1853.] 311 



*SyLVlCOL\ ICTEROCEPHALA, Lath. 



This beautiful little warbler is extremely abundant. It prefers localities with 

 a dense under-brush, especially hazel, thinly covered with trees. In such situa- 

 tions it is not uncommon to hear the songs of a dozen males at the same time. 

 They construct a nest of blades of grass and thin strips of bark intermingled 

 with caterpillars' web, fixed in a low bush, (generally hazel,) seldom more than 

 two or three feet from the ground ; the eggs, 4 or 5 in number, closely resemble 

 those of the S. cestiva. But one brood is raised in a season nest from the lOth 

 to 15th of June. If the nest be approached when the female is in it, she will drop 

 to the ground and hobble along with one wing dragging, uttering at the same 

 time a. peep/fig note of distress. 



1 once caught a young bird of this species that had just left the nest ; the 

 parent birds, in their alarm for its safety, approached so near to me that 1 caught 

 the male in my hand. I let them both go, upon which, the joy of the old bird 

 appeared to be greater for the escape of the young fledgling than for his own 

 release. 



Sylvicola castaxea, Wilson. 

 Arrives in large numbers about the 10th of May ; all gone north by the 2.jth. 



Sylvicola striata. Lath. 



Equally numerous with the preceding ; the two species arrive and depart in 

 company. 



*Sylvicola pinus. Lath. 

 Not a numerous species with us. Nest in the northern pine forests. 



Sylvicola discolor, Vieill. 



A few are occasionally seen about the middle of May. Rare in Wisconsin. 



*Sylvicola Americana, Lath. 



Common. The beautiful pensile nest of this bird has never, to my knowledge, 

 been described. Audubon undoubtedly erred in attributing the nest described 

 by him to this species. That presented by me to the Collection of the Academy is 

 formed by interlacing and sewing together, with a few blades of grass, the pen- 

 dant lichen (Usnea barbata) which grewupon a dead horizontal branch of an 

 oak, fifty or sixty feet from the ground. A hole, just large enough for the bird to 

 enter, is left in the angle immediately under the branch, which forms a complete 

 roof for the nest ; it is finished with a slight lining of hair. The whole forms a 

 beautiful basket of moss, which is so admirably adapted to the purpose intended, 

 so effectually concealed, so light and airy, that it would be almost impossible 

 to suggest an improvement, and is certainly one of the most interesting speci- 

 mens of ornithological architecture. The eggs, four or five in number, are white, 

 with a band of light brown spots near the greater end ; they measure 5 by 7j 

 lines in diameter. The young leave the nest about the first week in July. 



Sylvicola canadensis, Linn. 



Abundant from the 5th to 25th of May, and again from the 1st to 20th of 

 October. 



Sylvicola Formosa, Bonap. 



Rare. Shot one near Racine, May 10, 1851. 



*Sylvicola ccerulea, Wils07l. 



Not common. A few nest with us. 



Sylvicola maritima, Wi/so7i. 



By no means a rare bird during the month of May. It frequents the vicinity 

 of streams and swamps that abound with tall willows, in the tops of which this 

 interesting warbler is commonly seen flitting about, busily searching for insects 

 and their larvae. It is probable that a few nest in this vicinity. 



*Trichas marylandica, Wilson. 

 Common. 



48 



