To create Properties from another Properties in Java, use its constructor:
Properties capitals = new Properties(defList);
Full source
// Use a default property list. import java.util.*; /* w w w . ja v a 2 s . c om*/ public class Main { public static void main(String args[]) { Properties defList = new Properties(); defList.put("Florida", "Tallahassee"); defList.put("Wisconsin", "Madison"); Properties capitals = new Properties(defList); capitals.put("Illinois", "Springfield"); capitals.put("Missouri", "Jefferson City"); capitals.put("Washington", "Olympia"); capitals.put("California", "Sacramento"); capitals.put("Indiana", "Indianapolis"); // Get a set-view of the keys. Set<?> states = capitals.keySet(); // Show all of the states and capitals. for(Object name : states) System.out.println("The capital of " + name + " is " + capitals.getProperty((String)name) + "."); System.out.println(); // Florida will now be found in the default list. String str = capitals.getProperty("Florida"); System.out.println("The capital of Florida is " + str + "."); } }