1902] Kells — Nesting of some Canadian Warblers. 229 



where there is much fallen timber, and where fires have burnt 

 hollows in the mucky soil, that in after years are filled with 

 stagnant water during- the greater part of the year. In my boy- 

 hood days I discovered that this bird, as well as several other 

 species of the warblers, would nest in cavities prepared for them 

 in the early spring time, and as I have often acted on this sugges- 

 tion, I seldom fail — each year — to find nests in these places if, 

 situated in the localities that they frequent. 



The Black and White Warbler. 

 On the southeast corner of the farm lot that adjoins Wild- 

 wood on the north, and but a few rods from the boundary line, 

 in a stretch of low ground there stands the large turned up 

 root of an old fallen tree, the top of which is over a dozen feet 

 from the level ground. In what was once the "upper" side of 

 this " turn-up," and about half-way in its height, I discovered on 

 the 28th of May, a nest containing three eggs, which at the time, 

 I took to be those of a Canadian warbler. Three days after I 

 revisited the site, found the mother bird "at home" and seated on 

 the nest. At my near approach she flushed off and down upon 

 the ground — where with outspread and quivering wings, and the 

 venting of a few notes, she attempted to draw my attention from 

 her treasures. Gazing down on the interesting little creature, 

 within a few feet of where I stood, I was not much surprised, 

 though somewhat disappointed, to note that the specimen was of 

 the M. varia species, and that it was her nest that was placed 

 before me, and which now contained five beautifully spotted, fresh 

 eggs. The cavity in which the nest was placed had been partly 

 excavated, probably by the bird itself; but in order to support the 

 foundation quite a large quantity of dead leaves and strips of bark 

 had been used, and inside of this there was a lining of fine veget- 

 able materials and some animal hair. So closely in composition 

 and materials, as well as the situation of the nest, as also the size 

 and marking of the eggs, do those of this species resemble that of 

 the Canadian warbler, that it would be difficult to decide which 

 belonged to each species, unless the owners were identified on or 

 close by the nest. A few points of variation may be noted, and 

 this subject will again be referred to in the article on the nest of 



