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 July, I9O 4 [ THE CONDOR o7 al occasions it has been seen feeding'on the refuse that had been thrown out of the slaughter houses on the outskirts of the city. It does not seem to fear the presence of man and not infrequently are nests found in close vicinity of country dwellings. Most of my observations were made in Caldwell county which consists princi- pally of rolling prairie, intersected by numerous small streams, the banks of which are sparingly fringed with elm and hackberry trees. Here the birds may be found throughout the year. The birds are usually in pairs the year round, but sometimes during the winter months they can be seen in flocks of four and five. Nesting begins in February and early March, at which time both birds can be seen flying about together in search of a nesting site. Two and sometimes three broods are reared in a season, as nesting begins very early. The earliest recorded date that I have, is March I, when I took a beautiful set of three eggs from a new nest in Caldwell county. The nest was composed entirely of broom-weeds without a lin- ing and was constructed during the months of December, January and the first few days of February. The eggs were slightly incubated when found, and I am sure I could have procured them a week earlier had I been aware of the act. This would unquestionably have made the earliest nesting date for this section of the state. A nest of former years to which is added a few straws, is usually selected in which to rear their young and seldom is a new nest found. I think the greater number of the new nests are built by birds of the previous year, they being unable to procure old ones. Some, however, are built by birds that are molested too often and finally give up their old homes in despair. Some birds become so attached to their nests that they return each year, even after having been robbed time and again. New material is added yearly to the old nest, so that ifi course of time it becomes a huge and massive structure, and when conspicuously situated, which is generally the case, can be seen at a great distance. One particular nest, that I now call to mind was found about six years ago in Caldwell county in a small elm on the crest of a high hill. When first found the nest was fully three feet in height and two and one-half feet in breadth. For some