THE AUDUBON WARBLER. 



i8s 



When the nest was presumed in he ripe. 1 ascended. It was fnund settled 

 into the foHage and steadied by diveiging twigs at a point some six or seven 

 feet out along the limb. None of tlie branches in the \icinity were individual!}- 

 safe, but bv dint of standing on one, sitting on another, and clinging to a third. 

 I made an equitable distribution of avoirdupois and gras])ed the treasure. 

 Perhaps in justice the supporting branches sin mid ba\e l)niken just here, but 

 how could you enjoy the rare beauty of this handsome structure unless we 

 brought it to you ? 



The nest is deeply 

 cup-shaped, with a 

 brim slightly turned 

 in. comi)osed exter- 

 nally of fir twigs, 

 weed - tops, flower- 

 pedicels, rootlets, cat- 

 kins, etc., while the 

 interior is heavily 

 lined with feathers 

 which in turn are 

 bound and held in 

 place by an inner- 

 most lining of horse- 

 hairs. One feather 

 was left to curl dain- 

 tily over the edge, 

 and so partially con- 

 ceal the eggs, — four 

 spotted beauties. 



These Warblers Take, in Tacoma. Photo by tlH- Author. 



are connoisseurs in nkst .\.\i) icccs of .audlbon w.xkui.hk. 



feathers, and if one 



had all their nests snl)initted to him. he could make a rough assignment of 

 locality for each according to whether feathers of Oregon Ruffed ('.rouse. 

 Franklin Grouse, Ptarmigan, or domestic fciwls were used. 



[n the wet region the birds ajjpear to ne.st in fir tre^s only, and they are 

 as likely to use the lowermost limb as any. There is little attempt at conceal- 

 ment, and Bowles reports a nest only ten feet high over a path used daily by 

 hundreds of people in Tacoma. On the dry side of the mountains the Warblers 

 avail themselves freely of deciduous trees and bushes for nesting sites. .\ nest 

 on Cannon Hill in Spokane was placed at the lowermost available crotch of a 

 young elm tree near the sidewalk and nut ten feet up — as bold as a Robin! 



