THE OOLOGIST 



888 



been found in the neighborhood, lati- 

 tude about 42-20 North, since 1878. 

 However, a nest was discovered a few 

 miles from the old place, within the 

 last year or two. The best time to se- 

 cure fresh eggs was in early June, and 

 on the first of the month, 1877 five nests 

 with eggs rewarded my search. 



The nests are generally placed from 

 three to four feel up when in small 

 bushes, and sometimes in a crotch quite 

 six feet from the ground, while many 

 nests have come under my observation 

 not over one or two feet above the 

 ground. These lowest sites were usu- 

 ally in recumbent raspberry vines. 

 The structure is not well put together, 

 and will compare fairly well with nests 

 of the Black-throated Blue and Hooded 

 Warblers as to durability, and though 

 lacking the nicity of lining of the former 

 and the bleached leaves of the latter, it 

 is composed of much the same material, 

 namely, dead grass coarse aud fine, fine 

 roots, occasionally grape vine strips 

 rarely a few fine twigs. Some nests 

 contained hors3 hair. Oliver Davie 

 leads one to think that the nest some- 

 what resembles that of the Yellow 

 Warbler, but it is fair to assert that 

 they are in no respect alike, either in 

 appearance or material. 



In 1878 and 79 I found this bird a 

 common summer resident of Kent and 

 Ottawa counties, latitude about 43 de- 

 grees North. The years 1880-83 inclu- 

 sive the Chestnut-sided was summering 

 in Montcalm and Newaygo counties. 

 In 1885 and 91 I met with this bird on 

 Macinac Island, and have found it also 

 on the Northern Peninsula as well as 

 in the counties on the Southern bound- 

 ary of the state. 



The birds generally select the mar- 

 gins of pineries at the north but prefer 

 the clearings where there is a second 

 growth. ' If there has been a burning 

 the birds always select it aud are most 

 at home in spots chosen by the Prairie 



and Mourning Warblers, White-throat- 

 ed Sparrows and Juncos. 



The eggs are three or four in number 

 more often three, but five eggs have 

 been taken. Commonly speaking they 

 are white, spotted with red dish- brovn. 

 But to describe a series of eggs would 

 occupy much space.for they vary great- 

 ly. Sometimes there are but few spots 

 on the surface, and again they are very 

 numerous and some specimens are so 

 blotched at the larger end that the 

 whole butt is covered with reddish- 

 brown or a kind of purplish or laven- 

 der. The dimensions of the eggs do 

 not differ to any great extent and in 

 my series of measurements there Avas 

 but slight difference. 



On being flushed from the nest of 

 eggs the old bird drops almost to the 

 ground and flits into a thicket near by 

 and usually remains out of sight while 

 the stroller is at hand, and the bird's 

 presence is only known by the call-notes 

 uttered from the thicket. When the 

 eggs are well advanced in incubation 

 or after the young are hatched the old 

 birds become quite uneasy at our pres- 

 ence and flit about and chirp excitedly 



Both birds set upon the eggs, as with, 

 I presume all the Warblers I am ac- 

 quainted with seven members of this 

 family, where the old birds join issue 

 in the duties of incubation. 



Morris Gibbs. 



The Ornithology of a Church Yard. 



About three miles south-east of Ber- 

 wyn and fifteen from Philadelphia, nest- 

 ing in a secluded hollow of a quiet 

 neighborhood, stands a quaint old 

 building known as the St. David's Epis- 

 copal church. 



Over the large chancel window we 

 read "A. D., 1714." In this . little 

 church, men whose, names and deeds 

 are known to all the country; have 

 worshiped, in the time gone by. On 

 all sides of the church, aye even under 



