134 The Ohio Naturalist. 



NOTES ON NESTING OF WARBLERS. 



At Fort Ancient, Ohio. 

 Ray Densmore. 



During the latter part of May of the present j'ear Mr. Tyler 

 and myself spent some time collecting in and around Fort Ancient, 

 Warren County, Ohio. The Fort is situated on the summit of a 

 hill rurrounded by gullies 200 to 300 feet deep, with rather steep 

 sides. The Little Miami River runs by on the west. 



The sides of the gullies are springy and covered by enough 

 bushes and small trees to make it an ideal resort for many of the 

 warblers. The most common was the yellow-breasted chat. 

 Nearlj' every clump of bushes was inhabited by one or more pairs 

 of these well named birds. Several nests were found and two 

 sets of four eggs each were taken. One set is heavily marked 

 with reddish blotches ; the other is typical in coloration, but one 

 egg is nearly a runt. Oven birds were numerous, but no nests 

 were found. Kentucky warblers were abundant in the lower 

 part of the gullies. Three nests were found, one containing four 

 eggs in an advanced stage of incubation, one containing three 

 fresh eggs and a cow bird's egg and one nest just completed. 

 There was but little variation in the material used in construc- 

 tion, appearance or location of the nests. The foundations were 

 composed of tightly packed leaves, the bases of which were out- 

 ward, and a lining of fine rootlets or in one a small amount of 

 horse hair. 



A nest of the worm-eating warbler, containing six eggs, was 

 found by Mr. Tyler in a depression in the side of a bank under a 

 bush. The bird sat very close and allowed us to approach within 

 three or four feet before she would leave the nest. We were able 

 to identify her very certainly. The species must have been rare 

 in the locality, for no other specimens were seen during our trip. 

 The nest was composed of a foundation of leaves, loosely placed, 

 and lined with fine rootlets and weed stems. 



The Louisiana water thrush was abinidant along the streams. 

 One nest was found containing four young birds about a week 

 old. It had a foundation of weed stems and twigs and was lined 

 with rootlets. Its situation was in the side of a bank a feAv feet 

 above the water. 



A Maryland yellow throat was heard on the flats of the Little 

 Miami River, and two other warblers were seen that I was unable 

 to identify, although one ma}- have been the chestnut-sided. 



Perry, Lake County, Ohio. 



