On our trip in 1896, Mr. W. B. Judson found a nest containing four fresh eggs on the 17th day of May. It was placed on a side hill under a tuft of grass at an elevation of about 7000 feet. On June 1, Mr. Judson found another nest in the same locality and after watching the bird for fully a half hour she went to the nest which was placed on the edge of a bluff in a bunch of grass, under some pines After seeing the bird go to where we supposed the nest was situated we made a careful search and nearly stepped on it several times when Mr. Judson finally found it. This nest contained four eggs well advanced in incubation. The eggs are of a dull white color, finely speckled over the entire surface with brown and cinnamon. The nests of the bird, like those of other ground-nesting birds of this locality, are destroyed by jays and snakes. The jays steal both eggs and young. Often a whole band of these winged wolves will sweep down on a nest and in less time than it takes to tell it they will devour the contents and destroy the nest, the pitiful notes of the helpless parents being drowned by the harsh notes of the marauders.
AUDUBONS' WARBLER.
Audubon's Warbler is quite scarce during the summer months, as only a few of them remain to breed. Like the Olive, they are found high up in the pines along the tops of the ridges. I found several nests in 1897 and 1898 in Huachuca Mountains. The nests are very loosely constructed, being composed almost entirely of loose straws with a few feathers and hair for a lining. The eggs, generally four in number, are of a dull white ground color with light brown spots and blotches and under shell markings of a dull lavender. One nest containing four slightly incubated eggs, found on June 14, 1898, was placed in a red fir tree about fifteen feet up, which is unusually low for this species.
Another nest taken June 22, 1898, was placed in the lower branches of a sugar-pine about fifty feet from the ground, and twelve feet out from the trunk of the tree. This nest, like many others, could be taken only by using a long rope which I always carry with me. One end of the rope is drawn up into the tree by means of a cord and is passed around the trunk over a limb diagonally above the nest; the rope is then pulled around until both ends meet on the ground, thus making a double rope. The party on the ground then walks out with the rope until it reaches a point within a foot or two of the nest and holds it as tight as possible so that the rope is quite often at an angle of 45°. The party up the tree then twists the rope around one leg and slides down to a point even with the nest where he hangs on with one hand and with the other takes the eggs from the nest, one by one, and places them in his mouth. This seems to take half an hour but probably takes a half-minute. The next thing in order is to cut the end of the limb off with the nest. This is done with a small hatchet carried in the belt and is the most aggravating job I know of; it is something like playing golf. You strike at the air three times to every time you hit the limb and the worst of it all is that you cannot swear because you have your mouth full of eggs. When the limb is nearly severed you put your hatchet back in your belt or drop it on the rocks below to keep it sharp. Then you pull the limb off and hold it in one hand while you slide down the rope to the ground, where you find a shady place and lie down while the other fellow pulls the rope down. Three or four innings like this every day will give you a fine appetite for supper. If you don't believe me, try it!
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER.
These birds are very plentiful during the breeding season in the mountains of Southern Arizona. They may be found from an altitude of 4000 to 9000 feet, but are more common in the oak belt, from 4000 to 7000 feet altitude, where a great many of them breed. Nevertheless, comparatively few nests are found. I believe the reason for this is, because unlike other warblers, these
