is particularly true in the lowlands bor- 

 dering the larger rivers, and occasion- 

 ally isolated pairs will be found nesting 

 in similar localities along smaller 

 streams. The nests, which are placed 

 in deserted woodpecker holes, cavities in 

 old stumps or even in deep crevices in 

 old logs are usually plainly lined with 

 rootlets or fibers from bark. Occasion- 

 ally they are more elaborately lined with 

 moss, feathers, cast off snake skins and 

 other materials suited to the fancy 

 ol the birds. Early in the season it is 

 quite difficult to locate the nesting sites, 

 and often one is finally surprised at 

 the number of pairs nesting in a colony. 

 At Meredosia, Illinois, where I first 

 made the acquaintance of these exquisite 

 birds, I found them nesting on the 

 comparatively dry river bank. Here, 

 too, I found chickadees nesting and 

 using excavations precisely like those 

 of the Warblers. Later, while visit- 

 ing the banks of the Kankakee River 

 I naturally looked for the Warblers in 

 similar situations but did not find them. 

 But finally, much to my surprise, I 

 found four pairs nesting close to the 

 house where I was staying, near a 

 small slough, which bordered a prairie. 

 My experience would show that they 



colonize at times in small numbers and 

 that they will occasionally, at least, nest 

 in the open, near to paths over which 

 people are frequently passing. The 

 experience of others would show, how- 

 ever, that as a rule the Prothonotary 

 Warblers are very shy and retire to 

 the denser swamps to rear their young. 

 They are believed to raise two broods 

 each season, the period of incubation 

 requiring about two weeks. I have 

 found that the number of eggs varies 

 from three to six. According to Mr. 

 Loucks, there has been considerable dis- 

 cussion regarding the number of eggs 

 laid. While four, five and six seem to 

 be the usual numbers, sets of seven 

 have been occasionally found ; sets of 

 eight and nine are very rare and in one 

 instance a set of ten eggs was reported. 

 The eggs are beautiful and very inter- 

 esting because of the variation in the 

 markings, the colors, and the number 

 in the sets. For this reason, large 

 numbers have been taken by collectors 

 and many of these useful birds have 

 thus been destroyed. This extensive 

 collecting of the Prothonotary's eggs 

 should b^ discouraged by all who come 

 in contact with collectors. 



Frank Morley Woodruff. 



A RAINY DAY IN SPRING. 



I was wakened at dawn by a liquid 

 bird-voice trailing through my room, 

 and blending with my dream. It was no 

 dream sprite, however, but a real and 

 feathered one perched upon my window 

 sill, and pouring forth lovely melodies 

 to greet the new day. A wandering 

 voice; a prima donna of the woodland 

 singing to the accompaniment of the 

 murmuring pines near my window. A 

 happy omen, even though it ushered in 

 a rainy day. 



Ah, how lovely was the walk among 



the maples that day! With their rain- 

 swxpt trunks and red blossoms, they 

 looked like dryads dressed in black vel- 

 vet gowns, and wearing dainty jewels 

 of coral. Here and there the path was 

 laid with a glowing rosy carpet of the 

 fallen pink blossoms, fit for a fairy's 

 footsteps. 



The low shrubs were wreathed in a 

 veil of delicate green, and the willows 

 gently swayed their feathery, gold-green 

 streamers, bending and rocking in the 

 breezes. At one side of the road stood 



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