Nesting Time. 



feathers for lining. The barn-swallow*s 

 nest is formed like a half cup, open at 

 the top, while the cliff-swallow's home is 

 gourd-shaped, closed except for a hole 

 upon the side like the neck of a bottle. 

 The eggs of both species are white, 

 heavily dotted with brown. 



The summer warbler, russet-backed 

 thrush, and black-headed grosbeak, 

 three of our typical summer breeding 

 birds, also begin nesting during the first 

 half of May. The lovely little sum- 

 mer warbler, so well known both in the 

 eastern and western states, with its fine 

 gold plumage faintly streaked on the 

 breast with reddish brown, and its viva- 

 cious crescendo song, is a familiar sum- 

 mer resident here. Its nest is placed in 

 the upright fork of a tree, and composed 

 of soft seeds and plant shreds, felted and 

 woven into a compact home. The eggs, 

 four or five in number, are whitish or 

 grayish in color, spotted with brown of 

 various shades, the markings, usually 

 heavier around the larger end, tending to 

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