June : Fi

St week.

Second

Third

Fourth

Some time during June.

387 Yellow-billed Cuckoo

400 Arctic Three - toed Wood-
pecker {?)

417 Whip-poor-will

465 Acadian Flycatcher

558 White-throated Sparrow (New
England)

619 Cedarbird

645 Nashville Warbler

657 Magnolia Warbler

686 Canadian Warbler

']<ySa Olive-backed Thrush

529 American Goldfinch

661 Blackpoll Warbler

5^2 Lark Sparrow

567 Junco ; Snowbird

583 Lincoln's Sparrow (Col.)

667 Black-throated Green Warbler

728 Red-breasted Nuthatch

33

PART II

Chapter I

OPEN NESTS ON THE GROUND, IN OPEN
FIELDS, MARSHES, AND GENERALLY
OPEN COUNTRY

289. Bob-white; Quail: Colinus vlrginianus(Linn.)

Adu/f 6 — Plumage : Upper parts reddish brown, with more or
less complete black bars ; rump warm rich gray, slightly
mottled and streaked with nearly black marks ; tail very
gray ; head black in front of crown ; black band across
breast ; throat and superciliary line white, belly whitish.
Length — lo.oo.

Adu/^ $ — Duller, black band on breast indistinct.

Breeding Range — Throughout the Eastern States, from Maine to
the Gulf of Mexico.

Nest on the ground in open fields, grain fields, scrubby
places, and frequently along a roadside, near a stone wall or
fence. Usually the nest is open, but it is sometimes roughly
arched ; it is loosely made of grasses, leaves, weeds, and straw.
The eggs are white, more or less stained with light brown, vary-
ing in number from lo to i8, though sometimes as many as 25
are laid (Davie). Size — 1.20 x .95,

The Quail, Bob-white, or Partridge is so well known that
but little need here be said of it. Except during the breeding
season, the birds are always to be found in bevies, or they might
be called families, which, when scattered by the sportsman, re-
unite and continue living in or about the same locality. The
mating season begins very early in May, and eggs are to be found
from the third week in May until late in the summer, and rarely

35

Open Nestt on the Ground

even in early fall, two or three broods being reared by a single
pair. Incubation occupies 24 days, both birds assisting. Minot,
in his book, "The Land Birds and Game Birds of New Eng-
land," says, " It is not uncommon to find a covey of young quail
hardly able to fly even in November."

The nest is fairly easy to find, especially when the parent
bird is not sitting, as the white eggs are very conspicuous ; but
when the old bird is on the nest her protective colouring serves
its purpose and makes her difficult to see. A likely place for the
nest is on a farm, in the dry, grassy fields, or along the farm roads
where there is a rank growth of weeds.

289a. Florida Bob-white: C. v. fIoridanu8(Coues)

This is a sub-species of the more northern quail, being
smaller and darker in colour. Length — 8.50. The breeding
habits are described as identical, except that "they begin to
pair early in March."

SOS. Prairie Hen: Tympanuchus americanus (Reich.)

Adult 5 — "Upper parts barred with rufous and black, and spotted
with rufous ; sides of the neck with tufts generally com-
posed of ten or more narrow, stiffened black feathers marked
with buffy and rufous, their ends rounded, the skin beneath
these tufts bare ; tail rounded, fuscous, the inner feathers
somewhat mottled with ochraceous-buflf, tip white, throat
buffy, breast and belly white, evenly barred with black.

Adult $ — "Similar, but the neck tufts much smaller and the tail
barred with ochraceous or rufous. Length — 18.00." (Chap-
man.)

Breeding Range — The prairies of the Mississippi Valley, east to
Kentucky and western Ohio, and north to southern Mani-
toba.

The nest, which is placed in a slig!/t hollow in the ground, is
made of grasses and feathers; it is usually found in the prairie
grass, " and at the foot of bushes on the barren ground!" 8 to
14 eggs are laid; they are grayish buff, sometimes speckled with
brown. Size — 1.70 x 1.25.

The Prairie Hen is said to be now much less common
throughout its eastern range than it was formerly, though it is

36

BOB-WHITE'S NEST FU_L OF EGGS.

Open Nests on the Ground

Still the common game bird of the Central States. The habits dur-
ing the mating season have been well described by Colonel Goss.
"They select a smooth open courtship ground (usually called a
scratching ground), where the males assemble at the early dawn
to vie with each other in courage and pompous display, uttering
at the same time their love call, a loud booming noise; as soon
as this is heard by the hen birds desirous of mating, they quietly
put in an appearance, squat upon the ground, apparently indiffer-
ent observers, until claimed by victorious rivals."

They breed towards the end of April in Kansas and Nebraska.
Incubation occupies from three to four weeks.

325. Turkey Vulture or Buzzard : Cathartes aura (Linn.)

Eggs creamy white with brownish or reddish blotches and
purplish spots.

See Page =17. Chapter II.

326. Black Vulture: Catharista atrata (Bartr.)

Eggs bluish white with dark brown blotches.
See Page 58, Chapter II.

331. Marsh Harrier or Marsh Hawk: Circus hudsonius
(Linn.)

A(/uU $ — Upper parts light bluish gray; rump white; tail barred
black or brownish; breast light gray at upper part shading
into white; belly white barred warm brown.

Adu/f ? — Upper parts dark brownish; wing coverts edged with
light rusty brown ; under parts dark buff streaked with
brown.

Immature birds resemble the adult ? without the streaks
on the belly. S Length— 19.00.

Breeding Range — The entire United States.

The nest is placed on the ground, and is "from three to
seven inches high and a foot or more in diameter;" it is formed
of grass, twigs, and sometimes moss. The eggs are white or
bluish white, occasionally marked with pale brown spots. Size
— 1.80 X 1.45.

37

open Nests on the Ground

The Marsh Harrier, or Blue Hawk as it is sometimes called,
is easily recognisable by its white rump, which during flight is
very conspicuous. They may be seen in almost any marshy or
low scrub land, flying within a few feet of the ground or hover-
ing in mid-air watching for their prey. During the mating sea-
son the male bird performs the most remarkable evolutions in
mid-air, with the evident intention of winning the admiration of
his would-be mate. They " frequently begin to incubate with
the first egg and the young are hatched at intervals." The nest-
ing season begins in Massachusetts early in May. Davie says
that fresh eggs may be found from May ist to June 15th or 20th,
according to locality. The nests are placed in open marshes or
low lands.

364. American Osprey or Fish Hawlc : Pandion haliaetus
carolinensis (Gmel.)

Eggs very variable in colour. At times white or creamy
white, either unmarked, oftener very heavily blotched with
browns and chocolate. --•

See Page 129, Chapter Vlll.

367. Short-eared Owl : Asio accipitrinus (Pail.)

Adu/f — Upper parts except tail brownish, the feathers edged with
buff; the tail has bands of deep buff and dark brown ; breast
light to dark buff with streaks of dark brown, heavily marked
on breast and more finely on belly ; the ear-tufts are very
short and close together. Length — 15.50.

Breei/ing /?afjge— Throughout the United States.

The nest is made of soft grass, sticks, and a few feathers
from the parent bird, and is placed on the ground in a depres-
sion, beneath a log or in a burrow (Davie). 4 to 7 white eggs
are laid. Size — 1.55 x 1.25.

The Short-eared or Marsh Owl, unlike most other members
of its family, lives away from the woods and may generally be
found in large swamps or marshes. Formerly it was known to
breed in Massachusetts, but Brewster says, "I know of no
authentic record of its breeding in any part of New England

38

Open Nests on the Ground

within the past ten years." In Ohio the nesting season begins
about the end of March.

420. Night-hawk; Bull-bat: Chordelles virglnianus
(Gmel.)

Adult 3 — Upper parts dark blackish brown mottled with buff;
wings dark brown with conspicuous white patch ; breast
black, feathers tipped with white or buff ; throat white ;
belly grayish white, barred with black ; tail dark brownish,
barred with buff, a white band near the end of all but the
two middle feathers.

Adult ? — Nearly the same, the throat being buff instead of
white and no white on tail. Length — lo.oo.

Breeding Range — Throughout the Eastern States.

There is no nest, the eggs, two in number, being laid on the
bare ground in a field, on rocks, or even on the flat roof of a
building either in the country or in the big cities. The eggs are
olive-buff, light gray, or greenish, with numerous irregular
blotches and specks or thickly marked with evenly distributed
spots of darker gray, olive, and purplish. Size — 1.20 x .86. See
Fig. 9, Plate B.

These birds, though called Night-hawks, do a great deal of
flying during the daytime, especially towards the end of sum-
mer, when they may be seen at almost any time of day flying
about over the open country. They are sometimes mistaken
for the whip-poor-will, though the white patch on the wing and
the white throat should serve to identify them. Their flight is
also very different, and generally, though by no means always,
they fly higher than the whip-poor-will. Late in the afternoon
they may be seen flying high above the city, looking almost like
large bats.

The eggs are exceedingly difficult to find, as their colouring
so closely matches the ground ; even when the bird is startled
from the eggs and tries, as many birds do, to divert attention
from the eggs to herself, by a pretended broken wing or leg, it
is often only after a long and careful search that the eggs are
discovered.

The nesting season in New England begins about the end
of May.

39

Open Nests on the Ground

420b. Florida Night-hawk: C. v. chapmani (Coues)

This bird differs from the preceding in that it is smaller,
being little more than 8)4 inches in length instead of lo inches,
and the lighter markings on the upper parts are more numerous.

