V0 I's^ VI ] Barlow, Nesting of the Hermit Warbler. 1 59 



The nest is not fastened to the limb, resting merely upon the 

 limb and pine needles and is wider at the bottom than at the top, 

 its base measuring four inches one way and three inches the other. 

 It iS very prettily constructed, the bottom layer being of light gray- 

 ish weed stems, bleached pine needles and other light materials 

 held securely together by cobwebs and woolly substances. The 

 nest cavity is lined with strips of red cedar bark (Liboccdrus) and 

 the ends, instead of being woven smoothly, project out of the 

 nest. The inner lining is of a fine brownish fiber resembling 

 shreds of the soap-root. The composition of the nest gives it a 

 very pretty effect. The eggs were about two-fifths advanced in 

 incubation and measured .66 x .52, .68 x .53, .67 X .53 and 

 • 6 7 X -53 inches. They are spotted chiefly in wreaths at the 

 large end with varying shades of lilac, brown and chestnut. This 

 forms the second recorded set of eggs of this Warbler, the first 

 having been taken by Mr. R. H. Beck in 1896 near this locality. 



During my stay in the mountains I became well acquainted 

 with the song of the Hermit Warbler. Though not loud it would 

 penetrate through the woods quite a distance and very much 

 resembled /sit, tsit, tsit, tsit, chee chee chee, the first four syllables 

 being uttered with a gradual and uniform speed, ending quickly 

 with the chee chee chee. It was quite distinct from any of the other 

 Warbler songs, and whenever it was heard the little musician was 

 usually traced to some pine tree where he would be found hop- 

 ping nervously about. 



My ten days' vacation was productive of many interesting 

 sights. Western Robins were nesting rather commonly, seeming 

 to prefer the pines and cedars, in which the nest was usually 

 placed near the top in a crotch at the trunk of the tree. Cas- 

 sin's Vireos, usually common nesting residents, were going about 

 in pairs in full song, and it seems likely that but few nested this 

 season, owing to peculiar climatic conditions. 



A pair of White-headed Woodpeckers had a nest seven feet up 

 in a large pine stub near the house, in which a pair of Western 

 Bluebirds were also nesting. Both the nests contained young 

 and it was interesting to observe them. As I watched, the 

 female Woodpecker, with a grub in her beak, came and alighted 

 variously on the fence and cedar trees near by until she sum- 



