The Yellow-Throated Vireo. 19 



pended from a forked twig, 55 feet above the ground, with 

 the old bird sitting upon it. She left only when I ap- 

 proached within a few feet of her. 



The nest was composed of fine grass, shreds of weed fiber, 

 vegetable and silken substances, and wooly materials; and 

 was lined with fine shreds of bark. The outside was made 

 very beautiful by adornment with little white cocoons, flakes 

 of lichen and some pieces of white pulpy wood. 



The four fresh eggs retain, to this day, the delicate pink- 

 ish tint which they possessed before being blown, and are 

 the most richly marked eggs of the Vireo I have ever seen. 

 The markings, which are of lavender, chestnut, and vinaceous- 

 cinnamon, are bold and quite heavily seated, chiefly on the 

 larger end of the egg, where a broken wreath is discernible. 

 In shape they range from ovate to elliptical ovate and meas- 

 ure: .82X.57, .78X.54, .76X.54 and .75X.56 inch. 



Four nests which I carefully measured, show but slight 

 variation in size, the average being as follows: outside diam- 

 eter, 3 inches; inside diameter, 2 inches; outside depth, 2.5 

 inches; inside depth, 1.6 inches. Their height from the 

 ground ranged from twelve to fifty-five feet, the average 

 being thirty-two feet. Two of the nests were in oak trees, 

 one in a maple and one in a hickory tree; the situation 

 being at random throughout forest or high ground. 



A nest found on May 30, 1897, had a long black hair in- 

 terwoven with the fine grass lining. Besides the four eggs 

 of the rightful owner, there were two of the Cowbird's in 

 this nest. 



A very peculiar find was a nest secured on May 26, 1898. 

 Beneath and almost hidden by the lining was an egg of the 

 Cowbird. I preserved this nest with the parasite egg re- 

 maining where the vireos decided it should rest. While I was 

 securing this nest the old bird sat c]uietly until I detached 

 the limb and pulled it in where the nest could be reached. 



Among my records on composition of nest, I find "oak 

 catkins" and tops of "tumble grass" mentioned as entering 

 in the construction. 