474b. Prairie Horned Lark: Otocoris alpestris pratl-
cola Hensh.

Adu/f $ — Forehead and line over eye whitish ; crown black
with tufts on either side ; from the eye to the bill, and sides
of throat, black ; throat white or very pale yellow ; back
salmon brown ; lower parts white or whitish ; breast has a
crescent-shaped black patch.

Aiiu/f ? — Differing but little from the $ , the markings being less
defined. Length — 7.25.

Breeding Range — Upper Mississippi Valley, to eastern New York
and western Massachusetts.

The nest, which is placed on the ground in a slight depres-
sion, is made of " dry grasses and corn leaves, lined with a few
feathers and horse hairs." ^ to 4 eggs are laid. They are very
pale bluish green, or pale olive thickly and evenly speckled with
light brownish and lilac. Size — .84 Y..(i2. See Fig. 10, Plate B.

This bird so nearly resembles the horned lark that it may
easily be confused with it, unless both kinds be at hand for com-
parison. Its smaller size and lighter colour should serve to distin-
guish it, and if found nesting, the fact that it breeds within the
United States, whilst the horned lark seeks the more northern
parts of North America and Europe. Formerly it was not known
to breed in the more eastern States, being an inhabitant of the
prairies, but since conditions have changed with the advent of
civilisation and large tracts of country have been cleared, it
has become fairly common in parts of its eastern range.

Two or three broods are reared during the season, the first
nest being built as early as the end of March (in Iowa), and the
third as late as the beginning of August. The first nest is said
to be elaborately made, while the second and third are put to-
gether in a slovenly manner. This may be attributed to the fact
that during the earlier part of the season the weather is likely to
be bad for ground nests, owing to the frequent rains, thus neces-

40

NEST AND EGGS OF BOBOLiIiK ijM THE GROUND IN A MEADOW

Open Netts on the Ground

sitating the building of a stronger nest than would be required
during the finer weather of June and July.

The nests may usually be found in dry fields of either grass
or corn.

494. Bobolink : Dolichonyx oryzivorus (Linn.)

Adult I —Breeding plumage : Forehead, throat, and under parts
black, the feathers being slightly tipped with light buff during
the earlier part of the season ; back of head and neck light
buff ; back, dark dusky feathers with buff markings ; upper
part of rump whitish ; wings and tail black, the tail feathers
having pointed tips.

Adult 9 — Upper parts dark buff with black streaks ; wings and
tail brown ; under parts light buff.

Adult 3 — Except during breeding season and when immature
resembles the female. Length — 7.25.

Breeding Range — Southern New York to Nova Scotia, west as far
as Utah.

The nest is placed on the ground in meadows, and is formed
of grass with occasionally a few leaves, the inside being lined
with fine grass. Usually it is an open nest about one and a half
inches deep inside, but sometimes it is partly concealed by grass
bent over so as to form a sort of rough arch. 3 to 6 and rarely 7
eggs are laid. They vary greatly both in colour and size, ranging
from white with distinct chocolate markings, to grayish buff
with large brown blotches which nearly cover the ground colour;
in size they range from about .55 x .79 to .dd x .90 — the average
is about .63 X .85. See Fig. 2, Plate B.

He who has not had the pleasure of hearing and seeing the
Bobolink during the breeding season has a great treat in store.
This sweet little songster seems to be the very embodiment of
pure happiness, spending most of his time singing the song that
has inspired both poet and author. Probably no bird of the New
World has been so frequently mentioned in the literature of the
country. While the bird is in flight the song is particularly
enchanting, reminding one to a certain extent of the European
skylark, though it is perhaps richer in tone.

To find the bird is very different from finding the nest; it
takes many hours of patient searching. You may hide near the

41

Open Nests on the Ground

edge of some likely looking field, and watch each female bobo-
link as she drops in the long grass to where you think her nest
may be ; but when you arrive at the place she flies up, and in
vain you may search for the carefully concealed nest. The most
satisfactory method is for two persons to walk through the field
holding either end of a cord along which sticks should be
fastened at intervals. These striking the grass frighten the sitting
bird, and she flies up directly from the nest, instead of running
along through the grass, as she usually does when she sees her
disturber.

The best place to find these birds during the breeding time
is in the large tracts of moderately moist meadow land, usually
not very far from water. The nest is completed about May 15th
in northern New Jersey.

Long before the breeding season the male is conspicuous
with his fine feathers, but in early August he dons the same
colours as his mate and children, when they all start in large flocks
for their winter quarters in South America, stopping in a leisurely
manner en route among the reedy swamps, and visiting again the
rice-fields which were in the springtime the scene of the depre-
dations of the old birds. Then it is no longer a day of riotous
song ; that day is forgotten, for now it is that the so-called
sportsman claims them under the name of Reedbird, and instead
of being seen perched on the tall swaying grass or reed, you
may look for them in the markets, hung up in bundles of a dozen
or so, each happy little life gone, leaving but a mouthful or two
of food.

501. Meadowlark: Sturnella magna (Linn.)

Eggs white spotted with reddish brown, chiefly at the
larger end.

See Page 73, Chapter III.

540. Vesper Sparrow; Bay-winged Bunting: Poocaetes
gramineus (Gmel.)

Adult — Upper parts brownish gray with dark streaks ; tail dark
brown, the outer feathers white; under parts grayish buff
streaked with black. Length — 6.12.

Breeding Range — From southern Virginia northward ; westward
to the plains.

42

VESPER SPARROW'S NESr

Open Nests on the Ground

The nest is always placed on the ground, generally at the
root of a tall weed or small bush in an open field ; it is slightly
made of coarse and fine grass and small roots, lined with horse-
hair. 4 or 5 eggs are laid ; they are whitish, thinly spotted and
blotched with warm brown and lilac, with sometimes a few
black markings. Size — .80 x .60. See Fig. 13, Plate B.

These sparrows are distinguished by the white outside tail
feathers, which are extremely noticeable when the bird flies.
Do not mistake it for a junco or titlark ! They are among the
commonest of the sparrows in parts of Long Island and in New
England, where they commence breeding towards the end of
May, raising as many as three broods during the season. They
are called Vesper Sparrows from their habit of singing until quite
late in the evening.

542a. Savanna Sparrow: Ammodramus sandwichensis
savanna (Wils.)

Adult — Upper parts brownish, darkly streaked ; pale yellow line
over the eye and at the bend of the wing ; under parts white
or whitish streaked with dark brown. Length — 5.65.

Breeding Range — From southern New Jersey northward to
Labrador.

The nest is built on the ground in fields or pasture land
inland, or in the salt marshes and grassy places on or near the
coast; it is a flimsy structure of grasses, rarely of moss, lined with
fine grass and occasionally horse-hair. The number of eggs
varies from 3 to 6; they are white or greenish white, with fine
brown spots or large blotches of cinnamon. The variations in
colour are so great that any accurate description is scarcely
possible. Size— .78 x .56. See Fig. 15, Plate B.

This little sparrow is generally to be seen along the sea-coast,
though it is also found inland. Minot speaks of seeing them
breeding in the White Mountains, where he found a nest con-
taining fresh eggs the 23d of July. They begin nesting in May,
and rear two or three broods.

Care should be taken that the Savanna Sparrow is not con-
fused with either the sharp-tailed, seaside, or Ipswich sparrow;
the latter, however, does not breed in the United States, but is a
northern-breeding species, which, after the breeding season,
comes on our northern Atlantic seaboard.

43

Open Nests on the Ground

546. Yellow-v'nged or Grasshopper Sparrow : Ammo-
dramus savannarum passerinus (Wils.)

AduU— Upper parts dark or dusky, the feathers being bordered
with buff; back of neck warm brown ; tail feathers rather
short and pointed; under parts buffy, shading into white on
the belly. The most distinctive features of this bird are the
bright yellow at the bend of the wing and the darker yellow
in fiont of the eye, Length — 5.20.

Immature birds have the breast spotted with dark
brown or nearly black.

Breeding Range — From the Gulf States to New England, probably
not north of Massachusetts.

The nest is either arched or opened. It is made of grass, with
fine grass and occasionally horse-hair for lining, and may be
found in open fields, usually where the grass is short ; often it is
placed under an upturned sod or beneath a tussock. 4 to 5 eggs
are laid; they are white, with few or many reddish brown spots,
mostly around the larger end. Size — .73 x .56. See Fig. 14,
Plate B.

The Yellow-winged Sparrow spends nearly all the time on
the ground, running through the grass, and only taking wing
when forced to do so. When he does fly he gets up with a
great deal of noise for so small a bird, and takes a zig-zag course
during his short flight, which is seldom more than a few yards.

The nesting season in the neighbourhood of New York begins
about the middle of May. In Illinois eggs have been found from
April 20th to August 12th. Two broods are reared during the

547. Henslow's Sparrow: Ammodramus henslowii (Aud.)

Adult— We2idi dark olive-green ; either side of crown black ; back
warm brown ; tail feathers sharply pointed, the middle
feathers longest ; breast buffy with black streaks ; belly
white or whitish ; yellow at bend of wing and in front of
eye. Length — 5.00.

This bird might be mistaken for the yellow-winged spar-
row; its darker colour, greenish tone on back of head, longer
tail, with the outside feathers the shortest, should serve to
distinguish it.

