Thp: Pkothuxotaky Warbler 111 



The head, throat, and lireast appeared to be a bright lemon 

 yellow (the orange tinge was not noticeable at this distance) ; 

 the wings and tail were dark, the former appearing to have 

 a distinctly bluish cast. Alcove the nearly black tip of the 

 tail there was a distinct band of white. The black bill was 

 unusually long for a warbler. As we watched a second bird 

 came within view. 



These characters, so clearly recognized, convinced us at 

 once that we had, indeed, stumbled upon a pair of Prothono- 

 tary Warblers (Protf)notaria citrca). My next thought was 

 that the birds must be breeding; and after about five min- 

 utes' close watching, I saw one of the birds fly low and direct 

 to an empty tin can nailed to the trunk of a tree not more 

 than ten feet from the cottage. Immediate examination 

 revealed a single young l)ird, which was almost ready to leave 

 the nest. 



The location of the nest Avas a thickly wooded and elevated 

 point of land projecting into the lake on the west shore. At 

 the highest elevation, l)ut scarcely over fifty feet from tlie 

 shore line, stood the cottage. The underbrush had been 

 cleared away from the front of the cottage, and at the sides 

 for a distance of perhaps a rod. 



We now noticed tliat on the trees around the dwelling, at 

 intervals of ten to fifteen feet, there had been put up empty 

 tomato cans for the use of Ifirds — especially the house wrens, 

 which are so aliundant around the lake. These were mostly 

 at about the height of a man's uplifted hand, viz., about seven 

 feet. The warblers had selected one whose opening faced the 

 south. 



The photograph will desrrilie the external appearance of 

 the nest site sufficiently. 



Subse(iuently the nest was removed from the can for exam- 

 ination. Only two materials seemed to enter into its com- 

 position to any noticeable extent. The great bulk, or 

 "foundation," consisted of a tangled mass of moss. The 

 lining consisted of dried grass of rather coarse grade. 

 Roughly, the cavity of the nest measured 70 mm. in 

 diameter. 



