BIRDS OF KANSAS. 549 



an elaborate intertwining of these long fibers, they form the 

 principal part, sometimes the whole, of their nests. These 

 structures are at once simple, beautiful, ingenious, and skillfully 

 wrought. When first made they are somewhat rude and unfin- 

 ished, but as their family are gathered, the eggs deposited, in- 

 cubated and hatched, a change has been going on. Little by 

 little has the male bird busied himself, when not procuring food 

 for his mate, in improving, strengthening and enlarging the 

 nest. These same acts of improvement upon the original nests 

 are noticed with Hummingbirds, Vireos, and a few other birds. 



"The nests are sometimes constructed on the sides of trunks 

 of trees, when covered with long gray lichens, but are more 

 frequently found hanging from branches, usually not more than 

 six or eight feet from the ground. Thus surrounded by long, 

 hanging mosses, in clumps not distinguishable from the nests 

 themselves, they would not be readily recognized were it not 

 that those familiar with the habits of the bird may be readily 

 guided to the spot by the artless movements of the unsuspecting 

 parents. 



"These birds are confiding, easily approached, and rarely 

 exhibit signs of alarm. Even when their nest is disturbed they 

 make but little complaint, and do not manifest any very great 

 signs of emotion. When built against a trunk these nests con- 

 sist only of an interweaving of the mosses above and below a 

 very small opening; within, a small, cup-shaped flooring has 

 been made of the same material, and usually cannot be removed 

 without destroying all semblance of a nest. When pensile they 

 are perfectly circular in shape, with an entrance on one side, 

 and rarely with any lining. Occasionally they are models of 

 symmetry and beauty. 



' ' The eggs, four or five in number, have a clear white ground, 

 and are sparingly spotted with markings of reddish brown, slate, 

 purple and lilac. In some the first predominate; in others the 

 last three shades are more abundant, and usually form a con- 

 fluent ring around the larger end. They measure from .62 to 

 .65 of an inch in length, and from .49 to .50 in breadth." 



Eggs three to five. A set of four eggs, collected at Shelter 