Immature birds in first plumage have no spots on the
breast. (Chapman.)

44

(. Sharp-tailed Sparrow,

2. Bobolink.

3. Lark Spairow.

4. Song Spariow.

5. Field Sparrow.

6. Arnerican Redstart

7. White-throated Sparrov.

8. Brown Thrasher.

9. Nighthawk.

10. Prairie Horned Lark.

I >. Seaside Sparrow.

12. Cedar Waxwing.

13. Vesper Sparrow.

14. Grasshopper Sparrow.

15. Savanna Sparrow.

16. Prairie Warbler.

17. Bewick's Wren.

Open Nests on the Ground

Breeding Range — The Eastern States, from Virginia to Massachu-
setts, "westward to the-^dge of the plains."

The nest is somewhat roughly built of coarse grass, placed
on the ground often in a slight depression, or close against a
tussock in the open fields. The eggs, 3 to 5 in number, are
white or nearly white, with distinct brown and purplish spots,
more numerous at the larger end. Size — .73 x .56.

This shy and unobtrusive sparrow is rather difficult to find,
owing to its habit of remaining in the thick grass unless forced
to fiy. In its short, jerky flight it resembles its near relation, the
yellow-winged or grasshopper sparrow. Generally speaking, it
prefers the more moist fields to those that are very dry. The
nest, as in the case of other birds of similar habits, is well and
carefully hidden in the grass. In Illinois, eggs have been
found as early as April 20th and as late as August 12th. Mr.
Brewster says that this sparrow breeds commonly but very
locally in the eastern part of Massachusetts, quite numerously in
portions of Worcester Countv, sparingly and locally in Berkshire
County.

549. Sharp-tailed Sparrow: Ammodramus caudacutus
(Gmel.)

Adult— X^^^tx parts greenish brown ; a light gray line through
centre of crown, which is brown ; bend of wing light yel-
low ; throat and belly white or whitish ; breast light buffy
brown with dark streaks. The tail feathers, as the bird's
name implies, are very sharply pointed, the outer feathers
being much shorter than those in the middle. Length — 5.85.

Breeding Range — From South Carolina along the coast to New
Hampshire.

The nest is placed on the ground in the sedge or grass in or
near the salt marshes ; it is built of dry sea-weed and grasses,
fine grasses being used for the lining. 4 or 5 eggs are laid,
usually 5 ; they are white or whitish with numerous fine brown
or reddish spots chiefly at the larger end. Size— .77 x .53. See
Fig. I, Plate B.

The Sharp-tailed Sparrow resembles the seaside sparrow in its
choice of locality, being found always near the salt water, choosing
for its nesting place either the brackish or salt-water swamps, or

45

Open Nests on the Ground

the sandy ground near the swamps, where it may be seen running
in and out among the coarse grass, more like a mouse than a bird.
Great care should be observed in identifying the nests, as they
may easily be mistaken for the nests of the seaside sparrow, both
birds generally breeding near each other in the same swamp.
The eggs of the sharp-tailed sparrow are somewhat smaller and
more finely marked ; the nest is usually placed where it is rather
drier ; it is also more bulky.

The breeding season lasts from May to late July, two broods
being reared during that period. The young may be found until
well into August.

550. Seaside Sparrow: Ammodramus maritimus (Wlls.)

Adu//— General appearance dusky gray ; upper parts grayish ; tail
brown with narrow, sharply pointed feathers ; throat and
breast gray, slightly streaked with darker gray ; belly white,
shading into gray at sides ; light yellow patch in front of eye
and at bend of wing ; the toes are rather long, and the bill is
long and slightly thicker than the sharp-tailed sparrow's,
though much the same shape. Length — 6.00.

Breeding Range — Along the Atlantic coast from North Carolina
northward, rarely on the coast of Massachusetts.

Nest, resembling closely that of the sharp-tailed sparrow, only
not so bulky, placed on the ground in or near brackish or salt water
swamps, built of reeds and grasses lined with fine grass. Usually
4 eggs are laid; they are white or whitish, finely speckled with
light reddish brown and lilac. Size — .80 x .6}. See Fig. 11,
Plate B.

All that has been said of the sharp-tailed sparrow applies
equally to these lovers of the sea-coast. In exceptional cases the
nests are said to be found arched over. '

550a. Scott's Seaside Sparrow: A. m. peninsulas Allen

This is a southern sub-species of the seaside sparrow, being
found from the more northern parts of Florida on the Atlantic
coast to South Carolina, and on the Gulf coast from Florida to
Texas. The most noticeable difference is in the dark streaks on

46

NEST AND EGGS OF FIELD SPARROW ON GROUND IN FIELD OF DEAD GRASS

Open Nests on the Ground

the breast and sides, which are much more sharply defined in the
southern variety. The nesting habits are described as being
identical.

552. Lark Sparrow: Chondestes grannmacus (Say)

A(fi///— Head reddish brown with a whitish line through crown
and over the eye ; upper parts ashy brown with dark streaks ;
tail feathers dark brown with white tips ; under parts white
or whitish, a black line on either side of throat, and a black
spot on breast. Length — 6.2'y.

Breeding Range — " Throughout the Mississippi Valley, from east-
ern Texas and Louisiana on the south to Iowa and southern
Michigan on the north." Accidental on the Atlantic coast.

The nest is usually placed on the ground in prairie land or
pastures ; it is made of grasses, twigs, and fine roots, lined with
hairs. 3 to 4, and not more than 5, eggs are laid. In some cases
they are said to resemble closely the eggs of the Baltimore oriole,
though as a rule the markings, consisting of very dark brown and
lilac scrawl-like lines, are more confined to the larger end ; the
ground colour is white, sometimes tinged with blue or buflF. Size —
.80 X .63. See Fig. 3, Plate B.

The Lark Sparrow, Lark Finch, Quailbird, or Road-bird, as he
is variously named, has scarcely the right to be called a resident
of the Eastern States, being but an occasional visitor. In localities
where they are regular residents they are said to " often repair the
nests of the mocking-bird and orchard oriole with a lining of
grass, horse hairs, etc." Their eggs have also been found " in
the nest of the scissor-tailed flycatcher," and though occasionally
the nest is built in bushes or even trees, it is usually on the
ground. The breeding season lasts from May to July.

558. White-throated Sparrow: Zonotrichia albicollis
(Gmel.)

Eggs white, tinged with either blue or yellow, with fine
marks and heavy blotches of various browns.

See Page 60, Chapter II.
47

Open Neits on the Ground

563. Field Sparrow : Spizella pusilla (Wils.)

Adu//— Upper parts light chestnut brown, finely streaked with
brown ; under parts light buff shading into white on the
belly ; bill pinkish. Length — 5.68.

"Young in first plumage have breast streaked with
black." (Chapman.)

Breeding Range — From South Carolina to Canada.

The nest, which is placed either on the ground or in low
bushes, is built of grass, fine roots, and occasionally leaves, with
the lining of hair or fine grass. 3 to 5 eggs are laid, varying con-
siderably in their colour and markings ; some eggs have the ground
colour, which is white or greenish white, nearly covered with
small reddish spots — rarely blotches — while others have scarcely
any spots. Size — .70 x .52. See Fig. 5, Plate B.

These delightful little sparrows are easily recognised by the
distinctive reddish or coral-coloured bill and by the long light
chestnut tail. They lay their eggs about May ist near New York,
laying two or three sets during the season, which lasts with them
until late July. The nests may be found in the open fields, in
thickets, and sometimes in scrubby clearings ; they are, as a rule,
placed on the ground, or in a tussock of either green or dead
grass. In some places, however, they are most often to be found
in low bushes. While on the nests these birds are usually averse
to human visitors ; they glide off quietly through the grass, flying
up when at some distance to a bush or tall weed, where they give
utterance to their anxious little note of reproach. Their song,
though small in volume, is decidedly sweet in tone ; it may be
heard most often in the early hours of the morning, almost before
dawn, or late in the afternoon and evening.

567. Snowbird ; Junco : Junco hyemalis (Linn.)

Eggs greenish or bluish white with fine spots and some-
times blotches of reddish brown and lilac, chiefly in a wreath
round the larger end.

See Page 61, Chapter II.
48

SONG SPARROW'S NFST.

open Nests on the Ground

58 1 . Song Sparrow : Melospiza fasciata (Gmel.)

Adult — Upper parts rich brown streaked with black, the head
having a light gray line in the centre, either side of the crown
being brown ; throat and breast light gray, with brown
marks which usually form an irregular blotch on the breast.
Length — 6.30.

Breeding Range — Throughout the Eastern States. "East of the
Alleghanies, it breeds from South Carolina north to the Brit-
ish provinces."

The nest varies greatly both as to the materials used in its
construction and to where it is placed ; sometimes it is a bulky
structure of coarse grass, weeds, leaves, and bark, lined with hair,
being as much as two and a half inches deep inside, and then
again it may be a flimsy, shallow affair made of grass and lined
with fine grass ; it is placed on the ground, in open fields or in
woody places, or it is sometimes built in bushes as high as five
feet from the ground. The eggs vary greatly, both as to colour
and size, ranging from .76 to .85 in length and from .55 to .60 in
diameter ; the ground colour is white, sometimes tinged with
green or blue, with irregular brownish blotches and markings,
which in some cases nearly conceal the ground colour. See Fig.
4, Plate B.

