62 



JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



couple of feet of my hand." His broth- 

 er, C. L. Brownell, who was with him 

 that season, writes me: "Personally 

 I am convinced that Wilsonia pusilla is 

 not so uncommon as is generally sup- 

 posed, but its eggs remain rare be- 

 cause of the difficulty in locating its 

 nest, whicli it conceals to perfection. 

 While at or near Bangor, I disturbed 

 at least a half dozen pair which un- 

 doubtedly had nests near me, but in 

 no case could I locate them." I find 

 no other records of nests being found 

 in the State except one found by the 

 writer on June 1st, 1902. The locality 

 was the edge of the Hermon Bog, and 

 was discovered but a few moments 

 after the finding the nest of J), p hypo- 

 chrysea as described by Prof. Knight in 

 his article on this species, in the 

 Journal Vol. VI Apr. No. p. 39. The 

 description of the nesting site of 

 ptisilla is identical with his description 

 of hypochrysea^ except that it was at the 

 edge of the bog, some 100 yards from 

 the nest of hypochrysea. Soon after we 

 located the nest of the Yellow Palm, 

 as we were about to leave the bog, 1 

 flushed a small bird from a nest, well 

 concealed under a thick mass of 

 grasses and weeds at the foot of an 

 alder bush. I could not make sure 

 what it was, at first thinking it to be 

 a Yellowthroat, but on seeing the nest 

 and eggs I thought it was the Nash- 

 ville. Both birds kept flitting near 

 the nest, but kept well hid in the 

 dense growth, but I soon got a glimpse 

 of the female. I was not quite svire 

 what it was and called Prof. Knight. 

 We silently watched the birds oc- 

 casionally getting a quick glance at 

 the female. When we both saw the 

 male with the heavier cap markings, 

 we excitedly exclaimed: Wilson's 

 Black-cap! Tieing my handkei-chief 

 to a bush near the nest, we hastened 

 with Mr. Billings and Mr. Hall to our 

 wheels and pedalled back to Bangor 

 for the camera and outfit, hastening 

 back, as it was getting well along 

 toward eve. On arriving at the bog, 

 we easily located our white flag and 

 soon had a photo of the nest and eggs. 

 Then leaving the camera adjusted we 

 concealed ourselves as far from the 

 camera as the rubber tubing would 

 allow, with bulb in hand we waited 

 for a snap shot at the female, when 

 she should return to the nest. I dare 

 not attempt a pen picture of us two 

 concealed in the short, thick bushes. 



sweat begrimmed, faces covered with 

 cobwebs, eyes bright with enthusiasm 

 waiting for pusilla to return to the 

 nest. Nor do I need to try to tell you 

 how numerous were the mosquitoes, 

 that made life miserable for us, for, I 

 think the most of my readers can 

 picture it all in their minds. At last 

 the critical moment came and we had 

 I^erhaps, snapped the camera for the 

 first time, on a female Wilson's Black- 

 cap on the nest. We herewith give 

 you the two exposures made by Prof. 

 Knight. 



The nest was made up outside of 

 fine dead grasses (neatly woven, yet a 

 frail structure) lined with fine grasses 

 and a very few horsehairs. It meas- 

 ures: Outside diam. 3.50 in. Inside 

 diam. 1.50. Outside depth 2.25, in- 

 side dept 1.25 in. 



The eggs were five in number with 

 a dull white ground finely dotted over 

 the entire surface with cinnamon - 

 rufous and lavender-gray, forming a 

 slight wreath about the larger end. 

 They measure, .60x.48, 58x47 .60x48, 

 59X.49, .59x48. The eggs were per- 

 fectly fresh. 



Wilson's Black-cap is often seen in 

 company with the Canadian Warbler 

 during the migration season. Their 

 manner of feeding somewhat resem- 

 bles that of the Canadian species. 

 They feed in briery thickets, picking 

 up insects very nimbly. They have 

 the talents of a Flycatcher, and cap- 

 ture much of their food on the wing, 

 but do not like the Flycatcher return 

 to the same perch. It utters a pleas- 

 ing song occasionally as it gleans for 

 food which I am unable to des- 

 cribe or liken to any other Warbler. 



Nuttall describes it, "tsh-tsh-tsh- 

 tshea," while Goss writes it, zee-zee- 

 zee-zee-e, the latter would be my 

 idea of it, with a rising inflection on 

 the last e. Several people have mem- 

 tioned seein|pf this Warbler with 

 young, but I am unable to learn of 

 any others who have seen the nest. 

 I believe as stated previous, it is a 

 more common nester throughout the 

 Canadian Fauna, in this state than is 

 commonly supposed, as there are 

 many places in the Northern part of 

 the state, where I would confidently 

 look for this bird to be nesting. 



