BIRDS OF KANSAS. 563 



hemlocks, the Blackburnian Warbler was one of the most abund- 

 ant characteristic summer birds, in places even outnumbering 

 the Black-throated Green Warbler, although it shunned strictly 

 the extensive tracts of white pines which D. mrens seemed to 

 find quite as congenial as any of the other evergreens. A set 

 of four eggs was taken June 26, 1887. The nest, which was 

 found by watching the female, was built at a height of about 

 thirty feet above the ground,* on the horizontal branch of a 

 black spruce, some six feet out from the main stem. Its bottom 

 rested securely near the base of a short, stout twig. Above 

 and on every side masses of dark spruce foliage, rendered still 

 denser by a' draping of Usnea (which covered the entire tree pro- 

 fusely), hid the nest so perfectly that not a vestige of it could 

 be seen from any direction. This nest is composed outwardly 

 of fine twigs, among which some of the surrounding Usnea is 

 entangled and interwoven. The lining is of horse hair, fine dry 

 grasses, and a few of the black rootlets used by J). tnaculosa. 

 The whole structure is light and airy in appearance, and re- 

 sembles rather closely the nest of the Chipping Sparrow. The 

 eggs measure, respectively: .68x.49, .66x.50, .69x.49, .68x.51 

 inches. They are marked with pale lavender, vandyke brown, 

 mars brown and black. Over most of the shell the markings 

 are fine and sparsely distributed, but about the larger end they 

 become broad and more or less confluent, tending to form a 

 wreath pattern. Some of the black markings are linear, re- 

 sembling pen scratches. The ground color of these eggs, before 

 blowing, would have been passed for dull white, but, with the 

 removal of their contents, a delicate yet faint greenish tinge 

 appeared, and has since persisted. This greenish tinge was also 

 a characteristic feature of eight eggs (representing two sets) 

 taken by Mr. Bailey, at Winchendon, before my arrival, in 1887." 

 Eggs four or five, . 68x. 50; in form, oval. 



*They usually build much nearer the ground. 



