OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 175 



sometimes during the last week of May. A small 

 bush is selected for this purpose; most commonly 

 ^funipcrus comniunis\ the nest being seldom placed 

 higher than from five to six feet above the ground. 

 The labor of building devolves upon the female, 

 mainly; the male occasionally rendering a little 

 assistance. While his partner like a true and 

 faithful servant plies her task with indefatigable 

 zeal, he occasionally deserts his post close by, to 

 inspect the character of the work, and occasionally 

 deigns to adjust a stray piece, or to render the 

 structure more symmetrical. The work continues 

 through the day, and is prosecuted with commend- 

 able rapidity. Ordinarily, it requires a period of 

 three days to complete a nest, which is about the 

 time the Summer Yellow Bird devotes thereto. 

 Whilst the female is laboring hard under the sur- 

 veillance of her lord, the male as if to encourage 

 and stimulate her to greater exertions, rewards 

 her occasionally with a juicy tidbit. 



The nest is built in a crotch, and held in posi- 

 tion by nearly vertical branches. It presents, 

 exteriorly, at a short distance, a decided resem- 

 blance to the nest of Dendrccca (estiva \ but, upon 

 critical examination, perceptible differences are 

 found to exist. The periphery of the nest is com- 

 posed of hempen fibres of Limim Virginianum and 

 L. usitatissimum almost exclusively, with a few 

 spiders' webs; interiorly, there is a profusion t)f 

 horse-hairs. The height is four inches, and tnQ 

 diameter nearly two and a half, The diameter at 



