.o 

 ^ - 

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Notes from Greenfield, Mass, 



)LOGIST 



While collecting on the 18th of June I 

 found a nest of Dendrfieca hlackhurniee, 

 Blackburnia n Warbler , which contained 

 three eggs ; and to identify them I shot 

 the female. The nest was situated about 

 thirty feet high in a maple tree. It is a 

 very jalain stracture resembling that of the 

 Purijle Finch. The eggs are white with a 

 bluish tint and spotted with reddish-brown 

 and lilac, chiefly abont the InraeT- enrl 

 Nest and Eggs of the Blackburnian Warbler. — On the 23d of Mav. 

 1S79, mj lamented friend, the late A. Jenings Davan, pointed out to me, 

 high in a loftj pine, the yet unfinished nest of the Blackburnian Warbler 

 (^Dendrceca blackbtirnicE). The exact locaiitj was a grove of large white 

 pines {Piniis atrobiis) on a dry hill just east of Black River, at Lyon's 

 Falls, Lewis County, New York. Some davs previously Mr. Dayan had 

 observed the female bh-d carrying in her bill a downy substance which 



[Vol. 11-No. 9 



afterwa 

 lield-gh 



■ds pr< 



■ed to be the tu 



ted 



of th. 



after 



nany hoi 



the 2d 



of June 1 



d on 



a horizor 



feet) 



from the 



The 



limb mea 



The n 



est conta 



gr< 



imb tn 

 id. and 



•d {Molothnis u 

 ;riptions ol" tht 



the trunk, 

 attached. 



bier and one of the Cowbi 

 Authentic published def 

 are so few in number, a 

 apology for presenting th. 

 measurements being in 

 X 18, and 12.80 X 17.60. 

 all oyer with nmber-browi 

 to form a ring at the largt 

 sprinkled with blotches of 

 zone around the large end 



pact. It consists almost entirely of a thick and de 

 soft down of the cat-tail (Typha /<///y»/w). with 



: cat-tail. By the aid of a 

 g, he finally discovered the 

 and secured the prize. It 

 ■ and a half metres (about 

 etres (about ten feet) from 

 meter where the nest was 

 of the Blackburnian War- 



of this Warbler 

 that I make no 

 measure, respectively (all 

 17.60, 12. 5o X 17. So, 12.60 

 pale bluish-green, spotted 

 the spots tending as usual 

 m\ the rest in being well 



lined with fine liche 



utside i 



thei 



stet 



of 



rough envelope 

 mm. ; outside h 

 inside of the cu 

 C. Hart Merr 



.nd eg: 



nd so meagre in e.xact detai 

 ; following: the eggs measu 

 millimetres). 12.80 X 

 Tlie ground-color is 

 1 of varying intensity, 

 • end. One differs frr 

 rich dark-umber, wh 



. The nest is large, substantial, and very com- 

 nat of the 

 attached, and is 

 vhite thread. On the 

 ■ootlets, with here and 

 tside diameter of this 

 up or nest proper, 74 

 m. on the other. The 

 diameter and 29 mm. in depth. — 



N. r.Ank. a, Jan., 1885. p. /03 



seeds 



, and : 

 ring of small twigs .and 

 bit of lichen. The c 

 . ; outside diameter of 

 m. on one side and 42 r 



Birds of Kalamazoo County, Mic"h. 



Dr. Morris Glbbg. 



40. [102.] Dendvmm blaekbnriim (Gm.) Bainl. 

 Blackburnian Warbler.— Arrives from April 34 to 

 May 11. The large majority pass north, but a few 

 remain to breed in the county. Mr. Benjanin F, 

 Syke has had the good fortune to secure two 

 nests with eggs of this species. Bolli nests were 

 placed on limbs well up in Tamarack trees. One 

 was all of forty teet from the ground. The 

 Blackburnian is again common in September and 

 all do liot leave us until early October. 



O.&'O. X.MaT.lBSo.p..'^ 



Summer Birds of Buncombe Conuty, 

 N.Carolina. JohnS.OairnB. 