The Song Sparrow shows a nature of such extraordinary
adaptability to all sorts of conditions that in this one respect he
proves himself to be a remarkable little character — a character very
well worth studying. Everything about him is made and done
with apparently but little regard to rules of any kind. Each sea-
son he rears an indefinite number of families, ranging from one to
four. The nests are made in various sizes, of various materials,
and built in any sort of place, from an old tin can to a hole in a
tree, but usually either on the ground or in a bush ; if on the
ground it may be in a fine large breezy meadow, where the ground
is dry, or on the top of a tussock in a swampy thicket.

The time for singing his familiar song varies greatly both as
to hour and season ; one must not be surprised if at any hour of
the day or night his song is heard, whether it be on a bleak March
day or when the trees have taken on the glories of the rich au-
tumn colouring ; time and place matter but little to this happy
songster. Nesting begins about May ist.
4 49

Open Nests on the Ground

583. Lincoln's Sparrow: Melospiza lincolni (Aud.)

Eggs greenish white or brownish white spotted and blotched
with lavender and chestnut or brown, more thickly at the larger
end.

See Page 62, Chapter II.

604. Dickcissel; Black-throated Bunting^: Spiza
americana (Gmel.)

Ai/u// $ — Forehead yellowish ; head gray ; back brownish, dark
streaked ; yellow line over and back of eye and on side of
throat ; throat white with black patch ; breast yellow shad-
ing into white on the belly.

Ai/uU ? — General colour duller, with black patch on throat.
Length — 6.00.

Breeding Range — "From Texas to Minnesota" (Recent Eastern
Records).

The nest may be found either on the ground in open fields
and prairies or in bushes or trees ; it is built of " leaves, grasses,
rootlets, corn-husks, and weed stems ; the lining is of fine grass
and often horse hair." 3 to 5 pale blue eggs are laid. Size —
.80 X .60.

In Iowa the nesting season begins in May, continuing until
August.

705. Brown Thrasher: Harporhynchus rufus (Linn.)

Adult — Upper parts bright orange-brown or rufous ; under parts
white with black spots forming longitudinal streaks ; bill
long with downward curve ; the tail is over five inches long.
Length — 11.42.

Breeding Range — From the Gulf States to Canada.

The nest is placed indiscriminately on the ground or in low
bushes ; it is rather bulky and roughly made of twigs, vine ten-
drils, roots, bark, and leaves, "lined with horse hair and a few
feathers " (Davie). Those that I have found in New Jersey were in
every case lined with fine black rootlets. 3 to 5 and rarely 6 eggs

50

Open Nests on the Ground

are laid ; they are whitish, bluish, or greenish, with numerous
fine light brown specks evenly distributed. Size — 1.08 x .So.
See Fig. 8, Plate B.

The Brown Thrasher is also known under the names of
Ground Thrush, Brown Thrush, and in Virginia he is known as
the Sandy Mocking-bird, and further south as the French Mocking-
bird. In some localities they prefer bushes and thickets, while
in others they build almost exclusively on the ground. My own
experience has been that most of the nests were found on the
ground, near tall weeds, in an open field ; very few were in bushes.

While on the nest these birds, like their relatives the wrens,
sit very close, allowing themselves to be almost caught, but once
they leave the nest their manner changes and they become in-
tensely noisy, making a great pretence of attacking the intruder,
uttering repeatedly their harsh, scolding note.

During the very early hours of the morning or late in the
afternoon the brown thrasher may be seen perched on the top-
most branch of a tree, singing a song, full and rich in tone, re-
sembling somewhat that of the European song thrush.

The nesting season begins about the second week in May.

Chapter II

OPEN NESTS IN WOODS, THICKETS, SWAMPY
THICKETS

289. Bob-white; Quail: Colinus virginianus (Linn.)

White eggs.

See Page 35, Chapter I.

289a. Florida Quail : Colinus virginianus floridanus
(Coues)

White eggs.

See Page ^6, Chapter I.

298. Canada Grouse; Spruce Partridge: Dendragapus
canadensis (Linn.)

Ai/u// $ — General colour dark grayish brown or nearly black,
barred on the back ; breast mottled with whitish and buff,
excepting lower part of breast, which is black tipped with
white. Bright red shin over eye.

Adult $ — Upper parts lighter than in the 5 . Length — 15.00.

Breeding Range — The more northern parts of New England and
New York, northward.

The nest, which is carefully hidden, generally beneath a
low-lying spruce branch, is composed of leaves, dry ferns, moss,
twigs, and sometimes weedy grass, placed on somewhat swampy
ground in the dense northern forest. The eggs, numbering from
8 to 16, are buff-coloured, with irregular blotches and spots of
brown. Size — 1.71 x 1.22.

The Canada (3rouse, or Spruce Partridge as it is more com-
monly called, is an inhabitant of the dense forest region of the
more northern parts of Maine and New York in the United States,

52

NEST AND EGGS OF RUFFED GROUSE

Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

and in Canada as far north as the arctic timber line, where it lives a
secluded life among the trees — spruce, larches, and fir trees being
its favourites.

As a game bird it is fairly well known, though its extreme
tameness renders it by no means an exciting quarry. So tame is
it that in some places it has been caught by means of a noose
attached to the end of a fishing-rod. During the breeding season
this bird drums, after the manner of the ruffed grouse.

In Maine they breed in May. Incubation occupies 17 days.

300. Ruffed Grouse : Bonasa umbellus (Linn.)

Adult 3 — General colour yellowish brown or rusty ; upper parts
mottled with black and gray ; under parts light buff to
white or bufTy white on the belly, with irregular dark mot-
tled bars, which are more pronounced on the breast and at
the sides ; on either side of the neck are large tufts of black
feathers, which may be distended at will.

Adult ? — Somewhat lighter than the 5 , and with very small
tufts on the neck. Length — 17.00.

Breeding Range — Throughout the Eastern States, from the higher
regions of Georgia northward.

The nest is on the ground, usually at the base of a tree,
sometimes against a fallen log or under a bush, it is made of
dead leaves with a few feathers, and is either very shallow or
fully five inches deep inside. From 8 to 14 and rarely 16 eggs are
laid ; they are creamy white, often much stained, and sometimes
speckled with brown. Size — 1.56 x 1,13.

Under the different names of Ruffed Grouse, Pheasant, and
Partridge this bird is well known to all sportsmen as perhaps the
finest of our Eastern game birds. Its extraordinary habit of
■drumming has been the cause of many a surprise, and even of
fright, to the novice, who, not knowing whence the sound pro-
ceeded, has attributed it to all sorts of wild and ferocious animals.
That it is really made by a bird is hard to believe. The sound is
made by the rapid striking of the wings either against the sides
of the body or against the air (this is a much-disputed question)
while the bird is standing on a fallen tree or a low bush ; and
though this is the mating call, it may be heard throughout the
shooting season in Maine and probably elsewhere.

53

Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

The nesting season in the neighbourhood of New York begins
about April 25th. The period of incubation occupies about 18
days, the young leaving the nest as soon as hatched, and after a
few days being able to fly.

When the old bird is driven from her nest she starts off with
one or both wings, and perhaps a leg, apparently broken, and
after scrambling on the ground for a few yards, she scales along
until about a hundred feet away, and then takes flight. If she is
found with her brood of chicks she acts in a most remarkable
manner, either attacking the disturber or else feigning complete
powerlessness, thus diverting attention long enough to enable
the young to hide.

Near where I am now living (South Orange, N. J.) the
woodsmen say that the partridge always build at the foot of a
white oak. There seems to be some truth in the saying, so far
as this immediate neighbourhood is concerned, as all the nests I
have seen hereabouts were at the foot of white oaks.

300a. Canadian Ruffed Grouse : B. u. togata (Linn.)

This is a sub-species of the ruffed grouse. Its grayish instead
of buffy or rusty colour on the back, and the bars being more dis-
tinct on the under parts, especially on the belly, are the chief
points of variance.

Breeding Range — Northern New York, Maine, and Vermont, north-
wards.

These birds vary greatly in colour; in some instances they
may be mistaken for the common ruffed grouse, as specimens
showing all the intermediate gradations of colour have been
taken.

306. Heath Hen: Tympanuchus cupido (Linn.)

These birds bear a close resemblance to the prairie hen, the
principal difference being in the neck tufts, which are pointed
instead of rounded. Length — 18.00.

Breeding Range — Martha's Vineyard.

Nest on the ground ; eggs brownish drab or buff. Size—
1.73 X 1.29.

54

Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

The Heath Hen is ahnost extinct, being restricted to the
island of Martha's l^ineyard, where they are "in imminent
danger of total extinction."

310. Wild Turkey: Meleagris gallopavo Linn.

Differing in some degree from the darker varieties of the
domestic turkey, the smaller wattles and the dark buff or chest-
nut tip to the tail coverts and tail are characteristic of the wild
bird. The adult male is very much larger than the female, weigh-
ing usually about 25 pounds, and sometimes as much as 40
pounds, while the female weighs about 8 pounds. Length of
adult $ — 48.00.

Breeding Range — Canada to Florida; extinct in New England.

The nest is built on the ground among briars and thick
weedy places. 9 to 15 eggs are laid (some writers putting the
number as high as 24). They are cream-coloured with fine brown-
ish-red spots. Size — 2.55 X 1.80.

