the female was sitting, the male continued vigorously to utter his double note as he fed from tree to tree.  To this note I and my native assistants paid but little attention; but when the female, being off the nest, uttered her well-known ‘tiss-yip,’ as Mr. Blyth expresses the call of a Willow-Wren, we repaired rapidly to the spot and kept her in view.  In every instance, before an hour had passed, she went into her nest, first making a few impatient dashes at the place where it was, as much as to say—­’There it is, but I don’t want you to see me go in.’

“The nest of P. humii is always, so far as my observation goes placed on the ground on some sloping bank or ravine-side.  The situation preferred is the lower slope near the edge of the wood, and at the root of some very small bush or tree; often, however, on quite open ground, where the newly growing herbage was so short that it only partially concealed it.  In form it is a true Willow-Wren’s nest—­a rather large globular structure with the entrance at one side.  Regarding the first nest taken, I have noted that it was placed on a sloping bank on the ground, among some low ferns and other plants, and close to the root of a small broken fir tree which, being somewhat inclined over the nest, protected it from being trodden upon.  It was composed of coarse dry grass and moss and lined with finer grass and a few black hairs.  The cavity was about 2 inches, and the entrance about 11/2 inch in diameter.  About 20 yards from the nest was a large, old, hollow fir tree, and in this I sat till the female returned to her nest.  My attendant then quietly approached the spot, when she flew out of the nest and sat on a low bank 2 or 3 yards from it:  then she uttered her ‘tiss-yip,’ which I know so well, and darted away among the pines.  My man retired, upon which she soon returned, and having called for a few minutes in the vicinity of the nest, she ceased her note and quickly entered.  Again she was quietly disturbed, and sat on a twig not far from the nest.  I heard her call once more, and then shot her.  There were five eggs, which were slightly incubated.

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“My second nest was placed on the side of a steep bank on the ground.  The third was similarly placed, and composed of coarse grass and moss, and lined with black horsehair.  In each of these nests the number of eggs was five.

“Another nest, taken on the 1st June, with four eggs, was placed on the ground on a sloping bank, at the foot of a small thin bush.  It was composed as usual of coarse dry grass and moss, and lined with finer grasses and a few hairs.  The eggs were five or six days incubated.

“Another nest, with four eggs, was placed on the ground, under the inclined trunk of a small fir.  The same materials were used.

“Another nest, containing four eggs, was placed on a sloping bank and quite exposed, there being little or no herbage to conceal it.  It was composed as before, with the addition of a few feathers in the outer portion of the nest.