SECOND ANNUAL MEETING 45 



starting on again when I saw a nest which had escaped my notice in 

 the search for the bird, and which I took for that of the Yellow 

 Warbler. However, upon examination it proved to be somewhat of a 

 surprise, since it was entirely new to me. Jt was in an upright crotch 

 of a small willow, about five feet from the graund, and the spot where 

 the tree grew was entirely surrounded bj' Avater about a foot deep, 

 leaving a small island perhaps five feet in diameter. 



This nest was made of gray and brown bark fibers quite compactly 

 woven together, and lined smoothly Avith fine bleached grass stems, 

 and contained four of the most beautiful eggs I think I have ever seen. 

 They were about the size of the Wood Pewee's egg, only more slender 

 The rich creamy background was profusely blotched and dotted with 

 bright chestnut, one egg having the entire side covered by a blotch. 

 Much to mj regret I was unable to blow them, the incubation being too 

 far advanced, but they Avere identified as being those of Traill's Fly- 

 catcher. This must have been a second set for I found slightly incu- 

 bated eggs the next year on June 11. 



This second nest was found not far from the one of the previous year. 

 I was slowly picking my Avay through the thick willows in water nearlj^ 

 knee deep when I caught a momentary glimpse of a little gray bird as 

 it fiashed up about fifteen feet ahead and disappeared aniong the 

 willoAvs. A second later I saw the nest from Avhich it had been flushed 

 and at once recognized it as that of Traill's Flj^catcher. It was just 

 seven feet above the surface of the water. The nest Avas almost identi- 

 cal with the one found the previous year, the same materials and con- 

 struction being present, and I have since found it to be prcAalent Avith 

 the species in that localitj'. This nest contained three nearly fresh 

 eggs, AA'hieh had the same creamy background and chestnut markings, 

 except that the markings AA^ere confined to dots and specks over the 

 surface instead of the blotches. The female soon returned and I 

 secured her, thus making* the identification positive. Although I 

 searched diligentlj- I found no more nests that summer, but during the 

 summer of 1899 I Avas rewarded by securing tAA'o sets, one of four eggs 

 and the other of three, Avhich may have been an incomplete set since 

 the eggs AA^ere fresh and the female absent from the nest. These nests 

 AA-ere found June 17, and in the same general locality as the prcA'ious 

 ones. 



The first Avas located at the edge of a small pond, Avhere the willoAVS 

 Avere about two inches in diameter and from fifteen to tAventy feet in 

 height, and groAving so closely as to make a passage betAveen them 

 difficult. The nest Avas five feet from the ground and supported on the 

 side of a main trunk bj^ tAvo small tAA'igs. It Avas typical in material 

 and construction. The second AAas in an entirely' different situation, j-et 

 it cannot be said to form an exception to the general type of locality 

 chosen. In this instance there AA'as a small area of ground perhaps tAVo 

 fee(t above the surface of the slough, Avhich it bordered, and overgroAvn 



