
Dec. 1886.] 
No. 2, 1.08x.77, being therefore more rounded 
and less elongated that No. 1. The spotting and 
dotting is distributed in places over the egg. 
Faint lavender shell marks are apparent. The 
spotting is in no place confluent, each spot being 
separate and distinct, and as in the other eggs uf 
the set, found more thickly about the larger end, 
and entirely absent at the smaller extremity. 
No. 3. The yellowish-brown spots on this 
specimen tend more to become confluent than in 
the others, being especially numerous all over the 
greater end, and gradually becoming fainter till 
at the opposite end they are lacking altogether. 
This egg measures 1.07x.77. 
No. 4. Is quite obtuse, measuring .97x.79. 
But very few spots are seen on the egg at all, 
these being confined to the larger extremity. 
Two-thirds of the surtace is plain, unspotted, 
greenish-blue. 
To compare these eggs with those of kindred 
Thrasher, I would say that they are much smaller 
and of a lighter and more delicate shade than 
those of the Californian Thrasher (H. redivivus), 
about the same size as those of Curve-billed 
Thrasher (ZZ. curvirostris), but the spots and dots 
are much less numerous and of a lighter shade; 
and a set of each side by side show differences 
more easily discerned than described, and greater 
than would be exhibited in any number of sets, 
in a series, of Curve-billed Thrasher. Dr. Mearn: 
describes his set as being somewhat deeper in 
color than Palmer’s Thrasher, (47. ¢. palmer). 
This would seem to indicate that the ground 
color varies in different sets, as the set before me 
is much lighter than any set I have seen of Palm- 
er’s Thrasher. The eggs of Palmer’s are more 
blunt-ended, fuller, and more rounded than the 
present examples of Leconte’s Thrasher, and an 
egg of the latter can instantly be picked out of a 
handful of those of the Californian, Curve-billed, 
and Palmer’s Thrashers. 
Nesting of Swainson’s Warbler in 
South Carolina. 


BY ARTHUR T. WAYNE, CHARLESTON, &. C. 

Swainson’s Warbler (Helonewa swainsoni,) ar- 
rives in the vicinity of Charleston about April 
9th, and is with us all the summer. The latest 
fall record I have is September 25th ; but some of 
them commence to migrate during the first week 
in August. 
When they arrive in April the males come first 
(as is the case with most birds) and the females 
are seen from five to seven days later. The males 
are silent for a few days, but as soon as the fe- 
AND OOLOGIST. 
187 
males are in force they begin to sing with great 
fervor. The song is simply wonderful—a clear 
ringing ventriloquial whistle, which can be heard 
for at least a quarter of a mile. This song is not 
characteristic with all the males, however, for I 
have only heard it on three occasions—A pril 22d, 
1884, May 5th, 1884, and August 25th, 1886. The 
song is much like that of the Hooded Warbler, 
(Mytodioctes mitratus), and almost precisely like 
the first notes of the Yellow-throated Warbler, 
(Dendreca dominica), but the ending is exquisitely 
mellow. (The above song is only applicable to 
the breeding season, which begins about May 3d, 
and lasts until the middle of August). 
The haunts of Swainson’s Warbler are known 
as ‘“‘pine land gall.” This is a large, dense swamp 
of oak, pine and dogwood—almost impenetrable. 
There are also thickets and patches of cane, with 
a brook running in straight, or zig-zag lines 
throughout the swamp, and with ponds of water 
here and there. This kind of a swamp may ex- 
tend for miles in a straight line, and only a lew 
rods wide, while on the contrary, I know of one 
near Charleston which is ten miles long by three 
miles wide. In such a place Swainson’s Warbler 
breeds. 
They commence building their nests about the 
last week in April, and have them finished by the 
first of May. I have taken sets of four fresh eggs 
on May 8th. 
The nests are generally built in canes, but I have 
also found them in small bushes, and in one in- 
stance in a climbing vine, by the side of a large 
public road. The height from the ground varies 
from two to eight feet, but they are always near 
or over a pond of water. The nest is a remark- 
able affair—very large, made of water-soaked 
leaves of the sweet gum, water oak, holly and 
cane, lined with needles of the pine trees and a 
little dry moss. The stems of the leaves point 
upwards, and the nest can easily be mistaken for 
a bunch of old leaves lodged in the top of a cane? 
On this account it isa very difficult nest to find. 
The eggs are unspotted, being white and glossy 
in examples that were fresh, but in others, in 
which incubation had commenced, they have 
a bluish tinge. 
Of all the specimens that I have taken the 
color is immaculate, save in one set of three eggs, 
in the possession of my friend William Brewster, 
Esq., which are much spotted with golden brown 
and pale lilac around the larger end. They 
measure .75x.58, .77x.58, and .74x.58 inches. 
In number the eggs vary from one to four— 
more frequently three, and rarely four. 
The female is a close sitter, and can easily be 
