20 BULLETIN 203, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



always in the same locality. On a later search, no nest or no mate 

 could be found. 



Oourtship.—Brey^ster (1878a) gives the following full account of 

 this performance : 



Mating began almost immediately after the arrival of the females, and the 

 "old, old story" was told in many a willow thicket by the little golden-breasted 

 lovers. The scene enacted upon such occasions was not strikingly different from 

 that usual among the smaller birds ; retiring and somewhat indifferent coyness 

 on the part of the female; violent protestations and demonstrations from the 

 male, who swelled his plumage, spread his wings and tail, and fairly danced 

 around the object of his affections. Sometimes at this juncture another male 

 appeared, and then a fierce conflict was sure to ensue. The combatants would 

 struggle together most furiously until the weaker was forced to give way and 

 take to flight. On several occasions I have seen two males, after fighting among 

 the branches for a long time, clinch and come fluttering together to the water 

 beneath, where for several minutes the contest continued upon the surface until 

 both were fairly drenched. The males rarely meet in the mating season without 

 fighting, even though no female may be near. Sometimes one of them turns tail 

 at the outset; and the other at once giving chase, the pursuer and pursued, 

 separated by a few inches only, go darting through the woods, winding, doubling, 

 now careering away up among the tree-tops, now down over the water, sweeping 

 close to the surface until the eye becomes weary with following their mad flight. 

 During all this time the female usually busies herself with feeding, apparently 

 entirely unconcerned as to the issue. Upon the return of the conqueror her 

 indifference, real or assumed, vanishes, he receives a warm welcome, and matters 

 are soon arranged between them. 



Nesting. — The prothonotary warbler and Lucy's warbler are the only 

 two American warblers that habitually build their nests in cavities, 

 usually well concealed. The normal, and probably the original, primi- 

 tive, nestling sites are in natural cavities in trees and most nests are 

 still to be found in such situations today. The prothonotary is not at 

 all particular as to the species of trees, nests having been found in 

 many kinds of trees, although perhaps a slight preference is shown for 

 dead willow stumps. Nor is it particular as to the size or condition 

 of the cavity, or its location, though quite often choosing one over 

 water or near it. The height above the ground or water varies from 

 3 feet or less to as much as 32 feet but there are more nests below 5 

 feet than there are above 10, the height of the majority being between 

 5 and 10 feet. The size and shape of the cavity are of little concern ; 

 if the cavity is too deep, the industrious little birds fill it with nesting 

 material up to within a few inches of the top ; sometimes a very shallow 

 cavity is used, so that the bird can be plainly seen from a distance as 

 it sits on the nest. The old deserted holes of woodpeckers or chicka- 

 dees are favorite nesting sites ; the entrances to these have often been 

 enlarged by other agencies, or are badly weathered. In very rotten 