Unfortunately, the Wild Turkey is becoming so scarce that
in a few years' time it will be a rare bird. Laws made for its
preservation were adopted too late, and in many places are utterly
disregarded, which means that the birds will become restricted
to inaccessible places, such as the large tracts of swampy wood-
land. It has never been my good fortune to find a wild turkey's
nest, so 1 cannot give any original data in connection with their
breeding habits. During the mating season each male fights for
the possession of a drove of hens, varying in number from 4 to
about 8 or even more ; at other times the two sexes flock to-
gether, though it is usual for the very old gobblers to remain
solitary. Mr. Davis says that when the eggs are once touched
the female will abandon her nest.

31 Ob. Florida Wild Turkey: M. g. osceola Scott.

The Florida Wild Turkey varies but little from the more
northern species, being somewhat smaller, darker in colour, and
has irregular white markings on the wings in place of the wide
white bars.

Breeding Range — Southern Florida.

55

Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

The breeding habits are described as almost identical with
those of the northern wild turkey.

These magnificent birds are still fairly common in parts of
Florida, though much less so than they were a few years ago.
When 1 was in southern Florida in 1892 I sometimes saw in one
day as many as seven droves, numbering in all from twenty-five to
forty birds. During the seventeen days I camped out I secured
thirty-two specimens without very much trouble. This was
just before the mating season. The droves contained from three
to nine birds, and where both sexes were together the males
were usually birds of the previous year. The older males were
most often in flocks of about three, with no hens ; the very old
gobblers were invariably solitary. The males ranged in weight
from eight pounds (yearling birds) to twenty-three pounds. The
hens weighed rather under seven and a half pounds.

316. Mourning Dove: Zenaidura macroura (Linn.)

Eggs white.

See Page 133, Chapter VIII.

317. Zenaida Dove: Zenaida zenalda (Bonap.)

Eggs white.

See Page 133, Chapter VIII.

320. Ground Dove; Mourning Dove : Columbigallina
passerina terrestris Chapm.

Aduli $ — Various shades of "dove colour" ; breast somewhat
spotted ; iridescent feathers forward of the shoulder ; bill
red,

Adu// ? — Grayer. Length — 6.75.

Breeding Range — The Gulf States and Florida, north to North
Carolina.

The nest is a flimsy structure of twigs, with sometimes straw
or pine needles. It is placed either on the ground or in bushes,
rarely at any height from the ground. 2 white eggs are laid.
Size— .85 X .65.

The Ground Dove is easily recognised from its size alone, it
56

Open Ne»ts in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

being much the smallest of our native doves. As its name im-
plies, it spends the greater part of its time on the ground, where
it may be seen moving its head, while walking or running, after
the habit of the domestic pigeon.

The nests are usually near cultivated land, frequently in
abandoned gardens or yards, and though the ground is perhaps
the favourite place for building, yet bushes, trees, or even tree
stumps are sometimes chosen. The breeding season lasts from
April to July ; eggs have been taken as late as October, but this
is probably quite exceptional.

322. Quail Dove : Geotrygon martinica (Linn).

Eggs white or buffy white.

See Page 135, Chapter Vlll.

325. Turkey Vulture; Turkey Buzzard: Cathartes aura
(Linn.)

y4^7^//— Black tinged with brown ; head and neck red, bare of

feathers. Length — About 30.00.
Breeding Range — From New Jersey southward; accidental in New

England.

The eggs are laid inside a hollow log or stump, or on the
ground, often beneath palmetto or small bushes in fairly open
places, or among rocks; the eggs are yellowish or grayish white,
splashed with chocolate and black, chiefly at the larger end ; the
number varies from i to 4. Size — 2.75 x 1.90. See Fig. i, Plate A.

These birds, so graceful in flight yet so awkward when on
the ground, are perhaps the most useful of the southern birds ;
as they, with their near relatives, the black vultures, are the scav-
engers that leave no track or trace of anything that might pollute
the air. The question, on which so much has been written and
which has, I believe, never been satisfactorily decided, is whether
it is by the sense of smell or sight that these birds discover the
whereabouts of food; that their sight is wonderful must be ad-
mitted, while their power of smelling does not appear to be at all
remarkable. It is scarcely possible that a bird flying at a height
that renders him scarcely visible to the naked eye, and which

57

Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

must be at least several thousand feet, should be able to get the
scent of anything on the earth while the wind is blowing at the
rate of fifteen or twenty miles an hour ; yet when 1 have skinned
a small animal and thrown down the body, the birds, that were
seen to be flying at an immense height, immediately descended
and attacked the carcass. Another time, in order to test their
olfactory nerves, I took an alligator that had been dead several
days, and at night cut it in half ; the one-half was hidden by a
piece of sacking. These two pieces were placed about thirty feet
apart, and in the morning both black vultures and turkey vul-
tures were there in numbers. After finishing the exposed half,
they jumped about after their usual fashion and actually stood
upon the covered portion, but its presence was not discovered by
them. Surely, if they had such a highly developed sense of smell,
they would not have acted in this way.

The young are covered with white down for some time after
being hatched, and if handled have the disagreeable habit of dis-
gorging offensive matter ; so it is advisable to leave them alone.
The breeding season begins in April.

326. Black Vulture: Catharista atrata (Bartr.)

AduU—B\sick ; the head and neck black, and bare of feathers.
Breeding Range — North Carolina and the lower Mississippi Valley,
southward.

The nest, of which there is but a trace, is placed on the
ground beneath scrubby growth, in hollow prostrate logs, on
stumps, or among rocks. 2 or 3, usually 2 eggs, are laid ; they
vary greatly in colour; the average is dull white or pale blue,
rather heavily spotted and blotched with dark brown and choco-
late of various shades. Size — 3.00 x 2.00.

The Black Vulture resembles in general characteristics its
near relation the turkey buzzard, but it is not as common inland.
The nesting habits of both species are very similar. These birds
usually make a path to their nests, along which they jump in an
awkward manner. The male assists in the tedious duty of incu-
bating, which occupies about twenty-eight or thirty days.

The breeding season commences about the end of February
or the beginning of March.

58

Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

416. Chuck-will's-widow : Antrostomus carolinensis
(Gmel.)

Breeding Range — From Virginia southward ; most common in
Florida.

This is a variety of the whip-poor-will breeding in the
warmer parts of the country, in general appearance it is much
the same, being somewhat larger, lighter in colour, and having
hair-like branches to the bristles at the base of the bill. Length

— 12. CO.

The eggs, two in number, are placed on the bare ground or
on leaves in thickets or woods. They are white or buff, mar-
bled with pale brown and lilac blotches and spots. Size — 1.40
X 1,00. See Fig. 5, Plate A.

One of the most peculiar things about this bird is its habit of
carrying its eggs, or young, from place to place, inside its enor-
mous mouth. In its habits it resembles the more northern spe-
cies ; the notes are slightly different, having one more syllable.
The nesting season begins about the first week in April.

4 1 7. Whip-poor-will : Antrostomus vociferus (Wiis.)

Adult $> — The general colour is a mixture of rich browns, buff,
gray, and black, with a white or whitish band below the
throat, and white ends to the three outer tail feathers ;
mouth very large, with bristles at base of bill. The middle
toe is toothed on the inner side.

Adult ? — Has the white replaced by cream colour. Length — 9.75.

Breeding Range — Throughout the northeastern States.

The eggs are laid on the ground, generally among dry leaves,
with no pretence of a nest. The ground colour is creamy white
or grayish, with dark or very faint lilac and brown markings and
spots ; only two eggs are laid. Size — 1. 18 x .84.

There are few common eggs more difficult to find than those
of the Whip-poor-will. The bird matches to perfection, both in
colour and marking, the surroundings chosen for the nesting, or
1 should perhaps say the ground on which the eggs are depos-
ited, there being no nest. The eggs also are decidedly incon-

59

Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

spicuous. The place generally chosen is in the dark woods,
where the ground is thickly strewn with dead leaves. The birds
look like large bats or moths as they glide away in noiseless flight
among the trees, to perch lengthways on a horizontal branch,
becoming, to all appearance, part of the bark. In order to find
the eggs, it is advisable to use a dog ; otherwise it is a most dis-
couraging task. As the birds remove the eggs if they have been
handled, it is as well to secure them at the time of finding,
as otherwise they may have disappeared when the place is re-
visited. The young are said to "run about much like young
partridge."

In New Jersey the eggs are deposited about June ist.

558. White-throated Sparrow: Zonotrichia albicollis
(Gmel.)

Adult — Upper parts reddish brown streaked with black; head
black on either side of crown, white between and below the
streaks ; throat white ; yellow between bill and eye, and at
bend of wing ; under parts gray.

Immature — Breast darker, almost spotted ; throat whit-
ish, with two undefined lines ; the white on the head re-
placed by a grayish colour. Length — 6.74.

Breeding Range — From northern Michigan and northern New
York and northern New England, northward.

The nest is usually placed on the ground in woodland, or
sometimes in open pasture land, and occasionally built in a bush
or among the branches of a fallen tree. It is made of grasses,
weeds, fine roots, and moss, with a lining of fine grass. 4 or
5 eggs are laid ; they have the ground colour varying from white
to bluish, or sometimes yellowish white, with fine marks and
heavy blotches of different shades of brown. Size — .79 x .61 to
.89 X .64. See Fig. 7, Plate B.

Next to the white-crowned sparrow, the Peabody-bird or
White-throated Sparrow is the handsomest of the sparrows that
visit our Eastern States, but he is known to most of us only as
an autumn and spring visitor — ever welcome with his plaintive
little song.

