Concord, Mass.
1899.
June
(E)
  Dendroica blackburniae. - A [male] heard singing on Davis's Hill
June 3rd and another at White Pond on the 8th
both in white pine woods. The Warblers appear to be
slowly but steadily increasing and spreading over the
region about Concord during the breeding season.
  Sylvania canadensis. - A [male] was singing in the swamp just
behind Ball's Hill on the 15th. I did not visit Davis's
Swamp this month but one or two birds which were singing
there the last of May were apparently settled for the summer.
  Setophaga ruticilla. - This species has increased greatly in
numbers during the past ten years in the region
about Concord & at Ball's Hill it now breeds abundantly.
We found no less than five nests there this season. Two
were begun on the morning of May 27th and two on that
of the 19th while the fifth was apparently completed
on the latter date. Two of the five pairs hatches &
reared their young successfully, the other three nests
were destroyed soon after the eggs were laid. Gilbert took
some careful notes respecting one of these nests from which
I have compiled the following:
  At about 6 A.M. on May 17th a [female] Redstart brought
a long, transparent, silky-looking fiber - apparently that of
a milkweed stalk - to a gray birch in front of the cabin
and placing it at the intersection of a rather stout branch
with the main the began moving it about until its position
suited her when she pressed it down firmly by rubbing
it with the side of her head while she turned slowly from
side to side. This was literally the first bit of nest material
that was put in the crotch. Many others of an apparently
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