iS8S.] Brewster o>i Birds of Wincketidou, Massachusetis. 30 I 



Junco hyemalis. — Apparently quite as uncommon as the White-throated 

 Sparrow, for we met with only three pairs, one in 1887, two in 188S. All 

 were on high ground in pine or hemlock woods. The males were singing, 

 and the actions of at least one of the females indicated that there were 

 eggs or young somewhere near. 



Helminthophila chrysoptera. — A single male was obtained by Mr. Bailey 

 in May, iSSS- 



Dendroica caerulescens. — The only Black-throated Blue Warbler met 

 with during either year was a male shot June 17, 188S. This bird was 

 singing steadily in a dense growth of young hemlocks on a hillside. As 

 there were no beds of yew (the favorite nesting place of this species) in 

 the neighborhood, and as we had passed several previous mornings in the 

 same woods without hearing the bird, it is probable that he had strayed 

 some distance away from his mate and nest, or that he was a bachelor 

 wandering aimlessly about the country. 



Dendroica coronata. — Rather common but nowhere very numerous. 

 Found chiefly in groves of white pines on high ground but also, to some 

 extent, in the spruce swamps. Although we failed to find any nests there 

 can be no doubt whatever that the birds seen were breeding. 



Dendroica maculosa. — This Warbler breeds in about the same numbers 

 as the Yellow-rump. Both species were nearly sure to be seen daily, but 

 it was unusual to find more than one pair of either in any single tract of 

 woods, however large. The favorite haunts of the Black-and-yellow, 

 here, as in northern New England, are swamp edges, woodpaths, or bor- 

 ders of openings where the undergrowth is more or less intermixed with 

 young spruces and balsams. In such a place — within about ten yards of 

 a woodpath — we found a nest June 15, 1888, containing four nearly fresh 

 eggs. This nest was typical in position, being placed near the top of a 

 small spruce at a height of about five feet. In construction it differed 

 from Maine nests of this species only in respect to the lining, which was 

 largely of horse hair with, however, an admixture of black rootlets. 



Dendroica blackburniae. — On both high and low ground, wherever there 

 were spruces in any numbers, whether by themselves or mixed with other 

 trees, and also to some extent where the growth was entirely of hemlocks, 

 the Blackburnian Warbler was one of the most abundant and character- 

 istic summer birds, in places even outnumbering the Black-throated Green 

 Warbler, although it shunned strictly the extensive tracts of white pines 

 which D. virens seemed to find quite as congenial as any of the other 

 evergreens. A set of four fresh eggs was taken June 26, 1887. The nest, 

 which was found by watching the female, was built at a height of about 

 thirty feet above the ground, on the horizontal branch of a black spruce, 

 some six feet out from the main stem. Its bottom rested securely near 

 the base of a short, stout twig. Above and on every side masses of dark 

 spruce foliage, rendered still denser by a draping of Usnea (which covered 

 the entire tree profusely), hid the nest so perfectly that not a vestige of it 

 could be seen from any direction. This nest is composed outwardly of 

 fine twigs, among which some of the surrounding Usnea is entangled and 



