158 Brewster on the ProtTionotary Warbler. 



long, inclining, half-submerged log, peeping into every oreYice and 

 occasionally dragging forth from its concealment a spider or small 

 beetle, turning alternately his bright yellow breast and oliye back 

 towards the light ; now jetting his beautiful tail or quivering his 

 wings tremulously, he darts oS into some thicket in response to a 

 call from his mate ; or, flying to a neighboring tree-trunk, clings for 

 a moment against the mossy bole to pipe his little strain or look 

 up the exact whereabouts of some suspected insect prize. 



This Warbler usually seeks its food low down among thickets, 

 moss-grown logs, or floating debris, and always about water. Some- 

 times it ascends tree-trunks for a little way like the Black-and-white 

 Creeper, winding about with the same peculiar motion. When 

 seen among the upper branches, where it often goes to plume its 

 feathers and sing in the warm sunshine, it almost invariably sits 

 nearly motionless. Its flight is much like that of the Water-Thrush 

 (either species), and is remarkably swift, firm, and decided. When 

 crossing a broad stream it is slightly undulating, though always 

 direct. Its food consists of insects, generally of such spiders and 

 beetles as are found about water. Audubon positively asserts that 

 he has discovered minute molluscous animals and small land-snails 

 in their stomachs. 



The nesting of the Prothonotary Warbler affords the most inter- 

 esting phase of its life history. Audubon's account of its nest, 

 "fixed in the fork of a small twig bending over the water," seems 

 in the light of our present knowledge open to serious doubts. At 

 least, it is not the mode of nidifi cation used in the places where 

 it is best known at the present day. Mr. B. F. Goss of Neosho 

 Falls, Kansas, first brought to light the fact that in that locality 

 the bird invariably nested in holes of trees or buildings. Since 

 his discovery of the first nest in 1863, others similarly situated 

 have been found by Dr. Palmer and Mr. Eobert Ridgway, at the 

 Kiowa Agency, Indian Territory, and at Mount Carmel, 111. The 

 first nest collected the past season was found by Mr. Ridgway on 

 April 27. It contained four fresh eggs. This was probably an 

 exceptionally early date, as nearly a week elapsed before any other 

 eggs were taken ; and, indeed, the greater proportion of a large 

 number collected between May 8 and May 12 were freshly 

 laid. At least forty nests were examined altogether, about one 

 half of which contained eggs. To give an account of all the vari- 

 ous situations in which these nests were placed, would entail a 



Brewster on the Prothonotary Warhler. 159 



description of nearly every conceivable kind of hole or cavity that 

 can be found in tree-trunks. The typical nesting-site, however, was 

 the deserted hole of the Downy Woodpecker or Carolina Chickadee. 

 The height varied from two to fifteen feet, though the usual eleva- 

 tion was about four. If the cavity was old and broken out, or 

 otherwise enlarged, it was far more apt to be chosen than a neater 

 and newer one close at hand. The stump selected almost invaria- 

 bly stood in or projected over water, although, as above stated, it 

 was oftentimes left high and dry after the eggs were laid. 



Of the many exceptions to the above-described typical site, I 

 will here notice only two of the most marked. A nest discovered 

 May 8 was built in a sort of pocket-shaped cavity in the side of a 

 large cypress stump. The hole descended vertically in the inside 

 of the shell-like wall, the central heart of which had crumbled 

 away. Another, found by Mr. Ridgway, was built in an extremely 

 rotten snag which stood on the edge of a road ; the eggs or sitting 

 parent could easily be seen by any one riding by. This nest was 

 several hundred yards away from water. 



In the construction of the nest the female labors somewhat 

 desultorily. Fresh green moss enters largely into its composi- 

 tion, and although this substance is readily obtained, a week is 

 sometimes consumed in building the simple little aff'air. Most of 

 the materials are gathered in the immediate vicinity from half- 

 submerged logs or the nearest dry ground. The male almost 

 always accompanies his partner on her trips to and from the nest, 

 making a great show of hunting up choice bits of material, but 

 apparently never succeeding in finding any to his mind. He usu- 

 ally precedes her on her return, enters the hole to investigate the 

 condition of affairs, pops out his golden head to assure her with a 

 soft chirp that all is well within, and then gives way to allow her 

 to enter, clinging against the bark outside to cheer her labors with 

 his song and await her reappearance. Sometimes, however, both 

 birds remain inside together, although how much assistance the 

 male renders in house furnishing I cannot say. Probably his 

 presence is only tolerated, and he is perhaps often accused of being 

 a nuisance. 



The shape and size of the nest vary with that of the cavity in 

 which it is placed. When the hole is deep, it is usually filled up to 

 within four or five inches of the entrance. Thus the nest when 

 removed presents the appearance of a compact mass of moss five 



