264 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



In the vicinity of Boston, especially in the high grounds of Norfolk and 

 Essex Counties, it is a not uncommon species, and its nests are found in cer- 

 tain favorite localities. Nuttall regards May 12 as the average of their first 

 appearance. Busy, quiet, and unsuspicious of man, they were seen by him, 

 collecting, in early October, in small groups, and moving restlessly through 

 the forests preparatory to departing south. June 8, 1830, he found a nest 

 of this species in a solitary situation among the Blue Hills of Milton, Mass. 

 The nest was in a low and stunted juniper (a very unusual location). As 

 he approached, the female remained motionless on the edge of the nest, in 

 such a manner as to be mistaken for a young bird. She then darted to the 

 ground, and, moving away expertly, disappeared. The nest contained four 

 eggs, which he describes as white inclining to flesh-color, variegated at tlie 

 larger end with pale purplish points interspersed with brown and black. The 

 nest was formed of fine strips of the inner bark of the juniper, and tougli white 

 fibrous bark of other plants, lined with soft feathers and the slender tops of 

 grass. The male bird was singing his simple chant, resembling the syllables 

 te-de-teritse-a, pronounced loud and slow, at the distance of a quarter of a mile 

 from the nest. He describes his song as simple, drawling, and plaintive. He 

 was constantly interrupting his song to catch small files, keeping up a per- 

 petual snapping of his bill. 



Several nests of this bird, given me by Mr. George 0. Welch of Lynn, have 

 been found by liim in high trees in thick woods on the western borders of 

 that city. They are all small, snug, compact structures, built on a base of 

 fine strips of bark, bits of leaves, and stems of plants. The upper rims are 

 a circular intertwining of fine slender twigs, interwoven with a few fine 

 stems of the most delicate grasses. The inner portions of these nests are 

 very softly and warmly bedded with the fine down and silky stems of 

 plants. They have a diameter of three and a quarter inches, and a height of 

 one and a half. The cavity is two inches in diameter, and one and a half 

 in depth. The eggs measure .70 by .50 of an inch, have a white or purplish- 

 white ground, and are blotched and dotted with markings of reddish and 

 purplish brown, diffused over the entire egg, but more numerous about the 

 larger end. One end is much more pointed than the other. 



