THE BLA CK- THE OA TED GBA 7 WABBLEB. 1 23 



way sheltered by any surrounding foliage. . . . The eggs belonging with 

 this nest are similar in shape, all being of a regular but somewhat rounded 

 oval form; their ground-color is clear white. Two are thinly and evenly 

 covered with fine but distinct spots of light reddish brown, while the third is 

 so very faintly marked with the same color that at a little distance it appears 

 nearly immaculate. Their measurements, as taken for me by Mr. Werner, 

 are, .75 X. 57; .77X.56; .76X.58. In size and general appearance they are 

 unlike any warbler's eggs that I have ever seen, and most closely resemble 

 faintly spotted examples of those of the tufted titmouse. Mr. Werner is of 

 the opinion that they are exceptional in being so finely spotted, as the broken 

 shells found in the deserted nest exhibited much heavier markings, and in that 

 respect agreed closely with two eggs in Mr. Ricksecker's cabinet, collected in 

 Comal county, May 24, 1877. . . . They measure respectively, .72X.53 

 and .76X .53 The latter dimensions, it will be observed, nearly coincide with 

 those of one of Mr. Werner's specimens. The ground-color of the shell is a 

 dead, dull white, thickly spotted everywhere with fine dots of reddish-brown 

 and shell markings of pale lavender. At irregular intervals bold, conspicuous 

 blotches of a darker shade of brown occur. These markings become nearly 

 confluent around the larger ends, forming the wreath-pattern so common 

 among spotted eggs. The nest bears a very close resemblance to those 

 already described, but is somewhat smaller, measuring as follows : External 

 depth, 2.15; external diameter, 2.00; internal depth, 1.50; internal diameter, 

 1.50. As with the other two, the outer walls are made up of strips of cedar 

 bark, and the lining differs only in being composed almost entirely of feathers. 

 These are used in such profusion as to form a dense, downy bed for the eggs, 

 while around the rim or mouth of the nest they arch over inward, prettily 

 concealing the greater part of the interior. The occurrence of such a nest in 

 semi-tropical Texas is of itself a most interesting fact, especially when con- 

 sidered in connection with the theory that warm, feather-lined domiciles are 

 peculiar to northern-breeding birds. Although the parentage of this last nest 

 is undeniably involved in some obscurity, I have little doubt that it is correctly 

 referred to D. chrysoparia. I should perhaps have stated before that the 

 identification of the nest and eggs in Mr. Werner's collection is of the most 

 positive character. The female was sitting on the nest, and at the first alarm 

 her mate appeared, when both were secured. 



75. THE BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER. 



DENDRCECA NIGRESCENS {Towns.) Baird. 



The range of this species is from the FIai?is westivard to the 

 Pacific, but not beyond our boundaries northward. It arrives in 



