Iei^%^ 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



— AND — 



OOLOGIST. 



Nesting of the Yellow-throated War- 

 bler near Charleston, S. C. 



BV AUTHIU T. WAVNE. 



The month of April I spent at Hobuaw Point, 

 Berlipley Cn. S. 0., with the Intenlinii of de- 

 voting the wliole of tlie time in seareliing for the 

 ne>tsof tlie Vellow-tln-oated Warbler {Dciidra'ca 

 domiiiica). 



This place (Hobcaw I'oint) is one of the most 

 beautiful country places near Charleston, and 

 it is opposite the town. On entering the 

 •'Point" by water, the approach to the dwelling 

 house is marked by a most excxuisite avenue of 

 Live Oak trees, which are over one hundred and 

 fifty years old, and which are draped in Spanish 

 moss which grows very luxuriantly. It is in 

 this avenue that the beautiful Vellovv-throateri 

 Waiblers are to bo found. They very rarely 

 leave this location, and are icsidrnt the whole 

 year. 



At the time of my arrival April 2d, I knew 

 that some of the nests were already built, and 

 I doubted if I would be successful in finding 

 even one. The season was very backward, 

 however, as it was very cold in JIarch and 1 

 consoled myself with tlie hope that the W-.iv- 

 blers were delay<'d In their nest building. 



The next day .Vpril 3d, I maiked three pahs 

 of birds that were mated and undoubtedly 

 breeding, and from two pairs of these Warblers 

 I took five nests with eggs. 



The female builds her nest wholly by lieiself ; 

 the male takes no part whatever; he simply 

 has a good time flying around and singing as If 

 to encourage her with her work. The nest is 

 only to be found by watching the female close- 

 ly, and I do not hesitate to say that it is the 

 most ditlicult nest I know of to find. The 

 female alone incubates the eggs, and is not even 

 fed by her mate. She has a pretty hard time ! 



.My first nest was taken on April llth, and 

 contained three fre.sh eggs. It was built in a 



bunch of moss, completely hidden, and under a 

 large oak limb, and about thirty feet from the 

 ground, and al Ihc Icrmiual branch of a large 

 limb whicli grew from the main body of a Live 

 Oak tree. In five days only three eggs were 

 laid, which shows that the set was coni|iletc, as 

 the female was sitting. 



My second nest was found April Utli, and 

 contained four eggs with large embryos. It 

 was built like the first nsst, but much higher — 

 being fifty feet from the ground. 1 had much 

 trouble in seeming this nest, as it was on such 

 a high tree, and the liml) In which it was built 

 was very rotten. 



Nest inimber three was taken Ajiril Itllh, and 

 was built In a bunch of moss. In a IJIack Gum 

 tree, forty feet from the ground, and contained 

 four eggs with large embryos. The eggs in 

 set are very handsome. 



My fourth nest was taken .Vpril 2.Tth, and 

 was built in a bunch of moss, in an oak tree, 

 about forty feet from the ground, and contain- 

 ed four eggs slightly incubated. This nest was 

 hai-dest of the series to secure, as the limb was 

 rotten and hung down about five or six feet, 

 and the limb fiom which it giew was very 

 small. I had to bind myself to the tree with a 

 rope, and cut the limb as far as I could reach 

 with a sharp knife. As it was, I gashed my 

 thigh with the knife before I was at work very 

 long. This set was the second laying of the 

 birds to nest number two, and are very similar 

 in coloration. 



My fifth and last set was taken on May 1st, 

 and the eggs are exquisitely marked. The nest 

 was built iji a biuich of moss, in a Live Oak 

 tree, about fifteen feet from the ground; the 

 nest contained three eggs and were fresh. This 

 set is the second laying of the birds to set num- 

 ber three, and the eggs are also very similar, 

 but much handsomer— in fact the handsomest 

 set I have yet taken of this Warbler. 



The nests all agree in materials, and work- 

 manship,— being built of fine grass, weeds, 



Copyright, 1888, by F. H. CVHPENTliR unci F. B, Wkhstkh. 



