166 GOLDEN-CHEEKED WARBLER 



fully fixed, in forks or crotches, with very substantial foundations of 

 nest material, and are all very similar in appearance. The favorite nest- 

 ing haunts are isolated patches or clumps of scrubby cedars, with scant 

 foliage, on the summits of the scarped canon slopes, and in the thick 

 cedar "brakes'. In cedar the older growth of trees is always selected, 

 and no attempt at concealment is made. I have never found a nest 

 in a young thrifty cedar with thick foliage. 



"The male is always to be heard singing in the vicinity of the nest, 

 and the old nesting localities, and occasionally the same tree is selected 

 apparently and returned to one year after another. 



Nest. — "The outside of the nest is chiefly cedar bark strips, with 

 a few weed stalk fibers, woven with spider webs and cocoons, lined 

 with fine grass-tops, horse hair, goat hair and feathers, those of the 

 Quail and Cardinal being most commonly selected, and especially the 

 latter. The cavities of six nests measured average 1.60 inches across 

 by 1.80 inches deep. 



Eggs. — "The eggs are usually 3 or 4 the latter being a full set, my 

 only higher record is finding one nest which contained five young. 

 Occasionally a nest is found which also includes a Cowbird's egg. Nest 

 building commences very soon after the birds arrive, and nests with 

 full sets of fresh eggs are found about April 15. I have early records 

 of four eggs hard set on April 11, 1904, and the young birds ready to 

 leave the nest on April 24. The cold freezing 'spells' and rough 

 storms, or 'northers', which frequently occur during the latter part 

 of March and during April must often interfere with nesting arrange- 

 ments, and to this cause I attribute the frequent finding in April and 

 early part of May of so many forsaken nests, either empty or contain- 

 ing 1 or 2 stale eggs. The trees having been thrashed for several 

 days at a time by rough winds, sometimes accompanied by hail storms, 

 and the nests soaked and more or less disarranged no doubt causes 

 the birds to desert them. 



"The eggs vary considerably in size, shape and markings. The 

 average for 31 eggs now in my collection, is .66X.51, the three 

 largest eggs measuring .72X.51, .70X.54, and .71X.53, and the 

 three smallest .61x49, .62X.54, .62X.50. The eggs are plain white 

 with sometimes a slight gloss, and quite thickly splashed chiefly around 

 the large end with spots, specks, blotches and occasionally streaks, of 

 various shades of dark reddish brown, mixed with lilac and lavender." 

 (Attwater, MS.) 



Nesting Dates. — Comal Co., Texas, March 10 (C W. C.)-June 

 27 (/. P N.). 



