Wilde on Parula Warbler. ^ 



gled moss-covered branches, often clinging to them upside 

 down in Chickadee fashion, reaching here and there for lurk- 

 ing insects, and living- a short distance, they would pause for 

 a moment to emit their sweet song. 



ddie nest is invariably placed in a hanging position. The 

 female usually selects a tree or hu>h in which the "Beard- 

 Moss" grows quite thickly, and here, within the tufts, she 

 loops and weaves together the inside particles of moss, form- 

 ing a beautiful nest, much resembling the style of the Balti- 

 more Orioles, onh of course on a very much smaller scale. 

 The bird is careful that the moss shall he left hanging- i n its 

 natural way from the bottom and sides of tin- nest, and often 

 :onceals it that it can only he found by close and careful 

 searching. Into the structure the bird then carries thread-like 

 particles of the moss collected from some near-by tree. 1 have 

 never known them to use moss from the tree or hush in which 

 their nest is built for lining purposes. 



"Beard-Moss" is used exclusively 1>\ some Parulas in lining 

 their nests, while others add a few horse-hairs and a yellow- 

 down which is taken from the stems of swamp ferns. The 

 nest is very compact and closely woven, occasionally having* a 

 few pine-needles stuck into it around the outside, probably to 

 help support and pin it to the hanging particles of moss. 



Idle entrance, which is always on a level with the top of 

 the bowl, is made through the moss on the side, very often 

 directlv under the limb where the moss is parted. The walls 

 of the howl, being at least half an inch in thickness, form a plat- 

 form which is sometimes flattened out. resembling a small mat, 

 on which the bird rests when entering or leaving the nest. 

 Some nests have two or more entrances, either left as peep 

 windows for escape, or unintentionally caused by the thinness 

 of the moss above the howl. I have examined a few nests 

 where the entrance was made from the top, the nest having 

 been suspended either between two twigs, or between the trunk 

 of a tree and an adjoining tuft; hut such cases as these are 

 rare, and may be considered departures from their regular 

 style of building. From a very large number of nests of this 

 species examined during the past ten years, nearly all were 

 entirely or partly roofed over, with the entrances from the 

 sides, as previously described. One nest collected some years 



