i89*.] 
Brimley, Breeding Habits of Dendroica vigor sii. 
199 
ON THE BREEDING HABITS OF DENDROICA 
VIGORS II AT RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA. 
BY C. S. BRIMLEY. 
The Pine Warbler — our commonest Warbler — during the 
breeding season frequents only pine woods and mixed woods 
containing pines as well as any isolated groups of pine trees ; 
but at other times of the year it is not so exclusive, being often 
found as far from the neighborhood of pines as is possible in this 
locality. 
This species feeds on insects and their larvre, but like all our 
resident species consumes a large amount of vegetable food during 
the winter, e. g ., the seeds of the short-leaved and loblolly pines 
( Pinus mitis and P. tccda) as well as the berries of dogwood 
( Cornus florid a) and sumac ( Rhus copallind) ■ During the 
spring and summer this species feeds mostly in the pine trees ; 
during autumn and winter it also feeds on the ground to a great 
extent, and may then be found almost anywhere. 
The Pine Warbler begins breeding quite early, the dates of 
finding the first nest (in each case about a day or two old) being 
March 27, iSSS, March 27, 1S89, March 3, 1S90, The time 
occupied in building the nest and laying the four eggs is fourteen 
days, provided the weather is favorable ; spells of bad weather 
such as cold rains or snow, or high and cold winds, usually cause 
building operations to be suspended for the time being, but this 
seems to vary with individual birds. In March, 1S90, I had six 
nests under observation when a spell of bad weather came on ; 
three were deserted; one furnished a fresh set in twenty-five days 
from first finding ; one, a single fresh egg seventeen days from find- 
ing ; and one, a set containing small embryos at the end of nine- 
teen days ; the latter nest must have been completed without 
interruption, although in quite an exposed situation. Nests in 
an advanced stage of construction do not seem to be often 
deserted ; but when only just commenced, a bad spell of weather 
usually causes the birds to quit. 
The female Pine Warbler gathers material from the trunks 
and limbs of trees and from the ground, and from both near the 
nest and as far as several hundred yards. She usually betrays 
her occupation by her business-like air and methods. She usu- 
ally flies toward the nest in a straight, business-like flight, but as 
