Notes from Field and Study
An Interesting Phoebe’s Nest
The accompanying illustration shows an interesting Phcebe's nest. It is well-known that this bird prefers to build close to some overhead protection, but I have never NEST OF PHCEBE Photographed from nature seen, and have heard of only one other similar structure, showing such evidence of forethought by the builder ; for this bird has constructed a pedestal by means of which her nest was raised to the desired height. The location chosen was three feet or so back under the piazza roof of a lonely, unused summer cottage by the shore of Webster lake, in Franklin, N. H. The foundations were begun on a door- cap to the left of, although almost in touch with, an upright cleat. Soon the builder made a turn to the right, that the pedestal might rest firmly against this cleat. From this point the work continued perpendicu- larly full twelve inches, with the breadth of about three inches and a thickness of one and one-half inches. Upon this the enlargement was made for the nest proper, which was destined to safely cradle her brood of four. — Ellen E. Webster, Franklin Falls, iV. II. [Two years ago John Burroughs showed us a nest similar to the one here described, built beneath the eaves, on a slight pro- jection in the rough hewn rock of the rail- way station at West Park, N. Y. — Ed.] A Useful Nest-Holder After the leaves fall many deserted birds' nests will be exposed to view. The larger number will still be found serviceable for study, and in collecting them a note of the site, height from the ground, if in a tree or bush, etc., should be made to aid in their identilication. The accompanying cut shows a very use- ful holder for such specimens. It was de- signed by Mr. George B. Sennett, and is made of annealed wire, about the bottom of which is tied hair wire, as shown. At this stage, the nest is placed in the holder, the four uprights are cut off to the required height, and bent in or out, in order to bring them closely to the sides of the nest ; the wrapping with hair wire is then con- tinued until the nest is firmly bound. In this way such loosely built nests as those of the Mourning Dove or Cuckoo may be held in shape without in the least conceal- ing their structure. — Ed. A Singing Blue Jay Not long ago, when the snow covered the ground several inches deep, I heard as sweet a little song as one could expect to hear from a Warbler in May, come from a clump of small plum trees in the back yard. Creeping softly in the direction of the sound, I could see nothing but a stately Blue Jay perched upon one of the upper limbs. I waited patiently, and soon the
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