18 Porter, Nesting Habits of Birds in the Spring of 1907. \^^^ 



deserted. The weather had been exceedingly cold and windy. 

 June 10 this nest had four fresh eggs. 



Wilsonia mitrata. Prior to 1907, found nests with young nearly 

 ready to fly, June 7, and June 10, and laying female shot May 30. 

 I had not seen this species in Stamford prior to 1904, when I saw 

 two pairs. They have increased rapidly, and this year I saw 

 twenty-five or thirty birds and, in company with Mr. W. H. Hoyt, 

 found eight nests. Chapman's 'Warblers of North America' gives 

 nesting dates for New York City of May 26 to June 15, and 

 Bishop for Nesw Haven of May 27 to June 24. JNIy dates for 

 1907 were June 8, one set, June 12, two sets, June 15, three sets, 

 June 22, one set, all but the last being fresh or nearly fresh. 

 These eggs seem to average nearly three weeks later than my 

 previous experience, but are not apparently so exceptional as 

 compared with Messrs. Chapman and Bishop's records. The chief 

 interest in this bird is in the slow progress made. 



The first bird was seen May 11; May 18 perhaps the same bird 

 was seen in the same spot, near a nest of the previous year. May 

 23, the bird was seen building, the nest perhaps one third com- 

 pleted. May 30, nest built very high and deep, but not finished. 

 June 6, nest finished. The birds never used the nest, but were 

 seen around on the 6th. On the 10th they were seen disturbed in 

 another part of the woods, but no nest was found. In September 

 the nest they apparently used was found about a hundred yards 

 away. These birds therefore spent thirteen days in building a 

 nest which they subsequently abandoned, building another which 

 was not commenced until after June 10, or three weeks after the 

 time they first began to build. 



On May 28 I found another nest just completed. On June 4 

 this nest had two eggs. On June 8, it had two warbler eggs and 

 one cowbird's egg. All these eggs w^ere perfectly fresh. 



On June 4, I found a nest just commenced, the birds being busy 

 building. June 8, the nest was finished, but the bird not seen. 

 June 15, three warbler eggs, and one cowbird; incubation just 

 commenced and bird sitting very close. 



June 8, found a nest just finished. June 15, four fresh eggs, 

 bird sitting very close. 



On June 15 a nest with three eggs was found, which from the 



