boolean sameComparator,
      Iterable<? extends Entry<? extends K, ? extends V>> entries) {
    // "adding" type params to an array of a raw type should be safe as
    // long as no one can ever cast that same array instance back to a
    // raw type.
    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    Entry<K, V>[] entryArray = (Entry[]) Iterables.toArray(entries, EMPTY_ENTRY_ARRAY);

  // except that when sortedDelegate's comparator is null, it points to a
  // non-null instance of Ordering.natural().
  // (cpovirk: Is sortedDelegate's comparator really ever null?)
  // The comparator will likely also differ because of our nullAccepting hack.
  // See the bottom of the file for more information about it.
  private final transient Comparator<? super K> comparator;