Range.--Eastern North America, breeding from northern United States northward; winters in the Gulf States and southward.

These black-throated bluish-backed Warblers are abundant in swampy woodland both during migrations and at their breeding grounds; either s.e.x can readily be identified in any plumage, by the presence of a small white spot at the base of the primaries. They nest in underbrush or low bushes only a few inches above the ground, making the nests of bark strips, moss rootlets, etc., lined with fine gra.s.ses or hair; the eggs are pale buffy white more or less dotted with pale brownish; size .65 .50. Data.--Warren, Pa., June 9, 1891. 3 eggs. Nest one foot from the ground in brush; made of fine pieces of rotten wood, laurel bark and lined with fine gra.s.ses.

654a. CAIRNS WARBLER. _Dendroica caerulescens cairnsi._

Range.--Mountain ranges of North Carolina to Georgia.

A darker form whose habits and eggs are identical with those of the last.

[Ill.u.s.tration 396: Mangrove Warblers. Black-throated Blue Warblers.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Greenish white.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Buffy white.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: deco.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

Page 395

655. MYRTLE WARBLER. _Dendroica coronata._

Range.--Eastern North America, breeding from northern United States northward. Winters in the southern half of eastern United States.

This beautiful gray, white and black Warbler can readily be identified by its yellow rump, side patches and crown patch. It is one of our most common species during migrations when it is found west to the Rockies and casually farther. They nest on the lower branches of coniferous trees, making their homes of rootlets, plant fibres and gra.s.ses; during June or the latter part of May, three or four eggs are laid; they are white, spotted with several shades of brown and lilac; size .70 .50.

Data.--Lancaster, N. H., June 7, 1888. Nest in a small spruce, about 6 feet up; made of fine twigs, lined with feathers.

656. AUDUBON'S WARBLER. _Dendroica auduboni auduboni._

Range.--Mountain ranges of western United States from British Columbia to Mexico.

This bird resembles the last in the location of the yellow patches but has a yellow instead of a white throat, and is otherwise differently marked. They are as abundant in suitable localities as are the Myrtle Warblers in the east, nesting on the outer branches of coniferous trees at any height from the ground. The nests are made of bark strips, rootlets, plant fibre, gra.s.ses and pine needles, the three to five eggs are greenish or bluish white marked with brown and lilac; size .68 .52. The one figured is from a beautiful set of four in Mr. C. W.

Crandall's collection, and the ground color is a delicate shade of blue.

Data.--Spanaway, Washington, April 23, 1902. Nest on the limb of a large fir in a clump of three in prairie country.

656a. BLACK-FRONTED WARBLER. _Dendroica auduboni nigrifrons._

Range.--Mountains of southern Arizona and Mexico.

Similar to the preceding, but with the forehead and ear coverts black.

Their nests and eggs are in no way different from those of Audubon's Warbler.

[Ill.u.s.tration 397: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Bluish white.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Myrtle Warblers. Audubon's Warblers.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: deco.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

Page 396

657. MAGNOLIA WARBLER. _Dendroica magnolia._

Range.--North America east of the Rockies, breeding from northern United States to Hudson Bay region and in the Alleghanies, south to Pennsylvania. Winters south of our borders. This species, which is one of the most beautiful of the Warblers, is entirely yellow below and on the rump, the breast and sides being heavily streaked with black; a large patch on the back and the ear coverts are black. They build in coniferous trees at any elevation from the ground, making their nests of rootlets and gra.s.s stems, usually lined with hair; the eggs are dull white, specked with pale reddish brown; size .65 .48.

Data.--Worcester, Ma.s.s., May 30, 1895. 4 eggs. Nest of fine rootlets and gra.s.ses about 30 feet up on the end of a limb of a pine overhanging a brook.

658. CERULEAN WARBLER. _Dendroica caerulea_.

Range.--United States east of the Plains, breeding chiefly in the northern half of the Mississippi Valley, rare east of the Alleghanies and casual in New England. These beautiful Warblers are light blue gray above, streaked with black on back, white below, with a grayish blue band on breast and streaks on the sides; they have two wide white wing bars and spots on the outer tail feathers. They are found chiefly in the higher trees where they glean on the foliage; they build also usually above twenty feet from the ground in any kind of tree, placing the nests well out on the horizontal limbs, generally in a fork. The nests are made of fine strips of bark, fibres, rootlets, etc., lined with hair; the eggs are white or pale bluish white, specked with reddish brown; size .62 .48. Data.--Fargo, Ontario, June 2, 1901. Nest in a burr oak, 18 feet from the ground on a horizontal limb.

[Ill.u.s.tration 398: Magnolia Warblers. Cerulean Warblers.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No caption.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

Page 397

[Ill.u.s.tration 399: NEST OF MAGNOLIA WARBLER.]

Page 398

659. CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. _Dendroica pensylvanica._

Range.--United States, east of the Plains, breeding in the Middle States and Illinois, north to Manitoba and New Brunswick. Winters south of our border.

The adults of this handsome species may readily be known by the white underparts and the broad chestnut stripe on the flanks; the crown is yellow. They frequent low brush in open woods or on hillsides and pastures, nesting at low elevations, usually below three feet from the ground, and often concealing their nests beneath the leaves in the tops of low small bushes. The nests are made of gra.s.ses, weed stems and some fibres, but they do not have as wooly an appearance as those of the Yellow Warblers which nest in the same localities and similar locations.

Their eggs are white or creamy white (never greenish white), specked with brown and gray. Size .65 .50. Data.--Worcester, Ma.s.s., June 6, 1890. Nest in the top of a huckleberry bush, 2 feet from the ground; made of gra.s.ses and plant fibres. Bird did not leave nest until touched with the hand.

660. BAY-BREASTED WARBLER. _Dendroica castanea._

Range.--North America, east of the Plains, breeding from northern United States north to the Hudson Bay; winters in Central and South America.

This species has the crown, throat and sides a rich chestnut; forehead and face black; underparts white. They nest in coniferous trees in swampy places, making their nests of bark shreds and rootlets and placing them in horizontal forks at elevations of from five to thirty feet from the ground. The three or four eggs are laid late in May or during June; they are white, usually quite heavily spotted and blotched with reddish brown, umber and grayish. Size .70 .50.

[Ill.u.s.tration 400: Chestnut-sided Warblers. Bay-breasted Warblers.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: deco.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

Page 399

661. BLACK-POLL WARBLER. _Dendroica striata._

Range.--North America, east of the Rockies, breeding from northern United States north to Labrador and Alaska; winters in South America.