Vol.^XIVT Wilde, A^'siing of the Parula Warbler. 207 



by some Parulas in lining their nests, while others add a few 

 horse-hairs and a yellow down which is taken from the stems of 

 swamp ferns. The nest is very compact and closely woven, 

 occasionally having a few pine-needles stuck into it around 

 the outside, probably to help support and pin it to the hanging 

 particles of moss. 



The entrance, which is always on a level with the top of the 

 bowl, is made through the moss on the side, very often directly 

 under the limb where the moss is parted. The walls of the bowl, 

 being at least a half an inch in thickness, form a platform which 

 is often flattened out resembling a small mat, on which the bird 

 rests when entering or leaving the nest. Some nests have two 

 or more entrances, either left as peep windows for escape, or 

 unintentionally caused T:)y the thinness of the moss above the 

 bowl. 



I have examined a^^few nests where the entrance was made 

 from the top, the nest having been suspended either between two 

 twigs or between the trunk of a tree and an adjoining tuft, but 

 such cases as these are rare, and may be considered departures 

 from their regular style of building. From over a hundred nests 

 of this species, found during the past three years, nearly all were 

 partly or entirely roofed over, with the entrances from the sides as 

 previously described. 



One nest collected during May, 1S93, was suspended from a 

 two inch limb, containing little or no moss, outside of that of 

 which the nest was constructed, but this I do not consider a 

 typical nest. 



The inside measurements of the nests vary, ranging from about 

 one and a half to two inches both in depth and diameter. 



I have watched Parula Warblers enter their nests, and have 

 seen both sitting on their eggs and young, by keeping perfectly 

 still and quiet in a row-boat, at a distance of not more than from 

 three to four feet. 



With very few exceptions, the number of eggs laid is four, 

 which show remarkable variation in size and shape. They have 

 a white ground color, and are more heavily dotted with reddish 

 brown and lilac at the larger ends, often forming a ring round 

 them. 



