Life History of the Prothonotary Warhler. 27 



«tump, was composed partly of cast-off snake skins; and 

 the other — the finest and most beautiful specimen that 

 1 have ever seen— was built in a cavity of an old water- 

 soaked stump, the entrance of which was within a few 

 inches of the water. This nest was composed entirely of 

 bright green moss, kept fresh by its damp and low situa- 

 tion. It was slightly lined with grass, and contained five 

 beautiful eggs. A nest was found several years ago about 

 twenty-five feet above the water, in a cavity of a live wil- 

 low tree. Another was discovered in a bowl-shaped cavity 

 in the top of a small stub, the entrance being at the top. 

 Occasionally nests are found in huge stumps two or 

 three feet in diameter, the bark of which still remains, 

 environing a mass of decayed and crumbling wood. Un- 

 der this shell-like covering, in pocket-shaped cavities, I 

 have found their nests. In no case, however, should I 

 have discovered the nest, had not the golden-colored head 

 of the owner popped out of the small round orifice in the 

 side of the bark. 



As previously stated, a few days elapse between the 

 completion of the nest and the deposition of the eggs. 

 As far as my observations go, an e^g is laid daily until 

 the clutch is complete. There has been considerable 

 •controversy regarding the number of eggs laid. Four, 

 five, and six are the usual numbers, sets of seven being 

 occasionally found, and sets of eight and nine in extremely 

 rare instances. Many regard the set of seven a rare find, 

 but I do not consider it so, having found it frequently 

 a,round Peoria. Mr. W. S. Cobleigh informs me that he 

 found a set of ten eggs in the Mackinaw Creek Bottoms. 

 This is the largest clutch that has been reported to me. 

 The first sets of the sea; o i are probably the largest, con- 

 sisting of five, six, or seven eggs; the second laying is of 

 four, and frequently five eggs; and if a third, it is very 

 small. During the month of July, I have found nests 

 with one, two, and three incubated eggs, undoubtedly the 

 third clutch of the year, and probably belonging to 

 birds repeatedly robbed of their previous nests. If un- 

 molested, the warbler generally raises two broods in 



