234 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 



leaves of the pine, and moss ; these materials are twined 

 into a compact structure, somewhat bulky, and deeply 

 hollowed, and lined with feathers of wild birds and hairs 

 of different animals. A nest complement of four eggs in my 

 collection-, furnished by my friend, George A. Boardman, 

 are of a grayish-white color, thickly marked with spots and 

 blotches of two or three shades of brown and purple. 

 Dimensions vary from .71 by .54 inch, to .66 by .50 inch. 

 Audubon describes the only nest of this bird that he 

 ever met with as follows : 



" It was placed about three feet from the ground, in the fork of 

 a small branch, close to the main stem of a fir-tree. Its diameter 

 internally was two inches, the depth one and a half: externally, it 

 resembled the nest of a white-crowned sparrow, being formed of 

 green and white moss and lichens, intermixed with coarse dried 

 grass ; within this was a layer of bent grass, and the lining was of 

 very dark-colored, dry moss, looking precisely like horsehair, 

 arranged in a circular direction with great care. Lastly, there was 

 a {hick bed of large, soft feathers, some of which were from ducks, 

 but most of them from willow-grouse." 



The same author describes the habits of this bird as 

 follows : 



" You see it darting in all directions after insects, chasing them 

 on the wing, and not unfrequently snapping, so as to emit the click- 

 ing sound characteristic of the true Flycatcher. Its activity is 

 pleasing ; but its notes have no title to be called a song. They are 

 shrill, and resemble the noise made by striking two small pebbles 

 together, more than any other sound I know." 



I cannot agree with Professor Baird, that the Autumnal 

 Warbler of authors, and the young of the Bay-breasted, 

 are identical, at least in New England ; but I am persuaded 

 that the young of the present species is the Sylvia autumnalis. 

 And it seems to me, that no other argument is needed to 

 establish this beyond a doubt, than the fact, that the Bay- 

 breasted Warbler is very rare, in all this section of the coun- 



