OF VIRGINIA 319 
with those in my collection and taken elsewhere, making 
me promise to put forth greater efforts the nest season. 
Undoubtedly they breed in Northampton and Accomac 
counties, while inland they are quite abundant. The 
nest is a well-made, compact structure of fine weed stcins, 
grasses and bits of bark fiber, lined wth fine grasses or 
hair, sometimes feathers. The eggs have a creamy, 
grayish-white ground, and are specked, blotched and 
spotted with various shades of brown, with undermarkings 
of lavender. Size, .57x.49. Fresh egos May 25th to 
June 3rd. Only one brood a season. They migrate south- 
ward the first week in August. During their sojourn 
they are most actively engaged in procuring the staple 
warbler food, caterpillars; though they also take many 
gnats, flies and winged insects while on the wing, similar 
to the smaller flycatchers. The nest is generally placed in 
the upright crotch of a low second-growth bush, from 
eight to fifteen feet up. Undoubtedly they help to keep 
in check many of the harmful insects found;in the wood- 
land that would spread to our shade and fruit trees if 
unchecked. I did not find them breeding above 3,500 feet 
altitude in the mountains. 
