344 WILSON'S BLACK-CAP. 



cealed among the foliage of the thick undergrowth, having a 

 rather slow and dignified movement for a bird of its kind. 



It builds its nest from a foot to 18 inches from the ground, 

 generally in the upright or somewhat leaning fork of a 

 little bush. I once found it in a beech limb, lying on the 

 ground, but still retaining the dry leaves. It is somewhat 

 bulky, but quite neat, the lower part being of dry or skele- 

 ton leaves, the upper part, especially the high and well- 

 defined rim, of long fibrous bark, as that of the grape-vine, 

 ash, bass-wood or elm, laid almost as nicely as coiled cords, 

 the whole structure being bound together by a webby 

 material, and lined with fine grasses, bark-fibers and horse- 

 hair. In location, material and structure, it is quite unique, 

 and, like most other birds' nests, is a much more certain 

 means of identification than the eggs themselves. These, 

 2-4, varying from .63X.52 to .75X.50, are clear white, deli- 

 cately specked and spotted, sometimes even blotched, w4th 

 reddish browm and lilac. In form and coloration the eggs 

 are very variable. They may be found fresh from the last 

 week in May till the middle of June. A second set may 

 sometimes be found in July. The male aids in incubation. 



Confined to the eastern part of the United States, 

 and barely entering the southern part of New England, 

 Western and Central New York, where it is quite common, 

 must be about the northern limit of this species. 



Wilson's black-cap. 



Wilson's Black-cap (Myiodioctes pitsilhis), regarded as 

 closely related to the above species, appears here occasion- 

 ally as a migrant. Mr. Bruce, of Brockport, New York, 

 once saw a large flock actively gleaning insects in a row of 

 willow trees, about the middle of May. I have known one, 

 also, to be taken in Western New York; but I have never 



