iLOGIST. 



15 



Nesting of the Blue-winged Yellow 

 Warbler in Pennsylvania. 



BY ISAAC S. ItElPF, PHILADELPHIA, PA. 



The Blue-winged Yellow Warbler, (Ilelmin- 

 thophaga pinus) cannot be called a rare species 

 in South-eastern Pennsylvania as it seems to 

 be pretty well disti-ibuted in Philadelphia boun- 

 ty and those adjoining. 



Wherever there is a suitable site for a breed- 

 ing place, a pair of birds is found. The breed- 

 ing habits of this species seem to be little 

 linown, even to many of the more advanced 

 oologists, and very little has ever been written 

 on the subject. 



This beautiful little Warbler is the most in- 

 teresting representative of the family that re- 

 mains with us to breed. It arrives here during 

 the first week in May; and I tliink it is then al- 

 ready mated, having never found more than 

 one pair in the same locality. Nest building 

 with some begins as early as the 10th of May^ 

 as I have found the nest containing young 

 birds as early as June 3rd. To the best of my 

 knowledge It takes at least six days for the 

 birds to complete a nest. On account of its re- 

 tired habits during the breeding season this 

 species is rarely met with by collectors, unless 

 they are well acquainted with its song. 



Early in the morning and during the latter 

 part of the aftei'noon, the birds ai'e very active 

 hunting for food, but through the middle of 

 of the day, while the female is sitting, the male 

 moves around very little, but takes his position 

 on some tall tree situated near the nest, and at 

 short intervals pours forth his little song, to 

 cheer his partner while performing her labori- 

 ous duties of incubation. I cannot state so 

 positively, but I think that the male assists in 

 incubation. 



While the male is singing, there ^is no trouble 



to locate the tree upon which he is perched, 

 but on account of his small size and his habit 

 of remaining on one twig a long time without 

 moving, it is almost impossible to see him. 



Many times have I stood under a tree, upon 

 which a male was singing, and looked until my 

 ' neck ached trying to see the little singer, but 

 all in vain. I might almost as well have looked 

 for a needle in a hay stack, and I was never 

 successful until he made some movement, which 

 only occurred at long intervals. The move- 

 ments made while singing are so slight that 

 they are hardly perceptable at a short distance, 

 it being merely the throwing back of the head. 

 The site selected for a breeding place in this 

 locality is generally a clump of blackberry 

 bushes, on the edge of a wood. They seem to 

 prefer high ground only a short distance from 

 water. 



It has been the good fortune of the writer to 

 find six nests of this Warbler; four containing 

 eggs and two having young birds. 



Nest No. 1 was found June 16, 1877, contain- 

 ing four fresh eggs. It was on the ground in a 

 small meadow, about ten feet from a running 

 stream, and about the same distance from a 

 wood, placed between two blackberry busiies, 

 nearly hidden by tall grass, and could only be 

 seen when standing directly over it. 



The female was flushed, and immediately dis- 

 appeared in the thick bushes, where she was 

 joined by the mate, both keeping up a continu- 

 ous chirping, being careful to keep themselves 

 well concealed, it was a short time before 1 

 could see either of them. I retired some dis- 

 tance, and waited until the female returned to 

 the nest, when 1 approached it cautiously and 

 was able to look down upon it. The female re- 

 mained quiet, until I disturbed one of the bush- 

 es that held the nest in place, when she disap- 

 peared as before. The base and outer walls of 

 the nest were composed of dry leaves, the nest 

 proper of coarse strips of wild grape vine bark, 

 becoming liner towards the inner part. The 

 bottom was lined with very line grass. Out- 

 side depth three inches, inside two inches, out- 

 side diameter two and a half inches, inside one 

 and a half inches. This nest, to the best of my 

 knowledge, was the first one that was discov- 

 ered in this section of the country. The set of 

 four eggs is now in the large collection of Mr. 

 J. Parker Norris. 



Nest No. 2 was found June 3rd, 1878, in tiie 

 same meadow, occupying a similar position be- 

 tween three blackberry bushes. It contained 

 five young birds about three days old. The ma- 

 terial and construction are the same as in No. 1. 



