THE BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER. 



189 



Of their nesting 'Slv. Bowles says: "In Washington these W'arlilers are 

 strictly confined to the large coniferons timher of the prairie conntry. during 

 the breeding season placing their nests midway out on a fir limb, at from 25 to 

 50 feet above the ground. Strangely enDugli, hdwever, in Oregon they almost 

 always nest low down in the deciduous trees, sometimes onlv three or four 

 feet up in a bush. In Washington the nests are always placed directly on a 

 linil), while in Oregon m_\- Ijrother, Mr. C. W. Bowles, found tlieni mostly in 

 upright crotches. 



"The nest is rather a 

 loosely-l;)uilt little struc- 

 ture, measuring external- 

 ly three inches wide by 

 two inches deep, internal- 

 ly one and three-quarters 

 inches wide by one deep. 

 It is composed of dead 

 grass, silky plant fibers, 

 moss, etc., with an ample 

 lining of different kinds 

 of hair and feathers: — a 

 pretty little nest, tlio 

 scarcely as artistic as that 

 of the Audubon Warbler. 



"The eggs are laid dur- 

 ing the last week in Mar- 

 aud the first week in June, 

 and are invariably four in 

 number. They are creamy 

 white in color, marked 

 chiefly around the larger 

 end, with spots and small 

 blotches of varying shades of brown, lavender, and black. Eggs in my collec- 

 tion from W'ashington average .83 .x .63 inches in dimensions, while eggs from 

 Oregon average .67 x .50 inches, the largest egg from Oregon being smaller 

 than the smallest Washington egg. In shape the eggs \'ary fr(im long to short 

 ovate, and only one set is laid in a season. 



"The parent birds are very shy in the vicinity of the nest, tlie female 

 leaving at the first sign of danger and keeping out of sight. 



"In Oregon, my brother noted that the male often accompanied the 

 female while she was collecting building material, continuously scolding, but 

 never assisting her in any way. In that section the nests were greatly pre\-ed 

 upon by that prince of egg-robbers, the California Jay." 



Taken in Tacoiiui. Photo by J. H. Boiclcs. 



NEST AND EGGS OF THE CL.ACK-THROATED GRAY 



WARBLER. 



