May 1890.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



69 



Tlie nest, which is before me, was placed 

 about eight inches from the ground, and is 

 composed of weed stalks with layers of leaves 

 mixed in, and is lined with fine black rootlets, 

 wliich was in line contrast to the eggs which 

 were of a pinkish -cream grovnid color when 

 taken, but at present are as follows: 



Egg Xo. 1. .71 X .56. Ground color creamy- 

 white, marked with blotches of reddish-brown, 

 and with lilac-gray shell markings. All of the 

 blotches or markings with the exception of one 

 (which is on the side) are on the larger end, in 

 the form of a wreath. 



Egg Xo. 2. .72 X .58. Ground color creamy- 

 white. All the markings are wreathed around 

 the large end in blotches and spots of light 

 reddish-brown, with lilac-gray shell markings. 



Egg Xo. 3. .71 X .55. Ground color creamy- 

 white' with blotches and spots of reddish- 

 brown about equally distributed over the 

 entire surface of the egg, and a wreath of 

 lilac-gray shell marking at the greater end. 



E. G. Tabor. 

 Meridian, N. Y. 



Nesting of 



the Yellow-throated 

 Vireo. 



Among the small birds there is no species 

 more interesting to me than the Yellow- 

 throated Vireo ( Vireo flnrlfrous) from whatever 

 point of view it is considered, from his lirst 

 advent in the spring to his latest hour among 

 us. Promptly he announces his arrival from 

 the neighboring grove with his clear mellow 

 whistle. The Warblers and the Finches may 

 unite in a grand harmonious medley, and we 

 listen to the melody as a whole and there is no 

 distinctive feature, but when flavifronn joins, 

 or rather when he speaks, for his notes fail to 

 unite in the chorus, so distinct is it, and 

 though all the other birds are singing we hear 

 only his note, clear, firm, steady, vigorous and 

 deliberate. 



He seems quite as much entitled to the ap- 

 pellation "solitary" as his blue-headed relative, 

 for one bird or at most a pair is the universal 

 rule, but as there is no rule without an excej)- 

 tion so here are occasionally seen two males 

 paying court to one female. It seems a very 

 unsatisfactory state of things to the trio how- 

 ever, and one of continuous conflict on the 

 part of tlie aspirants to favor, audit soon ter- 

 minates in the solitary status to at least one of 

 the contestants. 



Having entered the matrimonial state, the 



pair are in no haste about nesting and family 

 cares, but deliberately examine every tree, 

 every branch, and every spray, not unusually 

 for even weeks, for a suitable fork from which 

 to suspend the cradle. Having fixed upon a 

 site after the most mature deliberation days 

 and even weeks are sometimes consumed in its 

 construction, and a masterpiece of the art it is 

 when the finishing touches are put on, and the 

 bits of lichen that supply the trimming and 

 ornamentation are platted firmly and neatly in 

 their places. The whole structure is very 

 compact and firm, and securely fastened in 

 place. I have seen them labor for a number 

 of days at a foundation, and then have a storm 

 with wind rise and tear it all away — which 

 result is usually followed by abandonment. 



I have been amused" to see the female fly- 

 ing back and forth from her building nest to 

 the nearest old fence where she gathered 

 lichens and spiders' nests, materials largely 

 used to secure the fragments to the spray and 

 to each other, although not exclusively, for 

 I have observed them draw largely from 

 the webbing of the nests of the common 

 bag worm {ClMocampa americana) for that 

 purpose, as does also her relation, the Red- 

 eyed species. I have not seen the male bird 

 ever attempt to take any part in building the 

 nest, but he follows his mate deliberately 

 about on her excursions after material, and ac- 

 companies her back again, singing his best 

 songs in his most vigorous manner at each 

 resting place. I was exceedingly interested 

 last year over the movements of a male bird 

 which I observed singing his best from the 

 summit of a lone hickory, and as I walked 

 under the shade of its low branches he de- 

 scended from his lofty perch, and with a harsh 

 gutteral note began scolding at my intrusion. I 

 paused under a branch and watched his strange 

 evolutions as he came down within a few feet 

 of my head. I soon observed the cause, as 

 his nest was there and the female sittino- 

 snugly. He went directly to her and as she 

 slipped quietly away he placed himself firmly 

 in the nest and gazed over its walls with a look 

 which seemed to say "see me protect it, and 

 die before I'll sni-render" — and indeed he 

 would not leave till I almost touched him, 

 such was his devotion, and as he at last moved 

 to a contiguous spray he turned his head with 

 a look of fury in his eyes which said as plain 

 as looks could speak, "if I were only big 

 enough I'd fight you to the last." 



This species appears to be often afflicted 

 with parasites. I have seen nests that 



