The Black and White Creeper. 



{Mniotilta varia.) 



June 16tli, I found a nest of the Black 

 and White Creeper containing five young 

 birds, one of them evidently a Cowbird. I 

 was in the woods the day previous with 

 lay Httle son who is very fond of birds, 

 and after showing him several nests of 

 Vireos, Eedstarts and Golden-crowned 

 Thrushes, I heard a loud, energetic alarm 

 note repeated over and over again. I soon 

 discovered a pair of Creepers in a very ex- 

 cited frame of mind. .1 watched them for 

 a few minutes and as it was growing dark 

 I resolved to visit that particular locality 

 the next morning, feeling siire that they 



had a nest there, and that I could find it. 

 Seven o'clock the following morning found 

 me in the woods again, and the birds were 

 also there, apparently as deeply interested 

 in my movements as I was in theirs. I 

 hunted around for an hour or so without 

 success and then retired from the scene of 

 action and waited awhile, hojoing the female 

 would return to her nest and that I should 

 be successful in flushing her later. 



They were evidently bound not to be 

 caught napping, for upon my return they 

 were scolding away as earnestly as ever. 

 As I was about to leave them to their 

 chosen solitude, feeling that they had out- 

 witted me, I saw a small dead bird lying 

 upon the ground, and as I stooped to ex- 

 amine it, I discovered the long looked for 

 nest. It was placed near the top of a 

 gently sloping hill, by the side of the trunk 

 of a young oak, and was quite well con- 

 cealed. It was composed almost wholly of 

 dried grasses and was not a bit too large. 

 The five occupants completely filled it, and 

 the young Cowbird realizing (apparently) 

 that he was an intruder and feeling ashamed 

 of being caught imposing upon such small 

 fry, gave a bound and a lusty chirp, and 

 walked off. The Uttle Creepers followed 

 the example of theii' big foster-brother, and 

 soon all was confusion. The parent birds 

 hearing the cries of their young were at my 

 side in an instant, chirping piteously and 

 trailing their beautiful wings as if trying to 

 induce me to reach for them. They were 

 within my reach several times, and by their 

 excited actions and droll performances they 

 seemed to say as plainly as if by words, 

 "Please don't hurt our babies. Take us." 



In all my bird's nesting exjoerienoe, I 

 have never witnessed a more tender and 

 beautiful exhibition of the love of parent 

 birds for their helpless young. 



Although my collection of eggs was not 

 enriched by this find, yet the experience 

 was one that wUl always be pleasantly re- 

 membered. — Chas. JEdw. Frior, Jewett 

 City, Conn. O.&O. IX,S©pt,1884.p./(>f 



Birda of Bayou Sara, La., 0'r>aerved 

 April 1-2S. byC.V/.BecKtiam 



____ Having safely olis- 



posed of this last find we resumed our tramp, 

 and liad not gone fifty feet when another 

 bird arose from almost under our feet. This 

 time it was the Black aiid W hite W arbler 

 (Mniotilta varia), who fluttered lamely off, us- 

 ing all the tactics peculiar to many of the 

 ground-builders when flushed from the nest. 

 Paying no attention to her we devoted our- 

 selves to a search for the nest, and in a few mo- 

 ments success rewarded our efforts. It was 

 composed externally of roots and a few twigs, 

 and lined with hair; the whole being placed 

 in a slight liollow in the ground at the foot of 

 a sapling. The eggs were six in number, four 

 belonging to the parent birds and the remain- 

 ing two to that avian parasite, the Cowbird. 

 One of the Warbler's eggs was badly cracked 

 or broken, and glued fast to the bottom of the 

 nest. The cigar box was again called into re- 

 quisition, and, as it was now supper time we 

 turned our steps in the direction of the hotel 

 quite elated at our success. 



O.&O. XIV.Ngv, 1CG9 p.liio 



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I saw but three or four Black-and-white Warblers, but was 

 fortunate enough to find a nest on the 33d, containing four partly 

 incubated eggs. It was on the ground on a densely wooded hill- 

 side, loosely consti-ucted of dead leaves, etc. , and was roofed over 

 so as to be completely sheltered from the rain. The female did 

 not leave her nest until I was within two or three feet of her, 

 when she flew to the ground feigning lameness, but this old and 

 pathetic subterfuge had just the opposite eflect it was intended to 

 have. The nest was admirably concealed and would never have 

 been fomid had not the bird Itself indicated its location. 



Auk, 4, Oct. 1887. p. 301 



imbedded in the ground, and its base was com- 

 posed of dry leaves. 



I The entire outside is constructed of long strips 

 of grape-vine bark, wound around it. The in- 

 side lining is of horse hair, and hog bristles. 

 The cup of the nest is quite large for the bird. 



The location of the nest was on a hillside cov- 

 ered with a small growth of Chestnut and Span- 

 ish oak. 



More recently I have had additional evidence 

 thnt th,^ KU,^}. nnri wi,ite Creeper is a regular 



,e, of last year, while 

 3 North Valley hills in 

 my friends, a nest con- 

 put one week old, was 

 >;entlemen with me. It 

 eespect of location and 

 taken by Mr. Everett, 

 feeding the young while 

 liy, showing but little 

 Later in the day we 

 ng a brood of young 

 • from bush to busli. 

 ;hey breed earlier than 

 The eggs of these two 

 aid by the middle of 



tl. Feb. 1887. p, 2i". 



