138 Bird -Lore 



partly skeletonized; an occasional strip of grape-vine bark, stem of the 

 walking-grass, oak or hickory blossom finds its way in the rim of the nest. 

 It is noteworthy that the bird seems to prefer leaves of more than a single 

 season's decay, probably on account of the lessened bulk and better binding 

 quality, as the nest is an exceedingly flat , and compact structure for a 

 ground -building Warbler. It is invariably lined with the flower-stems of the 

 hair-moss, with only an occasional black horse-hair in a series of nests. 

 The bright, reddish lining is about all there is to catch the eye, and that 

 can seldom be seen from more than one point. When the bird is covering 

 it, the blending is perfect at a short distance. The nest averages about three 

 days in construction; the second and third buildings are frailer, showing 

 haste. The nest is commenced May 15 to 20; the eggs are deposited and 

 incubation is usually begun about May 28. 



Eggs. — The eggs number four or five, usually the latter, rarely 

 three, unless imposed upon by the Cowbird. Second sets — the first having 

 been destroyed — seldom consist of more than four, and sometimes of only 

 three eggs. There can be no set rule as to time when the first egg is depos- 

 ited. If it is ready it is deposited immediately upon completion of nest, 

 usually one or two days elapse. Deposition occurs daily, in most instances 

 before 10 A. M. , one instance every other day, when four eggs were in the set. 



Incubation. — Incubation does not always commence immediately after 

 completion of set, particularly if the season be young. It is probable that 

 the second night witnesses the beginning of that period and, as far as my 

 experience goes, I believe it is performed by the female alone. The male 

 feeds her when covering newly hatched young. The home-coming of a 

 brooding bird, after a brief airing and feeding, is heralded several hundred 

 yards distant by frequent chips and short flights from branch to branch near 

 the ground, in leisurely fashion and circuitous route, until at length, arriv- 

 ing above the nest, she runs down a sapling and is silent. The bird is a 

 close sitter and if approached from the open front will often allow a few 

 minutes' silent inspection, eye to eye, at arm's length, sometimes not vacat- 

 ing until touched, then she runs off in a sinuous trail, not always feigning 

 lameness before the young are out. When disturbed with young in the nest 

 she will flutter off with open wings and tail, and, failing to lead one off, will 

 return with her mate, who is seldom far off at this period, circling about the 

 nest or intruder, and, if the young are well feathered, she will dash at them, 

 forcing them from the nest and to shelter. Once this brave Httle bird dashed 

 at me and ran up to my knee, scratching with her sharp little claws at every 

 step. On the return the birds always make the vicinity ring with their pro- 

 tests — a quickly repeated chip. The period of incubation in one instance 

 was thirteen days. 



Young. — Young fear man soon after their eyes are open, and a menacing 

 finger will cause them to scamper out and away, repeated replacing in the 