In New England the breeding season commences about
June ist.

60

Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

567. Snowbird; Junco: Junco hyemalls (Linn.)

Adult $ —Dark slate colour with slight brownish tinge, except the

lower part of breast and belly, which, together with the outer

tail feathers, is white.
Aifu/f ? — Is less decided and lighter in colour. Length — 6.27.

"Young in first plumage resemble the adults, but have the

upper parts, throat, and breast streaked with black." (Chap*

man.)
Breeding Range — The more northern parts of New England, New

York, and Pennsylvania, southward along the Alleghanies to

Virginia.

The nest may be found among the roots of a fallen tree, in
crevices of banks, or in bushes, but usually it is on the ground in
a tangle of undergrowth. It is built of dry grass and moss, well
lined with fine grass and hair. The eggs are greenish or bluish
white with fine spots and sometimes blotches of reddish purple-
brown and lilac, chiefly in a wreath round the larger end. Size
— .76 X .56. See Fig. 14, Plate C.

Most of us have met this quiet-coloured bird, but only when
nearly all of our summer birds have gone to warmer climes ; he
then frequents the vicinity of dwellings, spending most of his
time either on the roadside or in places where he can find the
seeds that form his winter food. During the breeding season few
of us are fortunate enough to see him, as he betakes himself to
higher altitudes or to the more northern parts of New England.
In Ontario the Snowbird is said to begin nesting "the first week
of May, and nests with eggs are found as late as August." Minot
says that in the White Mountains they lay their eggs in June.

567e. Carolina Snowbird or Junco: J. h. carolinensis
Brewst.

Resembles the common snowbird, but is slightly larger and
is without the brownish tinge to the slate colour of the head,
breast, and back.

Breeding Range — The southern part of the Alleghanies, in Virginia
and the Carolinas.

The nest is described as being similar to that of the common
61

Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

snowbird, but larger, and built of coarser materials ; the eggs
are similar but larger.

The habits during the breeding season do not differ materi-
ally from those of the preceding species ; the nests being found in
bushes, trees, on the ground in open fields, in thickets, and in
banks. Two sets of eggs are laid, the first being laid in May.

575. Pine-woods Sparrow: Peucaea aestivalis (Licht.)

^^////— Resembling somewhat the field sparrow in shape, having
the tail rather long ; upper parts warm brown or chestnut
streaked with black, the individual feathers being edged with
gray ; breast ash-coloured, occasionally spotted with black ;
belly white or whitish ; bend of wing yellow ; the outer tail
feathers are very short. Length — 5.80.

^r^<r<//;/^ ^^;/^^— Throughout the piney woods of southern Georgia
and Florida.

The nest is placed on the ground in the pine woods, amongst
the scrub or saw palmetto ; it is a compact structure of fine grasses.
3 to 4 white eggs are laid in May or June. Size — .72 x .61.

As far as 1 know, not a great deal of data has been collected
in connection with the breeding habits of this little sparrow. Its
nest is difficult to find, owing to the vastness of the area of suit-
able country and to the fact that it is carefully hidden among the
palmetto, which in itself forms an adequate protection. Mr.
Chapman considers the song of this bird superior to that of any
of our northern sparrows.

581. Song Sparrow: Melospiza fasciata (Gmel.)

Eggs white tinged with green or blue, with irregular
brownish blotches.

See Page 49, Chapter I.

583. Lincoln's Sparrow: IVIelospiza lincolnii (Aud.)

Adult — Upper parts grayish brown streaked with black and

darker brown ; the tail has short outer feathers ; under

parts gray and cream colour slightly streaked with black,

and a buff band on breast, which should serve to distinguish

62

open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

it from other sparrows of somewhat similar appearance.
Length— 5.75.
Breeding Range — Not very far south of the northern border of the
United States, and in the high mountain regions further
south.

These nests, which are not very often seen, are placed on the
ground, much after the manner of the song sparrow's ; they are
" composed entirely of grasses." The eggs, ^ to 5 in number,
are greenish white or brownish white, spotted and blotched with
lavender and chestnut or brown, more thickly so at the larger
end. Size — .80 x .59.

The habit of skulking through the grass or bushes, so marked
in this sparrow, renders him inconspicuous, and consequently he
is often thought to be much less common than he really is. In
Colorado eggs have been taken in June and July.

584. Swamp Sparrow: Melospiza georgiana (Lath.)

Adult — Upper parts deep chestnut or warm brown with dark
streaks ; lower parts ashy gray ; throat white or whitish
gray. Length — 5.89.

Breeding Range — The northern United States, northward.

The nest is placed in a tussock of grass, usually in a swamp,
marshy thicket, or damp meadow, rarely in a low bush ; it is
made of grasses, lined with fine grass and sometimes horse-hair.
4 or 5 eggs are laid ; they resemble the eggs of the song spar-
row, but are more broadly and less distinctly blotched ; they
vary greatly in their markings, which are chocolate or reddish
brown, the ground colour being white slightly tinged with green,
yellow, or pinkish brown. Size — .80 x .60. See Fig. 15,
Plate C.

The Swamp Sparrow is very frequently confused with its
near relation, the song sparrow ; the duller and more uniform
colour of the back, the absence of dark streaks on the under parts,
and the patch on the breast should serve to distinguish it. The
fact that it flies without jerking its tail is also worth remember-
ing. By any one who has sufficient perseverance the nest may
be found from about the middle of May ; it is carefully hidden in
the rank swamp growth. Two sets of eggs are laid.

63

Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

587. Towhee; Chewink: Pipilo erythrophthalmus (Linn.)

Adult S — Head, throat, breast, and back black ; tail black with
white tips to the three outer feathers ; side bright chestnut ;
belly white ; the eye has the iris red.

Ai/u/t ? — The parts that in the male are black are replaced by
brown. Length— 8.35. " Young in first plumage have the
back and under parts streaked with black." (Chapman.)

Breeding Range — Georgia, northward to Canada, westward as far
as eastern Dakota.

The nest is rather large and roughly made of dead leaves, fine
roots, grass, twigs, grape-vine bark and tendrils, and lined with
fine grass and roots. It is placed on the ground or in exceptional
cases in bushes. Damp or dry woods, sunny slopes, thickets, or
thick grassy clearings may be chosen for the nesting place. 4 and
sometimes 5 eggs are laid ; they are white, or white tinged with
pink or blue, speckled and rarely blotched with brown, chestnut,
and lilac, chiefly at the larger end. Size — .95 x .72. See Fig. 8,
Plate C.

These birds, so spick and span in their fine plumage, are
conspicuous only by their peculiar note, which sounds something
like the word "chewink," pronounced with a rising inflection.
They may be seen in the thickets or scrubby woods or in brush
heaps, ever alert and on the move, jumping from twig to twig,
or scratching vigorously among the dead leaves, creating as much
bustle and disturbance as would a barn-yard hen. Their nest is
so arranged that it is exceedingly difficult to find, the materials
used in its construction corresponding both in colour and texture
with the immediate surroundings. When near their home the
birds are silent, unless you happen to find and disturb the nest,
when both male and female join together in making the most
piteous cries. The eggs are laid about the second week in May;
probably but one brood is reared. Chewinks are also known as
Ground Robins and Jorees.

587a. White-eyed Chewink: P. e. alien! Coues

Breeding Range — Florida and southeastern part of South Carolina.

The White-eyed Towhee differs from the northern bird in
being somewhat smaller, in having only two instead of three of

64-

A MOTHER WORM-EATING WaRBLER AND HER YOUNG FAMILY

A YOUNG TOWNEE HIDING BENEATH A DEAD OAK LEAF

NEST OF THE WORWI-EATING WARBLER IN A BANK

Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

the tail feathers tipped with white, And in having, as, the name
indicates, the iris of the eye nearly white. Length — 8.00.

in most respects the habits of these two birds are very simi-
lar ; the nest of the white-eyed is perhaps more frequently built in
bushes, and pine needles, in addition to the other materials, are
used in its construction. The eggs are bluish white, unmarked,
or "thickly speckled with pinkish-vinaceous and pearl gray"
(Davie).

636. Black and White Warbler or Creeper: Mnlotilta
varia (Linn.)

A//u// ^ — Streaked all over with black and white, except middle
of belly, which is white.

At/u// ? — Very similar, but with almost imperceptible brownish
tinge. Length — s.30.

Breeding Range — Eastern States, from Virginia and Kansas north-
ward.

The nests are built on the ground except in very rare in-
stances, when they are placed in holes in trees (Minot). The ma-
terial used consists of leaves, grass, fine roots, and thin strips of
bark, with the lining of hairs. The eggs, 3 to 5 in number, are
white, spotted with brown and purple, most of the spots forming
a wreath around the larger end. Size — .65X.55. See Fig. 17,
Plate C.

It is impossible to confound these warblers with any other
of their family ; the colour alone is quite distinctive, as also is their
method of creeping along the tree trunks or branches. This is
done by no other warbler, except to a very limited extent by the
worm-eating. The nuthatches and brown creeper also "creep,"
but with these there is no chance of confusion. The nests are
carefully concealed, generally at the foot of a tree, under a log or
projecting stone, in thickly wooded places. The eggs are laid
about the third week in May.

639. Worm-eating Warbler: Helmintherus vermivorus
(Gmel.)

Adult— ?>\i'^ line through centre of crown and above the eye,
black lines on either side of crown and back of eye ; upper
parts greenish buff ; under parts buff. Length — 5.51.

