nest, but the tendency is to a good colony with 

 this species. I kuow a swamp where may be 

 found seventy-five pairs of these summer resi- 

 dents. The first time I visited the Preston col- 

 ony on the .31st of May, I took eiglit sets of 

 four. The first time I visited another large 

 community in this county on June 5, on a point 

 of land trending into salt water, I took eleven 

 sets of four. 

 Four is the usual clutch. Five are now and then 

 found. Dr. Brewer reported to me a set of six 

 from Taunton. A still larger set will be re- 

 ferred to below. The eggs are especially fra- 

 gile, and if incubated can hardly be blown 

 without breaking. Addled eggs may instantly 

 be told by the added polish, and by the loss of 

 the rosy suffusion. 



The nests are built on dead or green trees, 

 and on savins or deciduous trees, at varying 

 heights. I took one from the single filament of 

 moss caught on the green twig of a birch, with- 

 in five inches of the ground, and others close to 

 the trunks of great oaks fifty feet in the air. 

 On the lower swamp, huckleberry brush in the 

 littoral colony is a favorite site. 



The Parula Warbler escapes the notice of the 

 Cow Bunting. One addled " lazy-bird's" egg I 

 did come across, but the side of the nest was 

 torn and Parula had deserted it. Many savins 

 are scattered among the inland colony, and 

 there the Blue Jay often destroys the clutch. 

 But again, with the shore race. Icterus spurius, 

 often breeds in the same tree, and in some in- 

 stances on the same branch, in harmony. 



A new nest will be built at once, if the first 

 is destroyed, and three sets of eggs laid. If 

 not disturbed, only an occasional second brood 

 will be reared. 



Usnea when detached is perishable. If kept 

 in a cellar or damp place, disintegration sets in, 

 and in a few seasons the nests fall to dust at a 

 touch. Placed in dry air they loose color soon, 

 and eventually their shape. But if taken in 

 situ, with the surroundings of leaf, twig and 

 moss, for a while some beautiful examples can 

 be shown. Through the lace-work, the eggs 

 can in most cases be seen above, and should be 

 removed with a small spoon to preserve the en- 

 trance inviolate. 



In June 10, 1886, 1 had been wading for hours 

 about the swamp on Groton, Long Point, looking 

 into nests of I.spurius. Veery and Parula with 

 indifferent success, noting only pairs and trios, 

 when in despair I crossed to an outstanding 

 hornbeam, hoary with lichen. I saw no birds, 

 heard no feeble ■' chit'' of alarm, and after out- 

 lining the limbs in succession against the sky 



without seeing the semblance of a nest, it oc- 

 curred to me to rap on the tree. At the first 

 vigorous pound, a Blue Yellow-back flew away 

 like a shot from a solid bank of moss neai' the 

 trunk some ten feet high. To scramble up and 

 see the best hidden nest of my life was a mo- 

 moment's work. A glance inside sufficed to 

 catch a glimpse of five eggs. So, carefully de- 

 taching the top fibres from the huge limb 

 above, I bent the tips of the nest together, took 

 them in my mouth, and descended carefully. 

 It was not until I had placed the nest on the 

 ground and spread the top wide open, that T 

 realized I had taken the biggest clutch on re- 

 cord — seven fresh eggs. This set, with a good 

 series, will be properly described by Mr. Nor- 

 ris. 



But aside from them, I have examined a hun- 

 dred sets of these eggs, and could take more of 

 them than of all the other local warblers com- 

 bined, if they were needed for science. I used 

 to think, judging by the two series from com- 

 munities twenty-four miles apart, that family 

 differences could be traced, tli:it the inland lot 

 displayed inherited lilac and lavender markings, 

 and the others only the siuiplc reddish aunu- 

 lations which is the eonnuoiier type. But a few 

 seasons work showed that the eggs were ititcr- 

 grading continually, and this year's observa- 

 tion clearly proves that no such distinction can 

 be maintained. 



But it is a fact, however, while the Preston 

 race is in full breeding activity by May 31, June 

 4 is the time to look for full sets at the shore. 

