102 Beewster on the Black-Cafiicd Vireo. 



tectiu-e. In a few points of detail, however, it differs slightly from 

 any Vireo's nest that I have seen. Although, generally speaking, 

 of the ordinary cup-shaped form, the walls are unusually thick and 

 firmly felted, and the entrance being very much contracted, the 

 bulging sides arch over to the mouth of the nest, giving to the 

 whole a nearly s])herical shape. This peculiarity may be of an in- 

 dividual nature, though it is conspicuously shown in the specimen 

 represented by Mr. Werner's drawing (see the last foot-note). The 

 measurements of my nest are as follows : Greatest external diame- 

 ter, 2.90 ; external depth, 2.25 ; internal diameter at mouth, 1.30 

 X 1.68 ; internal depth, 1.40 ; greatest thickness of walls, .63. Of 

 the materials which compose it little really need be said, save that 

 they are of the general kind and appearance made use of by most 

 Vireos ; but for the benefit of the critical in such matters, I will 

 present the following aual^'sis, premising that, as I have never been 

 in Texas, I am not posted on the botany of that State, and conse- 

 quently feel somewhat incompetent to identify the collections em- 

 bodied in their domicile by the industrious little birds. The great 

 bulk of the structure, however, is made up of fine strips of reddish 

 bark, probably from some species of cedar, layers of small, delicate, 

 bleached leaves of a former yeai''s growth, a few coarse grasses, one 

 or two catkins, and several spiders' cocoons. These are firmly 

 bound together, and the whole attached to the forked twigs above 

 by fine shreds of vegetable fibre, caterpillars' or spiders' silk, and 

 sheep's wool. The lining is of fine grasses and what appear to be 

 the slender needles of some coniferous tree, the whole being arranged 

 with that wonderful smoothness and care which belong to the high- 

 est order of nest-builders alone. Mr. Werner's nest, to judge from 

 the sketch already mentioned, is almost identical with mine. He 

 describes it as " pendent, similar to that of Vireo belli, perhaps 

 rather more bulky. The outside is composed of dried leaves and 

 grass, interwoven with spiders' webs and lined with fine grass and 

 rootlets. The greatest diameter is 3 inches; inside diameter, 1.75 

 inch ; depth, 1.80 inch ; thickness of walls, from .45 to .60 of an 

 inch." The eggs foimd in my nest measure respectively 68 x .53 ; 

 .66 X ,53 ; .67 x .52 ; .68 x .55. They are regularly ovoid in shape, 

 and of a uniform pure, though rather dull, white, tvithout spots or 

 marhlng of any hind. In this last respect all the specimens ob- 

 tained during the past season in Comal County, Texas, agree. In 

 reply to my inquiries on this point, Mr. Werner assui'es me that 



