NESTS AND NEST-BUILDING IN BIRDS 



269 



quantity of material used. This is well illustrated in nests of 

 the red eyed vireo from Maine, New Hampshire and Ohio, as 

 detailed in table III. 



TABLE III 

 Variation in Nests of the Red Eyed Vireo 



The building of nest No. 3 was watched from a good vantage 

 point and will be later described. This was the poorest in point 

 of construction, and not having been preserved until after 

 some time, it is somewhat damaged. The others are perfect, 

 and brand new in appearance. Attention is particularly called 

 to the practical identity in the measurements of their inner 

 walls, as well as in their other essential characters. While a 

 greater series would unquestionably show more marked differ- 

 ences, we should not expect the variations to be very great. 

 The chief apparent differences, though of no real importance, 

 appear when these nests are viewed from their under sides, 

 No. 3 being weathered to a dark gray, while No. i (see fig. 9, 

 part I), which is frescoed all over with paper and floss silk, is 

 nearly white in consequence. This silk, which was stolen from 

 the egg cocoons of spiders, and when not bleached, is of a light 

 cream color, is not only drawn out to secure every part of the 



