18 Bowdish, Warblers Breeding at Desmarest, N. J. [fan 



situation of the nest was quite as much of a surprise as the finding 

 of it in this locality. It was built between the stems of a 'skunk 

 cabbage' plant, and fastened to a catbriar and the twigs of dead 

 bush, and was about fourteen inches from the ground, in a very 

 wet part of the swamp. It contained four eggs, which were fresh. 

 The birds, while solicitous, did not, during our short stay, show 

 the boldness and confidence displayed by the Chestnut-sided and 

 Blue- winged Warblers, about their nests. 



The Ovenbird (JSeiurus aurocapillus) vies with the Yellow War- 

 bler, in the matter of abundance, as many as three nests having 

 been found in a single strip of woods. While allowing close ap- 

 proach to the nest when sitting, the bird seems exceedingly shy of 

 a camera, and has proved one of the almost impossible subjects 

 for photography. A set camera, well concealed, had the effect of 

 keeping the bird from her nest until it was removed. A nest with 

 four eggs was found June 6, 1904, built at the base of a small tree, 

 in open woods. It was, however, destroyed before the young 

 hatched. June 10, of the same year, two more nests were found 

 in the same woods, one containing two eggs, the other four well 

 fledged young. The last was under an open brush heap. 



May 22 of the present year, I located a nest then building, near 

 a path, in open woods. May 27, this nest contained three eggs, 

 and the fourth and fifth were laid the 28th and 29th respectively. 

 This bird incubated until the 14th of June, without results. On 

 the latter date I found the nest destroyed. On June 18 a pair of 

 birds was seen, accompanied by young as large as themselves. 



The Northern Yellow-throat (Geothlypis trichas brachidactyla) 

 appears to be quite as abundant as the Ovenbird. Swampy places 

 where the 'skunk cabbage' grows are favorite nesting sites, the 

 nest being often built among the stalks of this plant, though some- 

 times in tussocks of grass, and one nest, found this last summer, 

 was in a tangle of dead 'joint grass,' well above the ground. All 

 nests that I have found were in more or less wet places. For 1904 

 one nest with four fresh eggs was found June 2; another with 

 four fresh eggs, June 5; and a third containing one egg, June 11. 

 During the past summer the nest in the joint grass, previously 

 referred to, was found June 5. It contained four fresh eggs, but 

 was the subject of another of the summer tragedies that are so 

 frequent, before the eggs hatched. 



