BRITISH WARBLERS 
flew towards the nest with a piece in his bill, but dropped it 
when settling near the nest. 
May ‘th.—Soon after my arrival the male commenced to 
carry dead grass to an entirely different place from where 
the nest is built. The female came to him when he called. 
The male has been away from the female and is now carrying 
dead grass to yet another place. Not long since the female 
was in this particular place, remaining there for some time. 
Male continues to carry dead grass rapidly to this place, but 
is now precipitating himself upon her. He has again com- 
menced to build, female also sharing in the work. I have 
examined the second place to which he was carrying dead 
erass and found the commencement of a nest. In the third 
place the outer part of the nest is complete. | 
May 8th.—After watching for some considerable time the 
female went to the nest. There is no real excitement on 
the part of either of them, but the male has been singing 
a little. 
May 9th—Female hard at work building the nest. As 
she was leaving it the male commenced his precipitous flight. 
May 10th.—The pair are quietly feeding close together, 
male at times singing. 
May 11th.—First egg laid. 
Thus on the eleventh day and in the third nest the first 
ega was laid. The period of eleven days in this particular 
case is a long one, six days being sometimes sufficient for the 
production of the first egg. The promiscuous building of 
nests by the male is curious, and explains what previously 
had been a mystery to me, namely, the number of unfinished 
nests belonging to this species that one so often finds in 
proximity to one another, and which are so especially con- 
spicuous in the winter months when the vegetation has decayed. 
The first nest, which was completely formed except the lining, 
I have in my possession, but the second nest was not suffi- 
ciently formed to allow of removal. ‘The third nest was com- 
pletely finished, and the actual position of this nest seems 
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