DELAWARE VALLEY OROTTHOLOGICAL CLUB 27 



he appears flying across the water from shore to shore just 

 above the Spatter-docks (Niiphar advena) seeming as though 

 one of their bright flowers had veritably taken wing, the appar- 

 ent indifference, with which he regards your presence when you 

 think you must surely be at his front door, — all combine to give 

 a visit to his haunts unusual charm. 



Many were the old woodpeckers' borings and rotted knot 

 holes examined, but without result, until in our discouragment 

 we began to realize that the Prothonotary enjoyed a consider- 

 able period of freedom before settling down to family cares. 

 Although a second visit some two weeks later rewarded us with 

 a view of mating birds, they would not reveal their nesting site, 

 and it was not until the third trip in June, after a fruitless 

 morning following apparently this will-o-the-wisp, that we 

 finally succeeded in locating a nest. On this occasion another 

 unsuspecting friend volunteered his companionship and was 

 pressed into the service of galley slave in the leakiest home- 

 made batteaux that ever floated, with inverted and very un- 

 stable horseshoes for oar-locks. 



While drifting idly along, a Prothonatary, which we followed 

 in its flight, went straight to a small hole in a live willow eight 

 feet above the water and disappeared within ; presently he re- 

 appeared, hesitating at the entrance for a moment, and then flew 

 off again. In a state of ecstasy the faithful slave overcame all 

 obstacles, the tree was reached, and climbing to the nest we 

 found a brood of youngsters probably three days old. The nest, 

 which was in the abandoned cavity of a Downy Woodpecker, 

 placed about four inches below the entrance, was composed of 

 bits of moss and fine strips of bark. The willow was not large 

 and its rather sparse foliage afforded a very light screen, but 

 taking up a comfortable position within four feet of the entrance 

 we awaited developments. The cock soon returned with a small 

 green worm and alighting near at hand, eyed us with interest, 

 but apparently without any nervousness. After some shifting 

 about, including several attempts to reach the hole, during 

 which he could not quite decide to enter before an intruder at 

 such close quarters, he finally braved it, slipped in, fed the 

 youngsters, reappeared at the entrance, looked about him with 



