It builds its nest from a foot to eighteen inches from the ground, generally in the upright or somewhat leaning fork of a little bush. I once found it on a beech limb, lying on the ground, but still retaining the dry leaves. It is somewhat bulky, but quite neat, the lower part being of dry or skeleton leaves, the upper part, especially the high and well-defined rim, of long fibrous bark, as that of the grape vine, ash, basswood, or elm, laid almost as nicely as coiled cords, the whole structure being bound together by a webby material, and lined with fine grasses, bark-fibres, and horse-hair. In location, material, and structure, it is quite unique, and, like most other birds’ nests, is a much more certain means of identification than the eggs themselves. These, two to four in number, varying from .63×.52 to .75×.50, are clear white, delicately specked and spotted, sometimes even blotched, with reddish, brown, and lilac. In form and coloration the eggs are very variable. They may be found fresh from the last week in May till the middle of June. A second set may be found in July. The male aids in incubation.
Confined to the eastern part of the United States, and barely entering the southern part of New England, Western New York, and Central New York where it is quite common, must be about the northern limit of this species.—J. H. Langille, Knowlesville, Orleans Co., N. Y.
Breeding of the Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) in Lower Canada.—Last summer I had the rare good fortune to accompany, as his guest, the Hon. Judge H. E. Taschereau (Chief Justice Supreme Court of Canada) on his annual salmon fishing excursion to the Godbout River, which empties into the St. Lawrence from the north, about six miles from the Pointe des Monts where the river widens into the Gulf.
One rainy afternoon about the middle of July, while the Judge was catching salmon at the famous “Upper Pool” on the Godbout, Mr. Nap. A. Comeau and I climbed a high and densely wooded hill that rises from the western border of the pool, and when near the summit saw a Pine Grosbeak, in the slate and golden plumage, hopping about amongst the branches of a large Balsam (Abies balsamea). I was within twenty feet from the bird, but having only a rifle was unable to secure it. Mr. Comeau, who lives at the mouth of the Godbout, told me that this species was by no means rare here, and that he regarded it as a resident. He has since written me that he shot several after I left, and that “the bird is quite common here both summer and winter.” Although he has never taken its nest, he says “I have no doubt they breed here, and I have often seen them in the early part of the fall while out trapping. They seem to be fond of keeping near streams and lakes.”
Dr. Coues found the Pine Bullfinch breeding on the Labrador Coast, and I have no doubt that it breeds all along the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and perhaps extends even as far west as the Saguenay, along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. It is asserted, on high authority, that it breeds in some parts of Northern New England.—C. Hart Merriam, M.D., Locust Grove, N. Y.
Coturniculus lecontei, C. henslowi, and Cistothorus stellaris in Florida.—Mr. C. J. Maynard has kindly placed at my disposal the following notes made during his recent trip to Florida. In November, 1881, he spent three weeks collecting at Rosewood, a small settlement on the northern edge of the Gulf Hummock, about eighteen miles northeast of Cedar Keys. Around the outskirts of this town were a number of old fields, grown up to rank grass and tall weeds, but nevertheless perfectly dry. Here he found Leconte’s Buntings, Henslow’s Buntings, Yellow-winged Sparrows, and Short-billed Marsh Wrens, associating together in comparative numbers ranking in the order in which their names are mentioned. The first C. lecontei was shot November 4. Shortly afterwards they became so abundant that as many as twenty were sometimes seen in a day, but notwithstanding their numbers, it was by no means easy to obtain specimens. The chief difficulty arose from their excessive tameness, for they could rarely be forced to take wing, while in the long grass it was impossible to see them at a greater distance than a few yards. Indeed so very fearless were they that on several occasions Mr. Maynard nearly caught them in his insect net. All four species were apparently established for the winter.
The detection of Leconte’s Bunting at Coosada, Alabama, by Mr. Brown,[[56]] and more recently in Chester County, South Carolina, by Mr. Loomis,[[57]] has prepared us to expect it almost anywhere in the Southern States, but I believe that this is its first Florida record. The occurrence of Henslow’s Bunting is also of importance, as confirming Audubon’s more or less discredited statement that it wintered numerously in Florida; while that of the Short-billed Marsh Wren is interesting from the exceptional character of the locality and the distinguished society in which the little bird was found.—William Brewster, Cambridge, Mass.
Ammodramus caudacutus.—A somewhat inland Record on the Atlantic Coast.—On June 21, 1881, in company with my friends Messrs. Chamberlain and Daniel, of St. John. N. B., I found a few pairs of Sharp-tailed Finches in the tall grassy marshes bordering the Kenebecasis River at Hampton, which is about twenty miles to the north of the above named city and the Bay of Fundy, and about at the head of tide water. The birds were singing, and undoubtedly breeding, but a severe hunt for their nests was unsuccessful. Although a closely allied variety (nelsoni) is known to occur in certain western States, I think our maritime form has not before been observed away from the immediate coast on the Atlantic seaboard. It might however be looked for up our rivers and creeks as far as or a little above the flow of tide water. See this Bulletin. II pp. 27, 28; III, pp. 48, 98; V, p. 52.—H. A. Purdie, Newton, Mass.
The White-throated Sparrow in Winter near Worcester, Mass.—I saw White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) at different dates during December, 1879. I also saw some on January 1, 1880. I, myself, had not observed it before, though possibly it may not be uncommon.—J. A. Farley, Worcester, Mass.
Peucæa ruficeps eremœca.—In Gillespie County, Texas, which adjoins Kendall Co. on the north, where Mr. Nathan C. Brown’s specimens were taken, I collected on April 24, 1878, a pair of Sparrows which Mr. J. A. Allen identified as Peucæa ruficeps. From the fact that Mr. Brown collected no typical ruficeps it is more than likely that my specimens were var. eremæca.