148 
THK CONDOR 
1 Vol. Ill 
nests of this species but only one from 
which I secured a set of eggs; the rest 
contained young. This nest, like all 
the others, was on a hillside, a trifle 
more roughly situated perhaps by being 
placed at the brink of a large rock some 
eight or ten feet high, above which was 
a small area of nearly level ground 
covered with a growth of grass. 
Coming down the trail one morning 
after spending several hours after birds 
farther up the mountain, I saw a female 
Painted Redstart with nesting material 
in her beak. She was .soon joined by 
her mate and I retreated a short distance 
to where the suspected spot might be 
closelj" watched. In a short time the 
had passed since the last egg had been 
deposited, giving sufficient evidence of 
the completion of the set. Two other 
nests over which I spent considerable 
time, were found to contain three and 
four young respectively. Both were 
built beneath overhanging bunches of 
grass. Another was found among the 
roots beneath a bank, the excavation 
having been made to develop a flow of 
water. This nest also contained young 
birds. The Painted Red.start is fully 
aware of its beauty for in no other 
species of North American birds have I 
seen such a displ ly of vanitJ^ Among 
the foliage it hops about with tail spread 
and drooping wings, twitching about 
PAINTED REDSTART (SETOPHAGA PICTa) 
FROM MOUNTED SPECIMEN BY G. F BRENINGER. 
male Hew down and disappeared. This 
was repeated by both birds beh.re I left 
the seclusion I sought among the maple 
leaves. I had the spot marked out witli 
considerable certainty, and after reach- 
ing the top of the rock, I viewed at a 
distance of several feet a nicely lined 
entrance that led to a more nicely lined 
nest-chamber, neatly hidden beneath an 
overhanging bunch of grass. The nest 
was apparently finished but held no 
t-'ggs. 
Si.x days later I collected a set of 
three eggs from the nest. Two days 
with all the anxiety imaginable, that its 
black, white and carmine colors might 
be shown to the best advantage. The 
eggs are characteristic of those of th.e 
warbler family, being white with a 
circle of minute light reddish specks 
about the larger end. The plumages of 
the young are interesting, the first being 
black and white: later carmine pin- 
feathers begin to show and before the 
bird leaves for the south, full adult 
plumage has been attained. 
- ('iiio. F. Brkxixoer. 
Phoenix, A riz. 
