Tne Breeding of the Pine Warbler in Rhode Island 



189 



turing them and carrying them back to the nest in my cap. During this time 

 I heard occasional chirps of uneasiness in the neighborhood, but whether they 

 came from the parent Pine Warblers or a disturbed Field Sparrow is uncertain. 

 At any rate, the old birds did not approach very near. It was easy enough to 

 restore the youngsters to the nest, but to keep them there was another matter. 

 Something in the environment, perhaps the cool evening air and the twilight, 

 had completely transformed their sluggish dispositions of the previous after- 

 noon. Time and again I held my hand over the nest until they had quieted 

 down, but one or two, or all of them, invariably popped out before I had des- 

 cended to the ground. Finally, however, I succeeded in replacing two of them 



PINE WARBLER FEEDING YOUNG 



permanently. The other, which was more acti\'e, I placed upon a low limb 

 of the tree, and after retiring a few paces, I had the satisfaction of seeing it 

 settle down calmly among the pine needles. 



On the following afternoon, June 7, I came out prepared to photograph 

 the bird family. It turned out that two of the nestlings had flown, and I could 

 find no trace of them anywhere, but fortunately the third was perched a foot 

 or so above the nest, and seemed to be enjoying the exclusive attentions of its 

 parents. When I climbed up to get it, it made no effort to escape, but the 

 male parent protested strongly, and was so bold as to fly almost into my 

 face. The fledgling clung firmly while on my finger, but whenever I put it 



