Cistothorus stellarls . 



Concord, Mass, Nest and eggs. 



1893. ground. The grass was of the short, v/iry kind Imown as cut 



July 20. grass (Carex monile, fide Y/.Deane). During his trips to the 



(No. 2). nest the bird, as far as I could see, had nothing in his bill. 



I left the nest unmolested in the hope that more eggs would 

 be laid. (There were six on the 22nd and no more on the 25rd 

 when I took the set ). 



July 23. Up river with W.Deane in the forenoon rowing to Clamshell 



Hill and sailing thence to Pairhaven, stopping by the way to 

 visit the Marsh Wren's nest near Heath's Bridge. The nunaber 

 of eggs had not bei^n added to since yesterday so I assumed 

 that the set was complete and took both eggs and nest. The 

 male was singing about sixty yards away when we landed. We v; 

 walked directly to the nest and stood within three or four 

 feet of it for a minute or more, talking. Then I stooped to 

 look in when the female darted out of the entrance hole and 

 dropping to, or nearly to, the ground made off through the 

 grass, probably springig^ from stem to stem but keeping so 

 well concealed that I could not see her. The trembling of the 

 stems served to trace her route and progress pretty accurately 

 however. After she had gone a few yards I rushed after her 

 when she flushed and flew off slowly and heavily. The Bowles 

 Bros, have never started a bird from the nest but in this in- 

 stance I probably surprised the bird by approaching swiftly 

 and silently along the path which I had made during previous 