 Fornine years, this dift'ereu(!e in time was held 

 good. Perhaps fogs and cold winds off the 

 water delay oviposition. as they surely I'etard 

 field and gai'dcii vegetation. When blown, the 

 eggs are pure white. Six sets of fresh-blown 

 Prairie Warbler's eggs, placed by the side of 

 Parula sets, disclosed the fact that the eg?s of 

 D. discolor are tinged with green. They are 

 given as white by writers, and could only be 

 shown to be otherwise by comparison. The ag- 

 gregation of markings of the Parula's eggs is at 

 the larger end, and no egg displays the diffusion 

 of spots over the entire surface like some ex- 

 amples of D. ruflcapilla. On these delicate eggs, 

 instances of heavy blotching are very rare, and 

 the magnificently blotched set given to Mr. 

 Norris by Mr. F. H. Carpenter, must be regard- 

 ed as wholly exceptional. 



[Few persons are aware, in all probability, of 

 the variation in size, color and markings of 

 the Blue Yellow-backed Warbler (Parula 

 americana, or according to the nomenclature 

 of the American Ornithologist's Union Comp- 



Jau. 1888.] 



sothlypis americana) when seen in a large series. 

 They are small, delicately marked eggs, rarely 

 presenting any brilliiint colors, and they must 

 be closely examiuwl in a strong li-ht, to see all 

 their beauties. 



Having beett exceptionally fortunate in form- 

 ing an unusually fine series, for which I am 

 almost wholly indebted to the famous collector 

 and naturalist " J. M. W." (Mr. C. I.. f!awson) 

 of Nowich. Connecticut, it has oecurrred to me 

 that some description of them might be wel- 

 come to the readers of The f)iiNiTHO[.OG!ST 

 AND OoLOiiiST. VVitli the exception of those 

 sets where it is esi)eciaUy noted to the con- 

 trary, they were all collected by ".T. M. W.," 

 and they" were selected by him from a very 

 large series, running through a uuniliei- <d 

 years, with the object of showing all Ihe varl- 

 atious to which the eggs of this species are 

 subject. 



Set 1. June 12, 18S1. New London County, 

 Ooun. Two eggs, incubated. Nest in low 

 swamp oak, reaclieil from the ground. Eggs 

 very peenli.-ir, being shaped like those of OrtirJ. 

 rirf/unam. Creamy whit.-, spotted and speck- 

 led with reddish brown and lilac, more h.-avily 

 at the la.-e.-ends: .63 x .45 ; .(13 x .45. 



Sel 11. .lime 7, 1SS3. C niton Long Point, 

 L.nid.in ( nuiily, (.'omi. F.nir eggs, fresh. 

 Nest twenty teet from gronnd on hornbeam 

 tree, in vveli;i-ouud, but away from main swamp- 

 Tree ,M,veied with llehens. Nest of Two 

 straws al entrance. Female seen; many n.ales 

 HI nei-hliorhood. Nest with eggs ill next tr.H-, 

 two rods a«av. KgiA's very small. White, 

 speckled (at larg.^ ends only) with reddish 

 brown and f.-iiul. lilac : .5!ix.Kl; .'iOx.46; .60 x 

 .44; .60X.45. 



Set III. June 4, 1886. Groton J,ong Point, 

 New Loudon County, Conn. Four eggs, fresh. 

 Nest well up in large outstanding *\v;imp ■ 

 heavily draped with n.sni'a. Small e-- , i 

 pointed. Glossy white, delicately .-j.eekhd 

 with lilac and dark reddish brown. The mark- 

 ings are almost wholly at the larger ends : .65 

 X.46; .67X.4S; .C6x.47; .65x.47. 



Set IV. June 4, 1881. Groton Long Point, 

 New London County, Conn. Four eggs, fresh. 

 Nest in Msnea-covered swamp, in a huckleberry 

 bush, in a submerged bog. Female watclied 

 on nest. Eggs chalky white, delicately speck- 

 led with lilac and reddish brown : .65 x .47 ; .63 

 x,47; .64X.4S; .«4x.47. 



Set V. June 12, 1881. Groton, Long Point, 

 New London County, Conn. Four eggs, fresh. 

