THE^NIDiOLOGIST. 



t37 



Nesting of the Western YeIlow=Throat 



{Geothlypis trichas occipentalis). 



THE Western Yellow-throat is tolerably 

 common in this locality during the 

 spring. By this I mean that several 

 of the birds may be seen whenever we 

 frequent their haunts, and from six to a 

 dozen nests ma}' be taken in a season with- 

 out much trouble. 



During the fall a large majority — perhaps 

 all — of the birds migrate to the South, 

 I^ower California and Mexico, but a few 

 have been observed in the middle of winter, 

 although these had probably nested farther 

 north and had come to stay through the 

 winter only. 



They may always be found in nesting 

 time near streams or lakes wherever it is 

 swampy and where there is an abundance of 

 tall grass and tules, and I foimd quite a 

 number of them inhabiting the tule beds 

 along San Jacinto Lake, where they seemed 

 to be at home. But the place where I have 

 always found them in greatest numbers and 

 where all my nests have been taken, is along 

 a brook which flows through the Santa Ana 

 river-bottoms and is bordered on both sides 

 by willow and Cottonwood groves, as well 

 as b}^ grass and large tule beds. 



Here Geothlypis is nearly always sure to 

 build its nest over the water or in a swamp 

 where it is very difficult to find unless one 

 feels inclined to wade among the bog-holes 

 and run the risk of getting an occasional 

 ducking. I have never found the nest 

 built on the ground, but it was always 

 raised from four to twelve inches above it 

 among the grass or tules, although a friend 

 of mine has taken several nests which were 

 built flat upon the ground. 



As the nests differ but little in ronstruc- 

 tion and general make-up, a description of 

 one will suffice for all. One warm day in 

 June — it was the 14th, in 1890 — I had been 

 out nearly all day, and just as old Sol was 

 going to bed I entered a swamp where all 

 his sunlight was changed to shadows by 

 numerous willows and other trees. On 

 stepping over a fallen log into the tall, wet 

 grass, a little Yellow-throat flew up from 

 my feet and scudded awa}' into the thick 

 underbrush. A little searching revealed 

 the nest, which seemed to be the only dry 

 thing in that locality. It was placed in a 

 tussock of grass along the side of a log, and 

 was composed of dry tule stems neatly 

 lined with finely split bark. The eggs were 



four in number, clear crystalline white with 

 black and brown spots, blotches and streaks 

 forming a distinct wreath around the larger 

 end. After resting on the log a short time 

 viewing the beauties, I heard the female 

 scolding in her plaintive manner in a neigh- 

 boring thicket, but as no amount of teasing 

 on my part could induce her to come near, 

 and scold as she might, she could not induce 

 me to leave her nest and eggs, I carefull}' 

 packed them into my fish basket and left, 

 after consoling her with the fact that she 

 could easier produce a new set than I. 



I have never seen the male near the nest. 

 I have often read of the song of the Eastern 

 Yellow-throat, but have never been able to 

 hear the song of our Western sub-species. 



H. M. Hali.. 



Riverside, Cal. 

 [Read before the Cooper Ornith. Club.] 



The Blue=Qray Qnat=catcher. 



THIS is one of the most interesting 

 birds that has come under my obser- 

 vation. It makes its arrival in this 

 State about the e.nd of April. The 

 early ornithologists seemed at a loss to know 

 where to place this species, as Andubon 

 placed it with the Warblers and Wilson 

 with the Fly-catcher family. It was some 

 time before they placed it in a family by 

 itself. 



It is always on the look-out for insects, 

 as it darts from one part of a tree to another, 

 with tail erect and wings extended, all the 

 time making a feeble "tsee; tsee," hardly 

 audible at the foot of the tree. Though it 

 is a very small bird it inhabits the tree- 

 tops, and seldom visits the humbler 

 thickets. 



It has more of a song than its feeble 

 "tsee, " a kind of a lisping-chattering, inco- 

 herent warble, now reminding one of a 

 Goldfinch, now of a miniature Catbird, 

 then of a tiny Yellow-hammer — with much 

 variety, but no unity and little cadence. 



In forms and manners this little bird 

 seems almost a duplicate of the Catbird on 

 a small scale. 



When disturbed from its nest it mews 

 like a kitten, erects its tail, droops its 

 wings, and goes through a variety of other 

 motions. 



A nest was collected by the writer on 

 the 29th of May, 1893. It was saddled to 

 a horizontal limb about 15 feet from the 

 jjround, and was the most beautiful nest I 



