12 QUARTERLY BULLETIN. 



ping suddenly to the ground, it flew to a bush five or six yards 

 off, uttering a few low chirps, endeavoring apparently to con- 

 ceal itself. Not being able to identify the species I was obliged 

 to shoot, and it proved to be a female Dendrceca ccemlesceris. 



The nest was located in deep woods, near the base of a hill, 

 which sloped down to a swampy run. It was built in a small 

 laurel, (Kalmia latifulia), a fourth of an inch in diameter at the 

 base. About five inches from the ground the bush separated into 

 three branches, and in this triple fork the nest was situated. It 

 has a firm and compact appearance. External diameter, about 

 three inches ; internal, one and three-fourths inches ; external 

 depth, two and three-fourths inches ; internal, one and three- 

 fourths inches. Top of nest, seven and one-half inches high 

 from the ground. It is composed outwardly of what appears 

 to be the dry bark of the grape vine, with a few twigs and roots. 

 This is covered in many places with a reddish, woolly substance, 

 apparently the outer covering of some species of cocoon. The 

 inside is composed of small black roots and hair. The nest 

 contained four fresh eggs, of which the following is a descrip- 

 tion : — 



No. 1, ashy-white, with a ring of brown and lilac spots and 

 blotches around the larger end, and a few minute spots of the 

 same scattered over the entire surface. Precisely at the centre 

 of the large end is a small spot of deep umber : dimensions, .61 

 by .47. No. 2, white, with a slight tinge of green ; the larger 

 end covered with blotches and spots like No. 1 ; one side, near 

 the small end, shaded with the same, where there are also a 

 few small spots of dark umber: dimensions, .61 by .47. No. 

 3, ground color like No. 2 ; the larger end covered with blotches 

 of light brown and pale lilac ; a spot of dark umber near the 

 small end — dimensions, .64 by .50. No. 4, ashy-white, the lar- 

 ger end surrounded and nearly covered with spots of brown, 

 with minute spots of the same scattered over the entire surface 

 — dimensions, .66 by .50. 



The second nest I discovered on the 13th of the same month. 

 It was about eighty rods distant from the first, on level ground, 

 and near a piece of swampy land. The spot was somewhat shad- 

 ed by hemlocks ; the principal part of the forest trees being 

 oak and chestnut. 



While examining a nest of Virso olivaceus, I heard a faint 

 chirp slowly repeated, and, looking around, soon discovered iu 



