EASTERN OVENBIRD 459 



scious fellow was meanwhile constantly flying about his inamorata, describing 

 every form of flight except that of regular sailing; first dashing through space 

 to the edge of the glade, which was probably twenty feet across ; then rising to 

 the tops of the bushes, he would half flutter, half fall towards his prospective 

 mate. On a sudden he would flutter directly upward as we often see the Eng- 

 lish Sparrow or House Wren do, and on reaching a height of twenty feet or more, 

 dash about the clearing in varying circles, ever tending in his flight toward the 

 object of his extravagant attention. She in the meanwhile sat silent and evi- 

 dently interested in the performance. Suddenly the male dropped beside her, 

 and alternately dashing and wheeling about, but continually on the move and 

 always revolving about her, gave evidence of his adoration by a series of hops, 

 dignified struts, droppings of the head and tail, elevation of the wings and crest, 

 which would have done credit to both the Turkey and the Ruffed Grouse. While 

 on the ground the song was kept up with the usual vigor, but the interruption 

 by the coarser, common notes was more frequent and the bird stopped in ltS( 

 struts in order to utter the notes which apparently caused him more effort than 

 did the more beautiful song. The appearance of a third party on the scene, 

 probably also a lover, caused the first performer to dash into the brush much 

 to my disappointment. 



Nesting. — The ovenbird nests in woodlands, usually where the under- 

 brush and growth of shrubs and small trees is scanty, and the forest 

 floor is open below and carpeted with old leaves. Here it lives in 

 company with such birds as the true thrushes and the whippoorwill. 

 The nest is generally located in open situations on the forest floor, 

 allowing an approach to it from any direction, though at times a tree 

 or shrub may be standing behind or at one side of it. In one case the 

 nest was found built in the end of a large pine log and partially con- 

 cealed by a growth of ferns. The majority of the nests are located 

 alongside trails or woodland roads, or in partially cleared places where 

 at certain times of the day the light can filter through. These open 

 areas are probably an advantage to the birds in approaching their 

 nests, certainly they are a convenience to the naturalist who wishes 

 to observe or photograph them. I know of no case where the ovenbird 

 has departed from its habit of nesting on the ground. 



The typical nest is constructed of dry grasses, vegetable fibers, leaves, 

 leaf and weed stems, rootlets and bits of bark, and moss. It is lined 

 with finer materials, tiny rootlets and fibers, and varying amounts of 

 hair. Sometimes the nest may be made almost exclusively of one 

 material. T. S. Roberts (1936) describes and figures a nest made up 

 entirely of fine bleached grasses very different from the usual leaf- 

 studded structure. In nests that I have found in the pine woods of 

 Maine pine needles made up the bulk of the structure. 



The nest is generally built in a slight depression of the ground and 

 is invariably covered over; often the leaves of the leaf-bed and the 

 branches of small, fallen, dead trees extend over the nest at the sides 

 and back, making a roof that sheds rain as well as conceals the nest 



