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A NEST STUDY OF THE MARYLAND 
YELLOW-THROAT 
The present paper is based upon a continuous study of the 
nest life of the Maryland Yellow-throat (Geothlypis trichas 
trichas) and was made during the summer of 1917 at the Iowa 
Lakeside Laboratory, on Lake Okoboji. 
The nest was found on the Laboratory campus, within twenty 
feet of the lake, on the sloping shore. It was built in a tuft 
of long grass between three bushes of Wolfberry (Symphori- 
carpus occidentalis) and was very effectively concealed. To the 
north of the nest lay an open pasture, while to its south and 
east was a thicket made up of the wolfberry, wild Rose (Rosa 
acicularis, wild Black Raspberry, wild Bergamot (Monarda 
fistulosa), wild Sunflower (Helianthus cactiflorus), and Golden- 
rod (Solidago canadensis). Overshadowing parts of this 
thicket were a few young trees, e. g., a young elm and three 
young ash saplings, one of which was covered with a wild grape 
vine. Such an environment furnished the feeding ground for 
these birds during the rearing of their brood. 
When found, the nest contained three eggs of the Yellow- 
throat and one Cowbird’s egg. This was on June 27. There- 
after the nest was visited daily, and on July 8, the Cowbird egg 
was hatched. By 6:30 a. m. on the next day the first young 
Yellow-throat was in the nest and it was decided to erect the 
blind. By 10:00 a. m. on the same day the second Yellow- 
throat was out of the shell. 
Work on the blind was earried on with caution in order to 
avoid exciting the birds unduly. But it was found that they 
paid very little attention and were not deterred from attending 
to their duties at the nest. The blind was finally erected within 
eighteen inches of the nest, so that the observer might look 
directly into the nest at very close range. 