 Nest well hidden in usnea, in swamp. On ma- 

 ple tree, at end of lowest limb. Last nest of 



season. Female seen. Eggs white, wreathed 

 around the larger ends with reddish brown and 

 lilac specks: .67x.48; .67x.47; .69x.49; .65 x 

 .4!). 



Set VI. June 22, 1886. Side hill opposite 

 Hell Gate, Preston, Conn. Three eggs. Nest 

 in savin. Last set of eggs of this species taken 

 in 188G. Eggs white, with a slight gloss, speck- 

 led with dark reddish brown and lilac, chiefly 

 at thi_" larger ends, whi're the markings form 

 indistinct wreaths : .70x.48; .70x.48; .67 x.46. 



Set \n. May 28, 1886. Saybrook, Conn. 

 Collected by ihm. John M. Clark. Four eggs, 

 fresh. Light <'reamy white lightly speckled 

 with reddish brown and lilac. In three of the 

 eggs tlie markings form indistinct wreaths, but 

 in the tourth they are wreathed around the 

 smaller end: .07 x .49 ; .Gf;x.50; .(i7x.50; .64x 

 .51. 



Set VIIL June 4, 1881. Groton Long Point, 

 New Loudon Cotmty, Conn. Three eggs, 

 fresh. Nest in lichen-draped young oak. 

 Botli ijarents ohserveil. Eggs glossy white, 

 delicately speckled with lilac and reddish 

 l)rown. The markings are more numerous 

 uear the larger ends, where they form indis- 

 tinct wreaths^ .G7X.47; .06 x.46; .68x.47. 



Set IX. June 6, 1881. Groton Long Point, 

 New Loudon County, Conn. Four eggs, fresh. 

 In a scrni) oak. outside of swamp. The highest 

 of Iwfdve ne^ts in this eoUmy. Two pairs of 

 birds crying, hut the other nest was not found, 

 oN\ing I'o tie thickness of the lit^ben. Eggs 

 light creamy white, beautifully wreathed with 

 liglit redilish brown and lilac. Quite pointed : 

 .66 x.46: .67x.45; .67 x.46; .67x.45. 



Set X. June 8, 1886. Hell Gate, Preston, 

 New London County, Conn. Four eggs, fresh. 

 Nest in savin tree — a mass of hanging lichen, 

 six feet from the ground. Eggs blunt and 

 tliirk i'l inntour. Creamy white, quite glossy. 

 I I , •,', itli light reddish brown and lilac. 

 I lie u.arlangs are thicker near the larger 

 ends: .(i3x.48; .63x.50; .64x.51; .64x.50. 



Set XL Jirae 1, 1886. Long Society Swamp, 

 Preston, Conn. Four eggs, fresh. Nest in 

 large black birch. Female on eggs until the 

 nest was touched. Eggs glossy white, speck- 

 led with dark reddish brown and lilac. The 

 markings form wreaths around the larger ends 

 and the remainder of the eggs are almost en- 

 tirely unmarked: .63x.49; .63x.49; .60 x.46; 

 .62 X .49. 



Set XII. June 3, 1885. Old Saybrook, Conn. 

 Collected by Hon. John N. Clark. Foui eggs, 

 fresh. Nest hanging from the branch of a 

 I small cedar tree about seven feet from the 



388. Blue YeUo-m-backed Warbler. Its summer home Bv G R C 

 Ibid., pp. r24, 125. & yx/LVi£ 



324. /Jlu,- TeUmv-backed Warbler ^Parula amcrica?,a^ M^^tiin^^ on 

 *• Shelter hhuid IN. r.'\ Bv W. W. Worthins?ton. . VI. p 6- 



44. Tht Waninq Sea.ion. By J. M. AV[liippIe]. IhuL, VI, p. 126 — 

 Includes notes on the breedmg of Parula amcrtnuia (sr>; sets of eggs taken 

 May 29 and 30, and others found kiter). the Fisli Hawk, ,and other species, 

 in Southern Connecticut. jf'MUi. .j-^u-Jj >■ --QUt, 

 324 > W iPa,uh, ame,lcana^ N,sf,„^on 



^ S/tcHcr hlund YM.-l \ Jiv W. VV. Worthington, Ibid., VI. p. 62- 



684. Blue lelloxv-bacied Warbler's Ne.t PH'f ■ , , 



