Life History of the Prothonotary Warbler. 23 



thouotarv warbler feeds. Now he mav be seen flittiua' 

 from log to log, pullino- some unfortunate spider from a 

 crevice, and scanning every dark-looking cranny in search 

 of the coveted bug; then away he darts to a water-soaked 

 stump, where, in spiral like manner, he winds his way to 

 the top, frequently turning his golden breast to the sun, 

 and glancing downwards as if to catch a glimpse of him- 

 self in the mirror-like water beneath. 



These birds confine themselves almost exclusively to 

 decayed stumps and driftwood in search of food, but 

 occasionally venture up the trunks of trees and hunt 

 for insects concealed in the bark. I have never observed 

 them feeding among the leaves, as is the habit of many 

 of our warblers. The flight of the bird is swift and de- 

 cided, slightly undulating when crossing an open or fl^'- 

 ing for some distance among the trees. 



There are two kinds of bottom-land in which the pro- 

 thonotary breeds: the willow swamp consisting entirely 

 •of a heavy growth of large willows, interspersed here and 

 there with rotten stubs; and the bottom-land covered 

 with a forest of elm, oak, cotton-wood, and maple, with 

 an occasional willow and many decaying stumps. While 

 both of these are acceptable to the warbler for nesting 

 purposes, I am inclined to believe the latter situation is 

 the more often chosen. Throughout the greater part of 

 the year, these bottoms are overflowed, making it im- 

 possible to visit them without the aid of a skiff or canoe. 



As previously stated, soon after mating the birds be- 

 gin to build their nests, usually, in central Illinois, about 

 the middle of May, although many pairs do not begin 

 until the latter part of this month. I have found nests 

 under construction on the i2th of May, but this is ex- 

 ceptional in this part of the State. Mr. Win. Brewster 

 sa^'s in his account of this bird, that Mr. Robert Ridgway 

 found a nest with four fresh eggs on April 27, near Mt. 

 Carmel, 111. He considers this an exceptionally early 

 date. The greater portion of the nests Mr. Brewster 

 found in the same localitv between Mav 8 and 12, con- 



