i6 



Where they seek their food they come in contact with 

 all the species, from the powerful Red-tailed Hawk to the 

 Ruby-throated Hummingbird, commonly found breeding or 

 feeding in our hill-side forests and neglected brier fields. 



They do not associate together much, except immediately 

 after their return from the South, when three or four males 

 have been seen to cha=e one another through the undergrowth 

 on the border of the forest. 



Xest building does not occupy very much of their time and 

 yet when completed, the domicile is rather compact and neat- 

 iy cupped, but on the whole is very bulky for a bird so small. 

 i he base is composed of dry oak and beech leaves, and other 

 leaves which dry hard, glossy and without crumpling; on top 

 of this heap a more compact structure is made, the leaves be- 

 ing placed points downward; then comes a goodly supply of 

 strips of grape-vine bark and shreds of inner tree-bark, so plac- 

 ed that the rough ends extend above the rim of the nest. A 

 lining is then put in place, consisting of fine grass stems and, 

 in some cases, long horse hairs. A strict lining is not alwavs 

 put in place, some birds being content to rest the eggs on the 

 grape-vine bark and a few intermingling grass stems. Al- 

 though constructed of coarse materials, the inside of the nest 

 presents a neat appearance, the long shreds of bark and grasses 

 crossing diagonally, much resembling basket work. 



The opening is not straight down, but slightly tilted, the 

 jaggy leaf-stems and bark sometimes reaching two or three 

 inches above the rim of the nest proper. As incubation ad- 

 vances, the rough rim on the lower edge of the nest becomes 

 broken down, and by the time the young birds are ready to 

 leave, this part of their home is worn smooth by the attendant 

 parents. 



The nest is hardly ever placed away from some substantial- 

 ly supporting stalks of weeds — new or dead, — briers, elders, 

 sprouts, etc., of not sufficient abundance to hinder a good 

 growtn of grass, (hie nest was placed above the ground, be- 



