CAPE MAY WARBLER 215 



residence, and within a stone's throw of a much frequented lane. The 

 nest was placed less than three feet from the ground and within six 

 inches of the tips of the branches." The location of this nest, as will 

 be seen from the accounts that follow, was entirely different from that 

 of the many nests found since ; both nest and eggs were said to resemble 

 somewhat those of the magnolia warbler ; no male Cape May warbler 

 was seen or heard, and the bird Banks reports having shot from the 

 nest may have been wrongly identified, since the females of the two 

 species are somewhat alike. Referring to this account, James Bond 

 (1937) remarks: "It would be wise to regard the 'classical' nest taken 

 near Saint John, New Brunswick, by Banks as that of a Magnolia 

 Warbler, as is indicated not only by its situation but by its construction, 

 for the nest of the Cape May Warbler is a decidedly more bulky affair. 

 I mention this since recent books still perpetuate this undoubted error, 

 ignoring the information that has been gleaned during the past twenty 

 years." 



Probably the first undoubted nest of the Cape May warbler was 

 found on an island in Lake Edward, Quebec, on June 7, 1916, by Dr. 

 H. F. Merriam, who published an interesting account of it (1917). 

 He watched the building of the nest for some days before the nest was 

 taken on the eighteenth. The female was seen carrying nesting ma- 

 terial into the thick top of a spruce about 40 feet from the ground in 

 a rather open part of the woods, consisting for the most part of spruce 

 and balsam of moderate size interspersed with large white and yellow 

 birches. 



The female was not at all timid and apparently gathered most of her nesting 

 material at two places, both within sixty feet of the nest tree. * * * While 

 searching in the low growth she was absorbed in manner, giving only occasionally 

 a sharp chip. In going to the nest her actions were more rapid and she chipped 

 more frequently, generally alighting ten to twenty feet below the nest and work- 

 ing her way up from limb to limb on the outside of the tree. * * * The male 

 was not seen to carry any nest material but seemed to be generally in the imme- 

 diate neighborhood. At times he accompanied the female part way to or from 

 the nest and sometimes remained near her in the low spruces. * * * 



The nest was placed about six feet from the top of the tree on a short branch 

 nine inches from the trunk and an equal distance from the tip. From the ground 

 it could not be seen even witli field glasses. From a few feet below the nest was 

 apparently a green ball of moss. Closer examination, however, showed it to be 

 a neatly cupped nest resting on the branch and short twigs. To these it was 

 not securely tied and was lifted intact from its position without difHcuIty. 



The exterior of the nest was of green Sphagnum moss, interwoven with vine 

 stems, and a very few twigs, bound lightly with plant down, small wads of 

 which appeared here and there over the moss. The body of the nest consisted 

 of fine grass stems. Within this was a lining of white hairs apparently from 

 the rabbit, one small partridge feather and a few fine black rootlets. The nest 

 was bulky but very neatly and fairly compactly put together. At the rim one 

 side was very smoothly finished. This was probably the entrance side toward 

 the tree trunk. It was an unusual and beautiful nest. 



