60 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 69 



leaf skeletons, their tips were drawn toward the rim at a grad- 

 ually sloping angle to the curve of the cup. All of them were placed 

 in a regular pattern, being drawn clockwise from near the base 

 on one side of the cup to emerge and protrude from the rim almost 

 at the opposite side. All of the protruding petioles thus pointed 

 away from the circle of the rim at a narrow angle. This layer 

 was constructed similarly in all three nests. Swamp magnolia 

 leaves, being enlongated in shape, are well suited for this part of 

 the nest structure. 



Next to the layer of magnolia leaves was a layer of cypress twigs 

 with needles. Cypress twigs and needles were also used as a lining 

 for the upper inside half of the cup and for the rim of the nest. 

 The lower inside half and bottom of the cup were lined mostly 

 with pedicels of red maple flowers. All 11 of the Dismal Swamp 

 nests were lined with these pedicels. Apparently they are a pre- 

 ferred item for the lining, since I have also found them in nests 

 at Macon, Ga. F. M. Chapman (1907, p. 53) reports that J. N. 

 Clark found them in linings of nests of the Worm-eating Warbler 

 in New Jersey. 



The Dismal Swamp female that built three nests in one season 

 used fewer materials in constructing each succeeding nest; thus 

 her nests were progressively lighter; dry weights were 47.7, 39.8, 

 and 26.3 grams. Dimensions of an Arkansas nest were as follows : 

 Greatest outside diameter, 15.0 cm.; inside diameter of cup, 4.0 

 by 5.0 cm. ; outside depth, 7.8 cm. ; inside depth, 4.2 cm. 



EGG LAYING AND CLUTCH SIZE 



At a Louisiana nest, there was a lapse of 2 days between the 

 completion of the nest and the laying of the first egg ; at a Dismal 

 Swamp nest there was a lapse of 4 days. Eggs were laid daily 

 until the clutches were complete, and incubation began with the 

 laying of the last egg in each. At one Dismal Swamp nest the eggs 

 were laid in the morning before 7 a.m. By marking eggs, incuba- 

 tion period at a nest at Augusta, Ga., was determined to be 14 or 

 15 days (J. Fred Denton, personal communication). The incuba- 

 tion period of eggs in a nest in the Dismal Swamp in 1969 was 

 13 days (F. C. Burford, personal communication). The first egg 

 of this clutch of four was laid on May 1, and an egg was deposited 

 daily; the first egg was hatching at 6:30 a.m. on May 17. 



Of six first clutches in nests in Georgia, four consisted of three 

 eggs each and two had four eggs. Of second clutches in four nests 



