BIRDS OF THE UNITED STATES. 
11 
fly immediately to tlie nest and adjust the piece, but indulges in short 
flights from one object to an adjoining one, carefully surveying the prem- 
ises all the while, until within a few yards of the nest, when she rapidly 
flies thither, and having disposed of her burden, goes off in quest of 
others. Where accustomed to man, the Cat-Bird does not seem to be 
much annoyed by his presence. 
Nidification ordinarily commences about the 18th of May. The nest 
is placed in various positions — sometimes on a horizontal limb, occasionally 
in a crotch, but generally among the branches of the bush upon Avhich it 
reposes. The materials of composition are as varied as they are numerous. 
In thickets, and also in places removed from human habitations, a plat- 
form of dried leaves, slender sticks, or weeds is used as a basis, on which 
is reared a superstructure of small twigs, fine roots, herbaceous plants, bits 
of straws, pine needles, and other materials which are common to such 
situations. But when a nest is built in close proximity to the home of 
man, bits of string, strands of silk or thread, and bunches of cotton or 
wool are appropriated, and made to do excellent service. 
From the foregoing remarks it is obvious that nests vary according to 
changes in the environvient. Hence, what is typical in one locality might 
be deemed but a deviation from the normal form, when compared with 
a nest of the same sjDecies found in an entirely different neighborhood, 
and vice versa. ]\Ir. Ingersoll describes a nest found near Norwich, 
Connecticut, which was suspended between two small bushes in such a 
manner that it had no other support than that afforded by a slender spray 
from each bush ; but the large mass of crooked sticks below offered so many 
hooked ends and projections that the nest was very secure. The writer 
describes elsewhere a nest that was carelessly made, and bearing a close 
resemblance to the structure of the Maryland Yellow-thi-oat, which he sup- 
posed to be the work of young or indolent birds. Another, on the con- 
trary, showed superior workmanship. The outside of this cosy and 
beautiful nest was composed of wool, raw cotton, strings, fragments of 
lamj)-wick, a slight intermixture of tangled silk, fragments of lichens, etc., 
