27(5 Cherie, Nesting Habits of Costa Rican Birds. [July 



vii-ens, was about four feet above the water in the thick bushes on 

 the river bank, and was completely concealed by leaves. It rested 

 on a small horizontal branch, and was held in place by three 

 ascending twigs. It is rather small and compact, covered on the 

 outside with gray lichens and some few spider-webs, the latter 

 binding the lichens. A green leaf is bound to the upper edge on 

 one side. The inside is carefully lined with soft feathers. Inside 

 its diameter is two inches (in the direction of the branch) by one 

 and three quarters, by one inch deep. Outside it is three and three 

 eighths by three and one eighth, by two inches deep. The eggs, 

 two in number, w r ere slightly incubated. They are cream white, 

 speckled, chiefly about the larger end, with spots varying in color 

 from a dark chestnut or livid brown to orange rufous. The eggs 

 measure .S2 X .64 and .S2 X -62 inch. While I was engaged 

 in taking the nest the parent bird flew restlessly from branch 

 to branch of the trees near by. When resting she sat bolt upright 

 with crest erected, calling out her discontent in short, sharp, 

 quickly repeated chirps. She seemed much more annoyed than 

 the M. tcxensis. I did not see the male at all. This was the first 

 nest I found. 



On the 5th of the month I found another nest about two thirds 

 completed. Almost all the outside was covered with lichen, but 

 it had not yet any lining. The birds were quite solicitous while 

 I was there. It was but nine feet from the ground, situated at the 

 horizontal forks of a very small limb and not in any way con- 

 cealed, save by its lichen-covered sides resembling a part of the 

 limb. On May 12 I found the nest completed and containing 

 two young birds at least a day and a half old. 



On June 2 I found a third nest, containing two fresh eggs, in a 

 small tree close by the river bank. It was situated about ten feet 

 from the ground, far out on a limb at a point where it divided in- 

 to four ascending shoots which gave excellent support. It was well 

 shaded by leaves from above, and owing to its covering of lichens 

 was not conspicuous from below. The nest is compact and well 

 built, and is almost round. It is lined with half a dozen feathers, a 

 few long horse-hairs, and several pieces of lichen. The rim is 

 slightly contracted. Outside it measures three and a quarter 

 inches in diameter by one and a half in depth. Inside its diam- 

 eter is two and a quarter inches, its depth one inch. The two 



