156 SYLVICOLID^E : AMERICAN WARBLERS. 



accustomed haunts all through the summer, passing 

 southward in September and October, by the middle 

 of which month all have left our country they are 

 rather delicate creatures, which would fare sadly in 

 the severities of a New England November. The nest 

 is placed on the ground, usually in dry, leafy woods, 

 but sometimes in low moist places; but they are not 

 very particular in this respect, and may be seen ram- 

 bling daintily over the ground, among the fallen leaves, 

 in almost any kind of cover. They walk very prettily, 

 with a certain nonchalance, as if only sauntering for 

 their amusement ; now furtively examining the path- 

 way in search of food, now turning a curious but quiet 

 eye upon an intruder ; and when alarmed fly directly 

 to some low perch in a tree, where they sit in silent 

 but watchful purpose. The nest is often but not always 

 roofed over, as already said ; it is a rather bulky struct- 

 ure of dried leaves and grasses, lined with hairs or 

 fine grass-stems. Though artfully hidden, it is often 

 found to contain the Cow-bird's egg. The eggs are 

 usually four in number, sometimes five, and I have 

 found six in the nest ; they are pure white or slightly 

 creamy, more or less thickly and uniformly covered 

 with reddish-brown surface-spots and lilac shell-mark- 

 ings the whole surface being sometimes dotted, 

 though the spots, particularly the larger ones, tend to 

 aggregate at or about the larger end. The eggs vary 

 in size from 0.80 to 0.90 in length by 0.60 to 0.70 in 

 breadth, and are usually to be found early in June. 

 After a very brief interval the young birds put on a 

 livery so nearly like that of the parents, that it is not 

 always easy to distinguish them. 



