^ Oneida Ocunty, Ne-w York, 

 Willi#ai LiBalBh & Hatbort Ba^ga 



Dendroica caerulescens. -Otir fifth nest of this species was found June 

 22, i88S. It contained two addled eggs, one joung Waibler, and two 

 joung Cow Birds able to fly. 



^.Tik, VII. July, iseo, p. SJ/- 



Nesting of the Black-throated Blue 

 Warbler. 



BY WM. L. KELLS, ONTARIO, CANADA. 



The fiivoi-ite hubitation of the Black-thi-oated 

 Blue Warbler {Deiufru-m cceralesceiis) is high, 

 hai-tl-wood-timbered lands, where there is a 

 thick growth of low underbrush, and while 

 the males seek an elevated position among the 

 leafy boughs for the display of their musical 

 talents, the females usually select a lowly site 

 for the cradle of their progeny. 



For some years past I had suspected that this 

 species bred in this vicinity from the fact that 

 the song notes of the male wei'e heard warbled 

 with much animation at a period that I knew 

 must be its nesting time, thougli from the ele- 

 vation whence the bird sang, I supposed thai 

 the female would be also "high" in lier nest- |, 

 ing habits. On the afternoon of .June 5th, 1886, i' 

 however, when searching for the nests of other 

 species in apiece of low, thick imderwooil, in 

 the high woods, I discovered a nesi with on(! 

 egg, which at first I took to be tliat of a ( 'best- . 

 nut-sided Warbler (Dnulraxa pennsylvanica). so 

 close was the resemblance in size, form, mate- 

 rial and position of the nest. The different note 

 of the bird, however, soon attracted my atten- 

 tion, and 1 vk'aited a few moments until she 

 emerged from the thick foliage and approached 

 the nest. I then saw that she was a different 

 species, and a closer examination of the nest 

 also showed that it was much more compact 

 and firmly put together than that of the Chest- 

 nut-sided W-arbler, though the eggs in size, 

 form, color and mai-king seemed exactly simi- 

 lar. The scolding voice of this bird soon 

 brought her mate to the place, but he seemed 

 more disposed to sport with her than assist to 

 drive off the intruder. Both, however, came 

 (|uite close and from notes then taken I have 

 since identified the species as the Blaok-throat- 

 (;d IJlue Warbler (Dendrceca mruJescens). Be- 

 ing anxious to secure this nest and a full set of 

 eggs, I returned four days after and found that 

 it contained three of the Warljl(>r's own eggs 

 and one of a Cow bird ( Muhilhrua ater). These 

 I took and they are now in uiy collection. 



311. Blacli Throated Blue Wi 

 ! Connecticut.' ¥f C. M.Jones. 



Returning later I found another nest of the 

 same species similarly placed in a small leafy 

 shrub on the edge of a thicket, but containing 

 three young birds several days old, and also 

 one young bird of a Cow bird. In both cases I 

 noticed that the birds in tliishing from the nest 

 dropped to the ground and made much commo- 

 tion among the dry leaves, with the design of 

 course, of drawing the attention of the intruder 



*™©.%<3^to. May. 1887 | 



rhler {^Dendrceca ccertdescens] Nesting 

 Ibid., VI, pp. 49, 50. 



lad- Throated Blue Warbler [Dendrceca ccerulescens~\ Nesting- 

 in Connecticut. Bj C. M. Jones. Ibid., VI, pp. 49, 50. 



