10 
On the Nest and Eggs of Swainson’s Warbler, 
nearly globular ; and although the exterior is rather loosely 
formed, the structure, as a whole, is neat and compact. 
The nest taken June 27 is very much larger—in fact, quite 
the largest specimen that I have seen, measuring externally 
5'00 in diameter by 6*00 in depth, internally T50 in dia¬ 
meter by T25 in depth, with the rim, in places, 1*75 thick. 
It is shaped like an inverted cone, the apex extending down 
nearly to the point of junction of the numerous fascicled 
stems which surround and support its sides. In total bulk 
it fully equals the average nest of our Crow-Blackbird, while 
it is not nearly so finished a specimen of bird-architecture. 
Indeed it would be difficult to imagine anything ruder than 
its outer walls—composed of mud-soaked leaves of the sweet 
gum, water-oak, holly, and cane, thrown together into a 
loose mass, bristling with rough stems, and wholly devoid of 
symmetry or regularity of outline. The interior, however, 
lined with pine-needles, moss-fibres, black rootlets, and a 
little horsehair, is not less smooth and rounded than in the 
other specimens. 
The acquisition of these additional nests is important, as 
tending to show that the position and construction of the 
first two nests, and the character of the eggs which one of 
them contained, were not exceptional. The total results of 
Mr. Wayne's labours may be summed as follows:—Four 
nests, taken respectively June 5, 6, 27, and 30, contained 
respectively one young bird a few days old, one young bird 
and two addled eggs, two eggs on the point of hatching, and 
three perfectly fresh eggs. All four nests were essentially 
similar, being bulky and loosely formed, composed mainly 
of dry leaves, lined with fine roots, moss-fibres, pine-needles, 
and horsehair, and placed in canes over water at heights 
varying from four to eight feet. Of the seven eggs taken, 
four were immaculate, two perhaps slightly spotted, and one 
unmistakably spotted and blotched with lilac. 
The inferences suggested by these facts are:—(1) The 
Swainson’s Warbler nests usually, if not invariably, in canes 
over water; (2) that it lays from one to three eggs ; (3) that 
its eggs may be either plain, slightly speckled, or rather 
thickly and distinctly marked. 
