GOLDEN-CHEEKED WARBLER 165 



sundown, and before nest building begins shows little alarm upon 

 being approached. I have stood under a tree at number of times within 

 five or six feet of a wandering male Golderr-cheek, which appeared 

 as pleased and interested in watching me as I was in observing him. 

 Seemingly he was desirous of assisting me to describe his song in 

 my note-book, by very obligingly repeating it frequently for my special 

 benefit. 



"The young birds out of the nest, which are being fed by the 

 parents late in April and early in May, are from early nests which 

 have escaped destruction by 'northers' on account of their sheltered 

 positions and situations, and it is possible that then another nest is 

 built and a second brood reared. Nests with fresh eggs are seldom 

 found after the middle of May. During June the family groups wan- 

 der about together, chiefly in the canons and along the lower hillsides, 

 keeping together till the young are old enough to take care of them- 

 selves. While being fed by the parents the 'twittering' of the young 

 birds is continually heard, with the cautious 'tick, tick' alarm notes 

 of the female when enemies approach. Early in July they begin to 

 scatter, as most of the young birds are then able to shift for them- 

 selves. By the middle of July most of the old males have stopped 

 singing, and by the end of July old and young have disappeared from 

 their usual haunts. I have noticed a few stragglers during the first 

 two weeks in Ajugust, and all probably leave before September first. 



Song. — "It would be difficult to describe the Golden-cheek's song 

 with any real satisfaction. It varies somewhat, being uttered much 

 more rapidly by some individuals than by others. At a distance only 

 the louder parts are heard, so that it sounds somewhat different than 

 when heard at close quarters. The hurried song might be given 

 as tweah, tweah, twee-sy, with some individuals introducing an extra 

 note or two, and the slower or more deliberate style twee-ah, eseah, 

 eachy. After the young leave the nests the males gradually stop sing- 

 ing, and at this period sometimes only use a part of the regular song. 



Nesting Site. — "Of over fifty nests of this bird which I have 

 examined, most of them were securely placed in perpendicular forks of 

 the main limbs of cedar trees, about two-thirds up in the tree ; average 

 fifteen feet from the ground. My highest re^prd is twenty-one feet, 

 and lowest six feet. I have also found them in similar positions 

 in small black oak, mountain oak, walnut and pecan trees. The 

 majority of nests are undoubtedly built in cedar trees, and resemble 

 the limbs on which they are placed, on account of cedar bark being 

 chiefly used for the outsides of the nests. The nests were all care- 



