386 INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 



and as Wilson remarks the flight of the young in July, 

 we may suppose that they raise 2 broods in the season. 

 The nest was niched in the shelving of a rock, on the 

 surface of the ground, and was externally composed of 

 coarse strips of the inner bark of the hemlock* trees, 

 which overshadowed the situation. With these were mix- 

 ed soft, dissected, old leaves, and a few stalks of dead 

 grass ; the lining was made of a thin layer of black hair. 

 The eggs were 5, whitish, said to be marked at the larger 

 end with brownish red spots. According to Audubon, 

 they nest in Louisiana in some small hole in a tree, and 

 employ dry moss, and a lining of downy substances. The 

 pair fed the young before us with affectionate attention, 

 and did not seem more uneasy at our presence than the 

 common and familiar Summer Yellow-bird. They crept 

 about the trunks of the neighbouring trees, often head 

 downwards like the Sittas, and carried large, smooth 

 caterpillars to their young. This is, in fact, at all times, 

 a familiar, active, and unsuspicious little visitor of the 

 shady gardens and orchards, as well as woods and soli- 

 tudes. 



The length of the variegated Warbler is from 5 to 5^ inches ; the 

 alar extent 7J. The crown white, bordered on each side by a band 

 of black, which is again bounded by a line of white passing over 

 each eye ; ear-feathers black, as well as the chin and throat ; wings 

 the same, with 2 white bars ; breast, back, sides, and rump spotted 

 with black and white. Tail and primaries edged with light grey, 

 the coverts black, bordered with white. Belly white. Legs and 

 feet dusky yellow. Bill black above, paler below, rather long and 

 slender, curved, with the upper mandible keeled and compressed at 

 the sides. Tongue long, and fine pointed. — Female with the crown 

 wholly black, and without the black auricular feathers } the prima- 

 ries edged with olive. Legs pale yellow. 



* Mies canadensis. 



