iSgt.] Brimley. Brecditiff Habits of Dcndroicn vigorsii. 199 



ON THE BREEDING HABITS OF DENDROICA 

 VIGORS/I AT RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA. 



BY C. S. BRIMI.EY. 



The Pine Warbler — our commonest Warbler — during the 

 breeding season frequents only pine woods and mixed woods 

 containing pines as well as any isolated groups of pine trees ; 

 but at other times of the year it is not so exclusive, being often 

 found as far from the neighborhood of pines as is possible in this 

 locality. 



This species feeds on insects and their larva?, but like all our 

 resident speciesconsumes a large amount of vegetable food during 

 the winter, e.g.^ the seeds of the short-leaved and loblolly pines 

 {Pin?is mitis and P. tivda) as well as the berries of dogwood 

 {^Corniis Jlorida) and sumac {R/nis copallina). During the 

 spring and summer this species feeds mostly in the pine trees ; 

 during autumn and winter it also feeds on the ground to a great 

 extent, and may then be found almost anywhere. 



The Pine Warbler begins breeding quite early, the dates of 

 finding the first nest (in each case about a day or two old) being 

 March 27, 18SS, March 37, 1SS9, March 3, 1S90. The time 

 occupied in building the nest and laying the four eggs is fourteen 

 days, provided tlie weather is favorable ; spells of bad weather 

 such as cold rains or snow, or high and cold winds, usually cause 

 building operations to be suspended for the time being, but this 

 seems to vary with individual birds. In March, 1S90, I had six 

 nests under observation when a spell of bad weather came on ; 

 three were deserted; one furnished a fresh set in twenty-five days 

 from first finding ; one, a single fresh egg seventeen days from find- 

 ing ; and one, a set containing small embryos at the end of nine- 

 teen days ; the latter nest must have been completed without 

 interruption, although in quite an exposed situation. Nests in 

 an advanced stage of construction do not seem to be often 

 deserted ; but when only just commenced, a bad spell of weather 

 usually causes the birds to quit. 



The female Pine Warbler gathers material from the trunks 

 ana limbs of trees and from the ground, and from both near the 

 nest and as far as several hundred yards. She usually betrays 

 her occupation by her business-like air and methods. She usu- 

 ally flies toward the nest in a straight, business-like flight, but as 



