140 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



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imperialis and Harrisina Americana in their larval 

 condition, and mature forms oi Spilosoma Virginica, 

 Utetheisa bella, Eudryas grata, and many of the 

 NoctuidcB, Tortricida and Tineictce. 



Few species among the Warblers possess a 

 more graceful movement upon the ground, than 

 the one under notice. It may be truly said to 

 walk, one foot being slightly raised while the other 

 is being! placed upon the ground, and vica versa. 

 It maybe readily indentified in the distance by the 

 peculiar nodding movement of the head. 



Its flight is low, tolerably firm, and well sustained. 



Nidifi cation commences usually about the last 

 week of' May, but at the time of writing {June 3), 

 this essential operation has hardly begun. This 

 delay 'is probably due to the backwardness of the 

 season. Both birds work diligently until the com- 

 pletion of a nest which is the labor of four days. 

 A concavity in the ground is selected for the site, 

 which usually inclines at an angle of 45 degrees. 

 The typical structure is said to be oven-shaped 

 with an aperture sufificienly large to admit the 

 ready ingress and egress of the female. We have 

 never observed a single nest which would agree 

 with the' above partial description. All that we 

 have examined were modeled somewhat after the 

 fashion of that of Geotklypis trie has, being located 

 at the base of a clump of bushes, and carefully 

 concealed by enveloping leaves. Externally, the 

 nest is composed of dry leaves, stems of grassesj 

 mosses, and fragments of vegetables ; and is lined 



