Vol. XVIII 

 igoi 



J YxRh^Y, T/ic Alder Flycatc/icr in Massac/iHset/s. 'K^'X 



of negligence, of elegant confusion, is thus secured. The deco- 

 rative effect is heightened by the silvery Asckpias, which, in addi- 

 tion to entering so largely into the body of the nest, causing it to 

 shine flax-like, streams down and out therefrom in what mio-ht 

 be termed a fibrous cascade. In greatest possible contrast to 

 the disarranged, silvery-gray exterior is the round, deeply- 

 hollowed interior with its exquisite yellow lining of finest grass. 

 The excessive use of Asdepias in this nest is exceptional. In 

 another respect the nest is scarcely typical, as it is more firmly 

 held in its bush than the average structure of the Alder Fly- 

 catcher. 



The looser style of suspension is well shown by another nest 

 in my collection. This is characteristically held up by two tall, 

 slender, entirely distinct rose shoots which grew in a thick jungle 

 of wild roses and sweet gale. Each of the shoots is divided, the 

 larger into two twigs and these in their turn into two smaller twigs 

 which join in partially supporting the nest. The other main, sep- 

 arate shoot supports one side of the structure only with a long, 

 frail, slender spray, which, as usual, subdivides at the nest into 

 several small twigs, the whole taken together giving but a slight 

 support to the grass basket suspended between them. I watched 

 these tall, slender, swamp rose sprouts as they blew over in 

 their clump, bending under the gusts of a high June south-west 

 wdnd as it swept across a broad meadow. The nest-sprays bent 

 over at an angle of at least forty-five degrees, but were stiffened 

 by the general mass of surrounding growth, so that the nest hung 

 safely in its tiimsy fastening and the eggs remained within their 

 shallow cup. 



The eggs of the Alder Flycatcher are usually of a creamy white 

 (less often of a dead white), with markings of different shades 

 of brown, these being chiefly at the large end and often forming 

 a broken ring. The markings are generally of a pale, reddish 

 brown, approaching flesh-color if paler than usual, and verging 

 on yellowish if running to the darker extreme. The markings are 

 in spots (often very fine) and small blotches. A few minute 

 dots of a very dark brown, almost black in fact, which have no 

 apparent relation to the general color-scheme, also appear. The 

 eggs are often beautiful objects, especially when the brown of the 



