BACHMAN'S WARBLER 69 



hickory, dogwood, and red oak. In the higher parts of the swamp 

 short-leaf pines, water oaks, live oaks, and magnolias abound. The 

 undergrowth is chiefly cane, aquatic bushes, and swamp palmetto, 

 while patches of blackberry brambles and thorny vines are met with 

 at almost every step." The first two nests, found on April 17, are 

 described as follows : 



The first nest was placed upon a dead palmetto leaf, being supported by a 

 small aquatic bush, and was completely hidden by a living palmetto leaf which 

 overhung the nest, like an umbrella. It was in a dense swamp, two feet above 

 the ground, and contained four pure white eggs, almost ready to be hatched. 



The second nest, which was within one hundred yards of the first one, was 

 built in a bunch of canes (Arundinaria tecta), and supported by a palmetto leaf. 

 This nest was three feet above the ground, in a compartively dry situation, and 

 contained four pure white eggs in an advanced stage of incubation. * • • 



The two nests are similar, being constructed of fine grass, cane leaves, and 

 other leaves, the latter skeletonized. The second nest, taken April 17, is 6^ 

 inches high, 6 inches wide, 2 inches wide at rim, and 2 inches deep. It is com- 

 posed almost entirely of dead cane leaves, a little Spanish moss {Tillandsia 

 usneoides) , and a few skeletonized leaves. * * * 



The female is a very close sitter ; indeed so close that I found it necessary to 

 touch her before she would leave the nest. This habit was the same in both 

 females. 



The other nests were in low bushes, vines, or canes. 



During that same year Embody (1907) discovered Bachman's war- 

 bler breeding in Logan County, Ky., and later Holt (1920) found it 

 nesting in Autauga County, Ala. The localities in which these birds 

 were breeding and the locations of the nests were not very different 

 from those described above by Wayne. 



Eggs. — The egg of Bachman's warbler is ovate and pure white, and 

 usually glossy. The only spotted egg on record is one of a set described 

 by Holt (1920) as follows: "The nest contained four eggs, three of 

 them pure, glossy white, the other with a dozen minute dots of light 

 brown, mostly about the large end ; all were tinted faint salmon pink 

 by the yolks." Three to five eggs constitute a set; three seem the 

 usual number, with four a close second, while five are unusual. 



[Author's Note: The measurements of 42 eggs average 15.8 by 

 12.4 millimeters ; the eggs showing the four extremes measure 16.6 by 

 12.9, 16.5 by 13.0, 14.9 by 12.2, and 15.8 by 11.6 millimeters.] 



Plumages. — [Author's Note: Two young birds, just able to fly 

 from the nest and taken by Wayne on May 13, are thus described by 

 Brewster (1905) : 



The male which is now before me may be described as follows : — Top and 

 sides of head and fore part of back faded hair brown with a trace of ashy on the 

 middle of crown ; remainder of upper parts dull olive green ; wings and tail 

 (which are fully grown) as in the first winter plumage excepting that the greater 

 and middle wing-coverts are rather more broadly tipped with light brown, forming 



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