NEST BUILDING 285 



little they could do. Their nest is built by the fe- 

 male sitting down and turning around until she has 

 a small hollow worked out in the earth, which she 

 lines with bifs of dead leaves and grass, picked up 

 near her, and slightly arched with growing things 

 pulled together above her; at times the nest is wide 

 open. Bobolinks love to build in clover fields, 

 larks in grasses. 



The quail I have seen build, and she does it in 

 this way and alone; although the male remains 

 near her and is very faithful in the care of an 

 emerged brood. The hen broods twenty-four days, 

 during which time rankly growing fence corner 

 grasses envelop her, each day hiding her more 

 completely. 



Chats, flycatchers, and vireos build in trees such 

 elaborate nests that it is probable that the male 

 does a large share of carrying material at least. 



The daintiest nest I ever have seen is that of a 

 hummingbird in my possession. It is set on a 

 limb scarcely larger than a lead pencil, a shallow 

 cup that a silver dollar will cover, the outside walls 

 covered with bits of lichen bound on with cobwebs, 

 the interior lined with chestnut burr down, as fine 

 as silk velvet. 



Next to this comes a gnatcatcher nest, slightly 

 larger, higher in side walls, with moss lining, and 

 the outside very similar. 



The nest of a wood pewee is larger in circum- 

 ference, lower in side wall, similar in lichen covering 



