FIELD AND FOREST. II 



Mr. Jackson adds that this nest was on a thickly wooded hill-side, 

 above a running stream, and that is was so neatly imbedded in the 

 ground that its discovery would have been impossible had its position 

 not been betrayed by the female. In the latter part of June, Mr. 

 Jackson found another nest, which was in all respects like the preced- 

 ing ; and more recently, Mr. J. H. Batty found / one at Montclair, 

 New Jersey, the position and composition of which were the same. The 

 above constitutes about all the reliable account which have hitherto 

 been published regarding the nest and eggs of this bird. 



All our readers — at least those familiar with the vicinity of Washing- 

 ton — know the thickly-wooded, steep hill-sides facing the Potomac riv- 

 er on the Virginia shore, just above the Aqueduct Bridge. The delic- 

 iously cool nooks along this shore, with their rippling brooks and luxuri- 

 ant ferns, shaded all the day from the hot summer's sun, are a favorite re- 

 sort with those who manage to escape for a day from the city, and it was 

 here that we were recently (June 12) enjoying a day of recreation, 

 and had the rare luck to discover a nest of the Worm-eating Warbler. 

 Several nests of the Cat Bird and Wood Thrush had been found, and 

 we were keeping a sharp look-out for one of the Golden-crowned 

 Thrush, or Black-and-white Creeper, both of which were noticed 

 feeding full-fledged young. We had not thought of the Worm- 

 eating Warbler, and consequently were considerably surprised to see 

 one near by, with a worm in its bill, exhibiting great uneasiness at 

 our presence, by her restless movements, and loud chirping, as 

 she flitted from bush to bush. Her complaining notes soon brought 

 to her presence a Golden-crowned Thrush, {Seiurus aiirocapillus), 

 who hopped about, uttering very similar notes, and appearing so 

 nearly like the other in every movement, that it was only by 

 its spotted breast that it could readily be distinguished ; and 

 while we were watching these, a pair of Red-eyed Vireos came to the 

 scene, and, less suspicious of our presence, went directly to their pen- 

 dulous nest, in an oak sapling almost over head. It became apparent 

 after a while, that we would have to remove some distance before the 

 bird would venture to her nest, for which we had searched "high and 

 low "; so we accordingly ascended the hill -side for two or three rods 

 from the spot where we knew the nest must be, and waited patiently. 

 After ten or fifteen minutes she grew more quiet, and flew into a large 

 pit on the hill-side ; but being not yet confident, she flew out again, 



