Nov., 1908 



NESTING xNOTES FROM THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS 



231 



normal nest is greenish in color. One nest built in a sycamore was made entirely 

 of white goat hair and fine grass. The hair hung down some inches in a fringe all 

 over and made a handsome ornament. Being compelled to leave before the eggs 

 were laid, I did not collect it. 



Both parents are very brave when on the nest, the male more so than the 

 female. A nest was found May 31, 1907. It was forty feet up in a maple, one of 

 the few instances where the nest was placed well up from the ground. The female 

 sat close as I worked with my rope trying to get within reach. Just as I was 

 about to reach the nest the male flew down and the female relinquished her guard 

 to him. He pecked my finger as I reached out, and settled down close into the 

 nest. I poked him but he refused to leave and sat with mouth wide open ready to 

 repel the invader. I tried slipping my finger under him but he did not budge. Then 

 I took him by both sides of his open beak and lifted but he hung onto the bottom of 



NEST OF THE PLUMBEOUS VIREO 



the nest with his feet. Nonplused, I desisted for a few moments, debating how to 

 get a view of the contents of the nest. While doing this he decided "that he had 

 done enough, hopped off, and flew into a neighboring tree. He deserved his treas- 

 ures, so after one peep at the three eggs, I untied my ropes and descended. 



On May 23, 1907, while ascending Ramsay Canyon in company with Mr. W. 

 A. Johnson I stopped at a place where a Plumbeous was nearly always heard, but all 

 was silent. I was about to move on when a couple of L,ong-crested Jays flew by 

 into a clump of maples. Almost instantly the war-cry of the Vireos arose and, on 

 hurrying to the spot, both birds were found fighting the Jays which soon took 

 refuge in flight. A minute later, the female flew down into a small oak and hopped 

 onto her nest which hung in plain sight some twelve feet from the ground and close 

 to the trail. I was up that tree in a hurry and reached toward the nest, which 

 she left at once. I could feel a nest full of eggs so began transferring them to my 