5 6s

open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

Breeding Range — Eastern States, from southern New England
southward.

The nest is composed of leaves, weed stems, strips of bark,
lined with fine roots and occasionally hair ; it is placed on the
ground at the foot of a tree, under a log or in a slight depression
or hole in a bank. Usually it is in hilly woodland, but some-
times a more open place is chosen. The eggs, 3 to 5 in number,
are white or pinkish white, with fine spots of cinnamon and
purplish brown, chiefly at the larger end. Size — .72 x .58.

Should you happen to venture at all near to the nest of the
Worm-eating Warbler, she will tell you of its proximity by falling
on the ground with seemingly broken wings, and apparently on
the verge of death from some unknown cause ; she will even roll
over and over down the side of a hill while in this condition, in
the hope of luring you away from her home, which is usually
concealed with the utmost care. When on the nest the parent
bird will almost allow herself to be caught, so close does she sit.
As a rule, these warblers live and feed on or very near the
ground, most frequently in damp woods or thickets, but I have
seen them creeping along the overhanging branches somewhat
after the manner of the black-and-white creeper. I do not, how-
ever, think this is a common habit, as I have seldom seen it done.
The nesting season commences towards the end of May in the
vicinity of New York.

641. Blue-Winged Warbler: Helminthophlla pinus

(Linn.)

Adult S — Upper parts light olive green ; wings and tail bluish ;

wing shows two broken white bars ; crown and under

parts brilliant yellow. The black line in front and back of

the eye is a distinctive feature.
Adults — Under parts somewhat less bright. Length — 4.80. The

young in first plumage are nearly as bright as the adult ? .
Breeding Range — Eastern States, from Connecticut and southern

New York southward.

The nest is placed on the ground in clearings, scrubby
places, and in the undergrowth of woodland or second growth.
It varies greatly, being sometimes a very rough structure of

66

NEST OF BLUE-WINGED WARBLER ON GROUND IN DAMP SCRUB

Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

coarse grass, weeds, leaves, bark, and tcnarils, and sometimes a
compact and well-made nest of the same materials. to 6 eggs
are laid ; they are white, with very few spots of brownish red,
except round the larger end, where they are more numerous.
Size — .62 X ,51.

Although in some places this warbler is very common, the
nest is always hard to find. 1 have seen as many as twenty
pairs of these birds in a day during the breeding season, and yet
not one nest could I find. When the young are hatc'ied it is, of
course, much more easy to find the nest, s"? the female may then
be seen carrying food to them. As far as I have been able to
ascertain by observation, the female alone supplies the young
with food, the male usually accompanying her until within a
short distance of the nest, or even to the nest itself, but I have
never seen him carry food. When these birds are seen to be
very much excited there is every reason for believing that the
young, which in all probability have very recently left the nest,
are not far away ; they may easily be found, as the parent birds
(both male and female take part in feeding the young after they
have left the nest) feed them constantly. Near New York nest-
ing begins about the third week in May.

642. Golden-winged Warbler: Helminthophila
chrysoptora (Linn.)

Adtili 5 — Head : Crown bright yellow ; a white line over the
eye, then comes a broad black line, level with and below
the eye, then a wide white line on either side of the throat,
which is black ; upper parts grayish ; wings bluish gray,
with yellow patch ; breast and belly white, shading into
gray at the sides.

^</«//? —Duller in colour, dark gray taking the place of the black.
Length — 5.10.

Breeding Range — " Georgia, North and South Carolina" in the
more elevated parts, northward to the more southern parts
of New England, also in " Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Mich-
igan, and is a rather common summer resident of Ohio."

The nest may be found either on the ground or in low
bushes, usually the former ; it is built of grass, strips of bark, fine
roots, and leaves — the leaves being generally outside and under-
neath ; lining of fine grass. The eggs, 4 to 6 in number, are

67

Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

white with brownish and lilac spots, mostly at the larger end,
where they form an irregular wreath. Size — .62 x .48.

Golden-winged Warblers generally choose rather damp
places for their nests, something after the manner of the Maryland
yellow-throats or blue-winged warblers ; second-growth clear-
ings and such like scrubby places suit their fancy.

Intergradations between the golden-winged warbler and
blue-winged warbler are considered hybrids, and are known as
Brewster's warbler {Helminthophila leucobronchialis [Brewst.])
and Lawrence's warbler {Heliuinthophila lawrencei [Herrick]).

645. Nashville Warbler: Helminthophila ruficapllla
(Wils.)

Aduli — Head bluish gray with chestnut patch on crown ; rest of
upper parts light olive green ; under parts light yellow ; no
white on any part. Length — 4.77.

Breeding Range — Throughout the Northern States, from northern
Illinois to Long Island, northward.

The nest is composed of leaves, strips of bark, moss, fine
roots, lined with fine grass and often hair ; sometimes pine
needles are used almost exclusively. It is placed on the ground
in open woods, in second-growth woods, and in shrubbery. The
eggs are white, thinly or thickly speckled, mostly at the larger
end, rarely blotched, with cinnamon brown and lilac. 3 to 5 are
laid. Size — .63 x .48.

In Massachusetts the nesting season begins "about the first
of June."

675. Water-thrush : Seiurus noveboracensis (Gmel.)

Eggs white with rather large spots or markings of cinna-
mon brown or hazel, more thickly distributed about the larger
end.

See Page 91, Chapter V.

675a. Crinnell's Water-thrush : S. n. notabilis (Ridgw.)

Eggs identical with those of the water-thrush.

See Page 91, Chapter V.
68

NEST OF MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT.
In Kaspoarr/ p:itch.

Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

676. Louisiana Water-thrush: Seiurus motaciila (Vieill.)

Eggs creamy while with numerous spots and specks of
chestnut and lilac.

See page 92, Chapter V.

677. Kentucky Warbler: Geothlypis formosa (Wils.)

Adult i —Upper parts light olive green, except the crown, which
is black ; from the bill, over and back of the eye, is a thin,
yellow line ; below it there is a black patch, which narrows
below the cheek, then again becoming slightly wider ;
under parts bright yellow.

Ai/u// ? —Colours rather less brilliant. Length — 3.40.

Breeding Range — Throughout the Eastern States, from the Gulf of
Mexico to Illinois and Connecticut.

The nest is placed on the ground or among the roots of a
fallen tree, usually in woods that are more or less damp ; it is a
large structure of leaves (mostly on the outside), grasses, and fine
roots, lined with fine roots and sometimes hair. The eggs, num-
bering from 4 to 5, " rarely 6," are white, spotted or blotched,
more so at the larger end, with varying shades of brown and
gray. Size— .73 x .57.

This bird may be easily mistaken by the novice for the Mary-
land yellow-throat, being about the same size and colour ; the
black crown and the light yellow line over the eye, together with
the fact that it walks, should serve to identify it. Near New York
the eggs are laid about the end of May, in Kansas about ten
days earlier.

679. Mourning Warbler: Geothlypis Philadelphia (Wils.)

Eggs white, with reddish-brown spots at the larger end.
See Page 164, Chapter VIII.

681. Maryland Yellow-throat: Geothlypis trichas (Linn.)

Adult I — Upper parts brownish olive green ; forehead, cheeks,
and side of throat black, with a light grayish edge back of
it : breast, throat, and sides bright yellow ; belly grayish
white.

69

Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

AduU $ — Plumage duller and without the black patch ; the sides
yellowish brown, shading into grayish white on the belly.
Length— 5.33.

Breeding Range — Throughout the Eastern States, from Georgia
northward ; westward to the plains.

The nests are usually placed on the ground; they are also
built in low bushes, in almost any kind of place ; they vary greatly
both in size, shape, and in the materials used in their construction;
they may be made of nothing but fine grass, very shallow, re-
sembling the nest of the field sparrow, or they may be very
bulky, being as much as six inches high, outside measurement,
and made of weeds, strips of bark, tendrils, grass, and leaves,
the leaves only on the outside, with the lining of fine grass and
hair. Some of the nests are made entirely of reeds and other
coarse grass. The eggs are white with fine specks or spots of
chocolate and purple, brown and lilac; the spots are not very
numerous, and are mostly at the larger end. Usually the num-
ber of eggs is 4, sometimes 5 and rarely 6. Size — .70 x .53.
See Fig. 16, Plate C.

The Maryland Yellow-throat is perhaps the most common of
our warblers during the breeding season; he maybe found in
almost any thicket, but he undoubtedly prefers places that are
damp or even marshy. Wherever he is, he will be found very
much in evidence, being of an inquisitive nature and ever on the
move, hopping about among the grass or, more often, in a tangle
of low bushes.

The nest is described as difficult to find. Why, 1 do not quite
understand; it seems much more easy to find than most of the
other ground nests, unless it happens to be arched over, but that
is rare. 1 have found the nests in raspberry vines, as shown in the
accompanying illustration, but they are more often found in damp,
grassy tangles. The young leave the nest when about five days
old.

68 1 b. Florida Yellow-throat : G. t. ignota Chapm.

This bird is very similar to the preceding. The bill, tail,
and wing are longer, upper parts much browner, the black
patch larger, and the yellow rather deeper in colour on the under
parts. It is resident in the southern parts of Georgia and in

70

NEST AND EGGS OF MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT

Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

Florida. Nesting habits are described as being identical with
those of the more northern bird. It is also known as the Palmetto
Bird.