Df'tidrmca hlankhw mn. Blackburnian War-k 

 bier. Bummer visitor; rare. Have taken the I 

 young, but could never find their eggs. Havel 

 never observed them higher than 3,500 feet. 



the richness of his breeding plumage and in the 

 busy occupation of domestic cares. 



ng of JttnelOth, as the first streak 

 ;blc in the east we left the little 

 Hratton, on our toilsome journey 

 f Mt. Bigelow. Along the river 

 rily the morning mist, through 

 iry hemlocks, scattered here and 

 irings, loomed up like the pyra- 

 i^^ile, as we tramped through the 

 to the forest edge. The trail w-as 

 I with a scarcely perceptable rise 

 nder the oaks and hirches until we 

 !t look-out," where a glance at the 

 mtry told plainly that our steps 

 ■d as well as onward. While we 

 jreakfast the aspect changed, over 

 the rising sun appeared, covering 

 )s with a halo of glory, while their 

 3 presented a yet stronger contrast 

 alley seemed like some beautiful 

 with a moulding of black and 

 ,n concert was not lacking. From 

 e Hermit Thrush gave vent to his 

 spirits in an exquisite song. The 

 f the Junco, and the whistle of the 

 Sparrow blended without discord 

 bed togetlier on a decayed log in 

 s. The Chickadees apologized for 

 leflciencies by a display of famil- 

 Jing theirmore southern congeners, 

 led on our way, now growing 

 re diflicult, a Canada Jay, brimful 

 llowed us lor a considerable dis- 

 for an occasional flirt of its tail, 



pproval of our actions, but soon a 



hoodlum band of his blue brothers came trooping 

 noisily along, and pouncing upon him drove him 

 away. Evidently the question of fannal areas 

 had been discussed in Jaydom and Mt. Bigelow 

 was unquestionably within the domains of C. 

 christaia. Ere long we entered the evergreen 

 growth and leaving the path we picked our way 

 the best we could over the fallen trunks on a short 

 cut to the summit. The bare rocks and blueberry 

 patch of the '"knob" was reached in due time (uot 

 being a professional mountain climber I decline to 

 state the time occupied in the ascent) and the 

 magnificent panorama of the country from Moose- 

 head to Umbagog lav before me. with its mnnn,-- 



vi.u'r ana v. U. Wkrsteh. 



Sept. 1886.] 



AND 0 



and small boulders to enjoy the fine view to be 

 there obtained. How rapid is the change from 

 the sublime to the ridiculous. On stepping for- 

 ward a pace, the stone on which I was standing 

 gave away and in the endeavor to regain my foot- 

 ing, a small landslide precipitated me in a very 

 undignified manner down the declivity until 1 

 "fetched up" under a large hemlock. Fortunately 

 my body was covered with gravel instead of 

 bruises, and in a comfortable position I remained 

 for a brief period, resting from the effect of my 

 rapid transit. A slight movement among the 

 lower branches of the tree caused me to look up 

 and soon I saw eyeing me closely a male Black- 

 burnian Warbler. Any motion on my part 

 would cause him to bestir himself in an agitated 

 manner, and when I arose to my feet he disap- 

 peared. Patient watching was rewarded by see- 

 ing the bird fly into the top of the hemlock, when 

 the small commotion which ensued caused me to 

 believe that a nest was therein placed. Casting off 

 all superfluous clothing I began the ascent, a la- 

 borious task, but the end proved my conjecttu'c 

 aright, for a nest of this Warbler was placed on a 

 limb at about sixty feet from the ground. It 

 was composed outwardly of hanging moss {usnea) 

 woven compactly with a few bits of fine bark and 

 twigs, lined with the usual material, hair and 

 feathers. The eggs were four in number, nearly 

 fresh. They were spotted sparingly with reddish- 

 brown over the entire surface, with the addition 

 of a wreath of same color about the larger end. 

 Dimensions of the set are as follows: .66x,51, 

 .66X.50, .65X.51 and .64x.50. Ji^^ 



