208 



THE OOLOGIST. 



white beneath upper chest, ashy under 

 tail coverts yellowish. 



My next species is No. 652, Yellow 

 Warbler, (Dendroica cestiva.) 



This bird is too well known to need 

 any extended description. In this lo- 

 cality they breed very commonly i n 

 willow patches, near water, making 

 their nests out of the willow catkins. 

 They strive in many ways to cover up 

 the eggs of the obnoxious cowbird, 

 among which is their hahit of building 

 twoor three story nests. Very often they 

 cover some of their own eggs as well as 

 the cowbirds. 



In most instances where they hatch a 

 cowbird's egg their own young soon 

 disappear to be seen no more. In many 

 instances they are found on the ground 

 under the nest. Sometimes I can find 

 no trace of them. Their eggs vary in 

 number, from (where there are no cow- 

 bird's eggs) three or usually four to 

 sometimes six. They are easily known 

 from other Warbler's eggs by the green- 

 ish ground color and the bold, coarse pat- 

 tern of the brown markings. 



Next I find on my list, No. 659, Chest- 

 nut-sided Warbler, (Dendroici penn- 

 sylvanica.) 



This bird, through from what I can 

 learn, it seems to be considered rather 

 common in some portions of Western 

 New York, is a rare breeder in this vi- 

 cinity. I have only one record and not 

 even seen the birds during the breeding 

 season in any other instance. On the 

 same evening that I found the nest of 

 the Golden-winged Warbler, (June 2d; 

 1892) was forcing my way through a 

 clump of bushes, in the same clearing 

 that I had noticed the starting of a nest 

 in some five days before, when I found 

 myself looking down on a nest situated 

 quite low, in a small bush. On looking 

 closely I saw a bird, which I recognized 

 as the Chestnut-sided Warbler, sitting 

 on the nest. 



She did not wish to leave and staid 

 until I placed my hand on the edge of 



the nest. Then she left with a cry of 

 alarm which brought the male at once. 



The nest was constructed almost ex- 

 actly like the common Chipping Spar- 

 row's but was smaller. The lining was 

 entirely of hair and the nest was well 

 shaped. It was placed in the crotch of 

 three twigs and fastened tightly. The 

 eggs were three and one of the cowbird, 

 incubation commenced. In color they 

 were cream, wi t h a slight, greenish 

 tinge, spotted with umber light brown 

 and lavender shell marks, all gathered 

 in a decided wreath at the larger end; 

 altogether they were a beautiful set, 

 but I wish the Cowbird had not found 

 the nest as I think there would have 

 been four eggs, but for her. 



The eggs were quite small, except Pa- 

 rula and G-ol den- wing, the smallest 

 wai'blers eggs I have. 



Next on my list is No. 681, Maryland 

 Yellow-throat, (Oeothlypi strichas.) 



This species though not a very com- 

 mon breeder here, is occasionally seen 

 in suitable places. However it was not 

 until this present season, that I found a 

 nest of this bird. On the evening of 

 June 17th, while searching for eggs of 

 the Indigo Bunting, in a swamp, limiles 

 north of here on the line of the N. Y. 

 C. R. R., I was tramping through a 

 patch of briers (and a very thick one 

 too) I heard a flutter close to the ground 

 and on watching intently, saw a small 

 bird leave the briers which from the 

 poorness of the light I could not make 

 out. 



On searching underfoot I finally dis- 

 covered a nest firmly placed in the 

 canes about ten inches from the giound. 

 Of course on finding the nest I was de- 

 termined to find out what the bird was, 

 so I concealed myself and soon had the 

 pleasure of seeing both birds come back 

 and recognized them as Maryland Yel- 

 low-throats. They were very much dis- 

 turbed by my presence and the female 

 made many trips to the nest. 



The nest was built almost exactly like 



