— 18— 



woven grayish downy materials, fibres of weed bark, and bits of 

 gossamer, with a lining of horsehair. This nest is almost gray 

 on its exterior surface from the amount of gossamer and 

 bleached vegetable fibers. It contained five fresh eggs. They 

 have a grayish ^\■hite ground, variously flecked with pale brown. 

 Generally the dots are gathered into an imperfect wreath 

 around the larger end of the egg. 



One of the handsomest nests of this warbler ever examiiLed 

 by the writer was noted in a haw tree neai" the point of land 

 at the mouth of Swan Kiver on the western side. This nest 

 was lined throughout with white down of vegetable growth, giv- 

 ing the inner wall of the structure the appearance of the ma- 

 terial in a lady's white slipper. As the nest contained young 

 birds at the time it was found, it was left for further use of 

 the owner; but when the place was re-visited about a month 

 later, to secure the nest, it could not be found, having been 

 destroyed while laborers were grubbing in that locality. 



In this connection it will not be amiss to mention two nests 

 of this warbler found late in the fall in another region. Both 

 had evidently served their purpose as homes for families of 

 young warblers; but under the soft texture of the base each 

 of the nests had two eggs of the cowbird snugly covered. It 

 was apparent that when the nests were finished, the cowbird 

 had appropriated the snug cots before the owners had taken 

 permanent possession, and had left their eggs for the care of 

 the warblers. The warblers, however, being apparently un- 

 willing to take upon themselves the care of the cowbird off- 

 spring, had immediately placed additional material upon the 

 eggs of tlie parasite, thus defeating the aim of the cowbird, 

 and relieving themselves of unwelcome inmates in their home. 

 Such action-of the yellow warbler, to avoid the care of the young 

 cowbirds, is by no means uncommon. 



Following the preceding paragraph, it will be in place to 

 state that in no instance was evidence of the cowbird found in 

 the Flathead region as one of the breeding residents. Nests 

 of vireos, sparrows, warblers, and other species were exam- 

 ined, whose homes are generally imposed upon by the parasite, 

 but no nest was found containing an egg of the cowbird. Tt 

 seems unusual that such should be the case; it would be far 

 stranger that the cowbird should be uncommon in this region 

 in the nesting season. 



