166 BIRDS 01' ILLINOIS. 



Geothlypis formosa (Wils.) 



KENTUCKY WARBLEK. 



Sylvia formosa "WiLS. Am. Orn. iii, 1811, 85, pi. 25,flg. 3. AUD. Orn. Biog. 1, 1831, 196.pl. 381 



NUTT. Man. i, 1832, 399. 



Myiodioctes formosa AUD. Synop. 1839,50; B. Am. ii, 1841, 19, pi. 74. 

 Opororriis ormosus BAIKD, B. N. Am. 1858,247; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 175; Review, 

 1865,218. COUES, Key, 1872, 106; Check List, 1873, No. 96; 2d ed. 1882, No. 140; B. N. W. 

 1874,73; B. Col. Val. 1878, 3(>9. B. B. & R. Hist. N. Am. B. i, 1874, 293, pi. 15, fig. 3. 

 RIDGW. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881. No. 119. 



HAB. Eastern United States, chiefly west to the Alleghanies; north to Connecticut Val- 

 ley, southern New York, Michigan, and Wisconsin; west to Kansas, Indian Territory, 

 Texas, etc. ; breeds throughout its United States range. Winters in Mexico and Central 

 America, south to Panama; Cuba. 



"Sp. CHAK. Adultmale. Upper parts and sides dark olive-green. Crown and sides of 

 the head, including a triangular patch from behind the eye down the side of the neck, 

 black, the feathers of the crown narrowly lunulated at tips with dark ash. A line from 

 nostrils over the eye and encircling it (except anteriorly), with the entire under parts, 

 bright yellow. No white on the tail. Female similar, with less black on the head. 

 Length, 5 inches; wing, 2.95; tail, 2.25. 



"The adults in autumn are exactly the same as in spring." (Hist. N. Am. B.) 

 First plumage. Reiniges, rectrices, primary coverts, and alulze as in the adult. Pileum 

 and back dull raw-umber brown, tinged with rusty on the back and scapulars ; throat, 

 jugulum, breast, and sides pale grayish fulvous, the abdomen and crissum paler and 

 slightly tinged with yellow. -A'o markings of any sort about the head. 



The beautiful Kentucky Warbler is one of the most abundant of 

 birds in the rich woods of southern Illinois. As far north as 

 Wabash, Lawrence, and Kichland counties, it is even more abundant 

 than the Golden-crowned Thrush, though the two usually inhabit 

 different locations, the latter preferring, as a rule, the dryer upland 

 woods, while the present species is most abundant in the rich woods 

 of the bottom-lands. In its manners it is almost a counterpart of 

 the Golden- crowned Thrush, but is altogether a more conspicuous 

 bird, both on account of its brilliant plumage and the fact that it 

 is more active, the males being, during the breeding season, very 

 pugnacious, and continually chasing one another about the woods. 

 It lives altogether near the ground; making its artfully concealed 

 nest among the low herbage and feeding in the undergrowth, the 

 male uttering his pretty song from some old log or low "bush. His 

 song recalls that of the Cardinal, but is much weaker; and the 

 ordinary note is a soft pchip, somewhat like the common call of the 

 Pewee (Sayornis pliosbe.} Considering its great abundance, the nest 

 of this species is extraordinarily difficult to find; at least this has 

 been the writer's experience, and he has come to the conclusion that 



