Page:The Singing Tree - William Henry Mousley - The Auk 36(3) - P0339-p0348.pdf/6

344 good as found. Careful scanning with the glasses however revealed nothing, nor did a climb produce any better results, so I was perforce obliged to commence the tiring business of watching the actions of the male once more. These however are varied and interesting and the least significant may often lead to unexpected results. For instance, be careful to note in what direction he usually faces when in the 'singing tree,' as this may give some clue to the nesting site. Now in this case it was to the east and notwithstanding his downward swoop to the north, I felt convinced that the nest would eventually be found in the former direction (for the reasons already given), so when after nearly another two hours of weary watching, he at last made another of those telltale swoops, and this time to the east, and the female again appeared, I thought my troubles were surely at an end, and the next was at last within my reach. Nothing of the kind apparently, for on training the glasses onto the spot (somewhat carelessly it must have been, owing no doubt to being over-tired) no signs of a nest could be seen, and as it was then past noon, I left for home and some dinner, much disgusted with my ill luck. An hour later, however, found me on my way back, with the intention of overhauling that tree more carefully, and perhaps climbing it. The latter however was not necessary, for on approaching it, much to my surprise and pleasure I noticed the female on the ground under it. This of course raised my suspicions, and I watched her carefully until she went at length to the very spot on the branch, some fifteen feet above the ground, that the male had swooped to, and remained there a short time.

Upon her leaving, I had another good look at the spot through my glasses, and sure enough there seemed to be the faintest indication of the outlines of a nest, so faint however that I had failed to notice it in the morning, and even now could hardly make up my mind until the female had been seen to go to it again several times. Thus after some five hours' hard work the goal had been reached, and it lay within the magic circle at eighteen yards from the singing tree.

Now it must not be imagined that during all those lours I had the male constantly under observation, an impossibility with a warbler, as often when singing he would suddenly cease, cock his head on one side, peer down into the undergrowth, and then