THE OOLOGIST. 



13 



Concealment of the nest is effected mostly 

 by constructing it of substances of the hue 

 of the surrounding vegetation, and in this 

 we find the greatest ingenuity, if it may so 

 be termed. Collectors are aware of the 

 difficulty in finding a Humming Bird's nest, 

 though diligent and untiring search be made, 

 so similar is it to the moss or lichen-cov- 

 ered bough on which it is placed. In car- 

 rying materials for the nest, the approach 

 to the place is made only after careful scru- 

 tiny of the surrounding objects, and then 

 sometimes by an indirect and circuitous 

 way. In most cases, the failure to find the 

 nest is due to this cause, and one is oftener 

 misled thus than by the actual concealment 

 of the nest. Nowhere in the Middle States 

 does any terrestrial nesting bird breed more 

 commonly than the Bobolink or Reed Bird, 

 yet it is surprising how few nests of this 

 species are found, evidently because the bird, 

 instead of alighting upon the nest, approach- 

 es it through the grass, and when disturbed 

 runs a short distance before takino; Aving'. 

 Most of our Warblers are extremely appre- 

 hensive of evil, and, though their nest be 

 concealed almost beyond possibility of dis- 

 covery, they at all times are cautious in 

 their approach. Were it not for this, the 

 doubt as to the breeding of certain species, 

 especially some of the Warblers in portions 

 of the country, might be more satisfactori- 

 ly dispelled. 



The stages of nest-building are those of 

 which we desire to know the most ; In oth- 

 er words, we are already aware of the gen- 

 eral composition of most birds' nests, and 

 where and about at what season of the year 

 they are built, but we wish to ascertain the 

 details of construction : how the process of 

 building is performed ; how long it takes to 

 build a nest ; whether nidification is accom- 

 plished by one or both sexes ; and finally, 

 the more minute particulars concerning the 

 methods of combining the materials, how 

 the substances attach to each other, and 

 whether concern or negligence is evinced in 

 their construction, and these are the most 

 difficult portions of our study. With the 

 nests of most of the larger species, such as 



the Hawks, Herons, Crows, etc., and a- 

 mong the smaller builders, of the Cuckoos, 

 Jays, and others making rude structures or 

 nidificating on the ground, we are supposed 

 to be acquainted, inasmuch as rarely any 

 deviation occurs in their appearance. But 

 even though a coarse and plain affair, op- 

 portunities for ascertaining the length of 

 time required to complete the structure, 

 and whether one or both sexes nidulate 

 should not be slighted. Those which, how- 

 ever, employ the finest and greatest variety 

 of vegetable substances, are the ones which 

 demand our attention as Regards the labor 

 and patience involved in building. With 

 most species, the male bird performs the 

 office of supplier, while the female arranges 

 and puts together the materials ; witli other 

 species both sexes aid in building, but po- 

 lygamous birds take no part in nidification. 



There are at least two distinct portions 

 to the nests of birds which nidulate in trees 

 and bushes, the foundation and the nest 

 proper. The basis however, is not neces- 

 sarily its bottom : some of our Flycatchers, 

 Thrushes and Warblers first establish a firm 

 support or skeleton nest of straws, pellets 

 of mud, leaves, or Iwigs, over and united 

 with which are the finer materials which 

 compose the nest proper. That of the 

 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is an example of this 

 form of architecture,* wherein the lichens 

 Avhich apparently form the greater part of 

 its bulk, are in reality only an outer cover- 

 ing. Most of the Thrushes, the Pewee, 

 Cliff and Barn Swallows and other species 

 intermix the leaves, stems, straws etc. with 

 pellets of mud, thus insuring a solidity not 

 found in nests of double formation. In the 

 place of mud, many birds aid in strengthen- 

 ing the adherence of the materials with sa- 

 liva. 



As soon as the nest is completed and be- 

 fore being occupied, those in which glutin- 

 ous substances are employed are allowed 

 from one to five days to become hardened. 

 It is also said that the Yellow Bird and some 

 of the Warblers leave the nest to the weath- 

 er, that it may become thoroughly firm. 



*See "Bird Architecture," Vol. II, p. 41. 



