164 
THE CONDOR 
VOL. VI 
rather more shallow than might be expected, being a scant two inches deep by one 
and three-quarter inches wide. In construction the materials used form a very 
attractive conglomeration of various kinds of green mosses, feathers and hair, 
heavily lined with small downy feathers and squirrel and rabbit hair. 
The eggs, which are eight in number, are of a subdued cream-white ground 
color with the faintest suggestion of a cloud of tiny brown spots around the larger 
end. In measurement there is scarcely any variation, the average being .57 by .43 
inches. They were neatly placed in the nest, being arranged in a single layer ex- 
tending up the .sides of the nest so the body of the bird fitted in their midst. 
My second occupied nest for this year was found on the third of June in much 
the same kind of location as the first one. Its large size convinced me that it was 
not a decoy and, supposing of course the young had long since left, I climbed the 
NEST OF WESTERN GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET 
tree with the purpose of cutting off the limb and securing the nest as a specimen. I 
had my knife out when the bird suddenly appeared and. on seeing me darted 
away so quickly that I was only able to see that she held something in her bill. 
Young ones, thought I in di.sgust, so left the nest and did not again visit it until 
June 17, this time again with my brother and the rope in case of an addled egg. 
As we were making preparations down below one of the birds appeared with a 
small green worm in its mouth and flew to the nest and stayed there. This con- 
vinced usthat the nest had contained eggs when I first found it, but there was still 
the possibility of the addled egg so my brother started up with the rope to make 
the best of a bad mistake. Such was my annoyance that I threw a dead stick 
up close to the nest, causing two birds to flutter out of it. I supposed them 
to be the old one just seen and a full grown young one, .so paid no further atten- 
tion to them being busy with my end of the rope. However it is the unexpected 