686. Canadian Warbler: Sylvania canadensis (Linn.)

Eggs creamy white, spotted chiefly at the larger end with
reddish brown and lilac.

See Page 92, Chapter V.

705. Brown Thrasher: Harporhynchus rufus (Linn.)

Eggs whitish, bluish, or greenish, with numerous fine light
reddish-brown specks evenly distributed.

See Page 50, Chapter l.

756. Wilson's Thrush; Veery: Turdus fuscescens Steph.

A(/uU — Upper parts reddish or golden brown; under parts white
or grayish white, except the breast, which is tinged with
buff and spotted with brown. Length — 7.52.

Breeding Range — "From northern Illinois and Pennsylvania to
Manitoba and Newfoundland, and southward along the
Alleghanies to North Carolina." (Chapman.)

The nest is most commonly placed on the ground, or among
the roots of a fallen tree, rarely in bushes, and they " have been
found in hollow trunks of trees fifteen feet from ground " (Davie),
it is generally a well-made structure about three inches in diam-
eter by two and a half deep inside, and as much as five or six
inches deep outside. The materials used in its construction are
principally leaves and skeleton leaves, also weeds, fern stalks,
reeds, and fine roots, the inside being lined with leaves and
fine black roots. 3 to 5 eggs are laid, 3 being perhaps the most
common number. They are pale greenish blue, somewhat
darker than a robin's eggs. Size — .87 x .64. See Fig. 11, Plate C.

The Wilson's Thrush confines himself chiefly to the low,
damp woods, where, in some places, they are very abundant.
Their choice of residence, however, renders them almost un-
known, except to people who are directly interested in birds.
in appearance they may be said to resemble a very dull-coloured

71

Open Nests in Woods, Thickets, Swampy Thickets

wood thrush without the bright rufous tail, and the markings
on the breast are not nearly so conspicuous. Their note is very
peculiar, sounding almost like the sharpening of a scythe with a
whetstone. It is a sound that cannot be confounded with any
other bird's note. The place chosen for nesting is on the ground
in the damp woods, not far from water as a rule. The nest is
very often built at the foot of a sapling, or between the stems of
a bush, or on a mound of moss and grass, and not infrequently
in dry clearings with shrubby undergrowth. I have never found
a nest in a bush, but I am told that such places are sometimes,
though rarely, chosen. From my experience with these denizens
of the dark, wet woods I should be inclined to believe they have
but scanty confidence in man. 1 have tried repeatedly, and in
vain, to secure a photograph of the sitting bird. The eggs are
laid about the third week in May.

759b. Hermit Thrush: Turdus aonalaschkae pallasii
(Cab.)

A^uU— Upper parts dusky olive brown; tail bright rufous; under
parts white or whitish, tinged on the breast with buff, and
marked with large dark spots. Length — 7.17.

Breedino; Range — From Michigan and northern New England
(including northwestern Connecticut), the higher regions of
New York, northward.

The nest is always on the ground, generally in damp, woody
places or on shrubby slopes, it resembles the nest of the Wil-
son's thrush, but is rather larger, and pine needles and moss, as
well as leaves, roots, weeds, etc., are used in its construction.
3 or 4 eggs are laid; they are plain bluish green; in very rare cases
they are said to be spotted. Size — .88 x .69.

These birds well deserve the name given them, for their usually
solitary habits are truly hermit-like. In the deep, dark forests,
where all is hushed and quiet, the sweet sympathetic notes of
this famous songster may be heard; few other birds are there to
join with him in his song to the woods.

The Hermit Thrush need never be mistaken for any other of
the thrush family ; his rufous tail and brownish back are entirely
distinctive. In northern New England the nesting season com-
mences towards the end of May.

72

NEST OF WILSONS THRUSH.
Placed on a mound of fnoss-covered earth.

Chapter III
COVERED OR ARCHED NESTS ON GROUND

Part I.— in OPEN COUNTRY

289. Bob-white; Quail: Colinus virginianus (Linn.)

Eggs white; nest rarely and but roughly arched.
See Page 35, Chapter 1.

501. Meadowlark : Sturnella magna (Linn.)

AduU—Summer plumage : Back and head warm lightish brown,
marked with black and brown; yellow line from the bill
over the eye, dark brown line from eye to back of neck;
throat and breast bright yellow, with black crescent on
breast beginning above bend of wing; tail— outside feathers
white or partly white, middle feathers light brown with dark
transverse markings. The winter plumage is much less
brilliant. Length — 10.75.

Breeding ^«//^^— Throughout the Eastern States.

The nest is built on the ground in open fields, generally
where there is high grass or young grain. It is formed of grass
and is frequently arched or partly so.

The eggs, varying from 4 to 6 in number, are white, speckled
chiefly at the larger end with reddish brown and lilac. Size—
1. 10 X. 80. See Fig. 7, Plate C.

The Meadowlark's nest is not easy to find, even where the
birds are plentiful, and unless the old bird is seen to rise from it,
and the place is then very carefully marked, many weary miles
may be walked through grassy fields without a nest being dis-
covered. Built entirely of grass, and placed in a tuft of tall grass
or grain, it is difficult to see even when the nest is an open one,

73

Covered or Arched Nests on Ground

but when arched or covered, and with a winding hidden passage
leading to the opening, which is on the side, it is decidedly
inconspicuous.

In the neighbourhood of New York the breeding season
begins early in May.

546. Yellow-winged or Grasshopper Sparrow: Ammo-
dramus savannarum passerinus (Wils.)

Eggs white or whitish, finely spotted with reddish brown.
See Page 44, Chapter 1.

550. Sea-side Sparrow : Ammodramus maritimus (Wils.)

Eggs white or whitish, finely speckled ' with light reddish
brown and lilac.

See Page 46, Chapter I.

575. Pine-woods Sparrow : Peucsea 8estivalis (Liclit.)

Eggs pure white.

See Page 62, Chapter II.

Part II.— ARCHED NESTS IN WOODS OR THICKETS

575a. Bachiman's Sparrow : Peucsea aestivalis bachmani
(Aud.)

^^2^//— Upper parts rufous with dark streaks; lower parts light
brownish buff; warm gray or buff line over eye; yellow at
bend of wing; the tail has the outer feathers the shortest.
Length— 5.75.

Breeding Range — The Southern States, from Kentucky and North
Carolina, and southern Illinois, southward.

The nests in all probability are invariably arched or roofed,
with the opening well hidden on the side; grass alone is used in
their construction, with the grass tops for lining. The eggs are
white, 3 to 4 in number. Size — .75 x .60.

This sparrow resembles closely the pine-woods sparrow,
but it has no spots on the under parts, and few, sometimes none
at all, on the back. Its habits are terrestrial.

74

THE MEAOOWLARK'i UOME-SHAPEO NEST

NEST AND EGGS OF THE YELLOW-WINGED OR GRASSHOPPER SPARROW

Covered or Arched Nests on Ground

The places chosen for nesting are the pine or oak woods,
or scrubby open ground, seldom far from trees. The nests
are very difficult to find, owing not only to the fact that they are
carefully covered, but the bird, instead of flying up directly from
the nest, runs along the ground for some distance before taking
flight. From April to July nests may be found.

674. Golden-crowned Thrush; Oven-bird: Seiurus
aurocapilius (Linn.)

Adult — Upper parts brownish olive; crown dull orange with
dark hne on either side; under parts white, slightly tinged
with yellow, with numerous dark spots forming lines from
the throat downwards. Length — 6. 17.

Breeding Range — From Virginia and Kentucky northward, and
in the higher regions of the Carolinas.

The arched or domed nest is formed of dead leaves, skeleton
leaves, and roots, with the lining mostly of fine hair-like roots,
and sometimes hair; the opening is at the side, and is fairly large,
about three inches high; the nest is placed among dead leaves,
either on a bank or on the level ground in dry woods. The eggs
vary in number from 3 to 6, sets of 5 being the most common;
they are pinkish white, with either few or many fine specks of
light chocolate colour or sometimes blotches of reddish or lilac,
chiefly at the larger end. Size — .78 x .58. See Fig. 12, Plate C.

This thrush-like warbler may be found throughout our
woods — perhaps the most common of the woodland birds, and
certainly the one most frequently seen during the earlier part
of the breeding season; he is easily identified by his size,
being much smaller than any of the thrushes except Bicknell's
thrush (which is but little larger) ; by the dull orange crown, the
feathers on the head being elevated when the bird becomes
excited, and by the fact that he walks.

When the nest is threatened these birds become greatly
excited, coming close to the intruder, and then feigning broken
wings and general demoralisation, uttering all the time a rather
sharp and piteous note; the nest is carefully hidden amongst the
dead leaves and young spring growth, and is somewhat difficult to
find. It is often completed several days before the eggs are laid.

7i

Covered or Arched Nests on Ground

The young remain with and are fed by their parents until fully
grown. The old birds show clearly the whereabouts of the young
by their excitement when one comes even within a hundred
yards of them.

in the vicinity of New York the nests are finished by May
14th; probably two and perhaps three broods are reared, as 1
have seen the young being fed as late as the end of August.

In Massachusetts the season is about ten days later.

681. Maryland Yellow-throat: Geothlypus trichas (Linn.)

Eggs white, with fine specks or spots of chocolate and purple
brown, the spots not being very numerous and mostly at the
larger end. Nests rarely and then only partly arched.
See Page 69, Chapter II.

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AMNH LIBRARY

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