60 BULLETIN 203, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



and supported by a firm cup of strong, dead leaves. I cannot improve 

 on the excellent description given to Dr. Chapman (1907) by Frank L. 

 Burns as follows : 



Outwardly composed of the broad blades of a coarse grass, the dead leaves 

 of the maple, beech, chestnut, cherry and oak trees; the leaf points curving 

 upvpard and inward forming a deep cuplike nest in which the bird's head and 

 tail seem almost to meet over her back. Occasionally grass stems, coarse strips 

 or wild grapevine bark, shreds of corn fodder, and fragments of beech and wild 

 cherry bark appear in the make-up. Lined most frequently with wild grapevine 

 bark laid across, instead of bent around in a circle, shredded finest on top, to 

 which is added an occasional long black horse-hair or split grass stem, with now 

 and then a final lining of split grass stems in place of fine bark. The shape 

 varies in accordance to situation, outwardly a short cornucopia, a round basket, 

 and once a wall-pocket affair, would best describe the shapes I have noticed. 



Eggs. — From 4 to 7 eggs may be found in the nest of the blue-winged 

 warbler; 5 seems to be the commonest number, and sets of 6 are not 

 very rare. The eggs are ovate, with a tendency to short ovate, and 

 they have only a slight gloss. The white ground color is finely 

 speckled or sparingly spotted with "chestnut brown," "mummy 

 brown," and "sayal brown," with under markings in shades of "drab- 

 gray." Some sets have three or four eggs that are almost immaculate, 

 with one egg sparingly spotted; other sets occasionally are promi- 

 nently spotted with "drab-gi-ay," "light Quaker drab," and "dark 

 vinaceous-drab," or, less often, with spots of dark "mummy brown." 

 Usually the majority of the markings are confined to the large end. 

 The measurements of 50 eggs average 15.7 by 12.5 millimeters; the 

 eggs showing the four extremes measure 16.8 by 13.0 and 14.2 by 11.6 

 millimeters (Harris). 



Young. — An Qgg is laid each day until the set is complete, and incu- 

 bation generally begins when the last egg is laid. The period of 

 incubation is 10 or 11 days, and the young remain in the nest from 8 to 

 10 days. Mr. Burns gave Dr. Chapman (1907) the following full 

 account of the nest life : 



The task of incubation falls on the female alone. It appears that an airing is 

 taken in the early morning or a little before midday, and again in the early 

 evening, though perhaps not regularly every day. I have not seen the male about 

 the nest with food at this period. The female will allow a close approach, look- 

 ing into one's eyes with that hunted look so common in wild animals, and often 

 flushing without a protesting note. The period of incubation in the one instance 

 was exactly ten days. 



On June 13, at 6.30 p. m., five young just hatched were blind, naked and 

 prostrate from chin to sternum. Tlie shells were disposed of immediately, in 

 what manner I am unable to state ; the female was reluctant to vacate. 



On June 15, at 2.45 p. m., the young were able to raise their heads slightly and 

 a fluffy bit of down had appeared about the head, also a dark stripe along the back 

 bone. The female appeared, accompanied by the male, and fed the young with 



