SYLVICOLID^ — THE WARBLERS. 



181 



Localities quoted. Baliainas ; Bermuda; Cuba; Jamaica: Santa Cruz; West Indies; 

 Cordova, Xalapa, Oaxaoa, Mex. ; Guatemala ; Panama R. R. ; Bogota. 



Specimens breeding in the Southern States differ in rather longer bill and 

 less amount of black, but are otherwise uudistinguishable. 



Habits. The Black and "White Creeper, nowhere an abundant species, is 

 met with in various sections of the country. It occurs in all parts of New 

 England and Xew York, and has l)een found in the interior as far north as 

 Fort Simpson. It has been met with u\i tlie Pacific coast only at Mazat- 

 lau, is common in the Bahamas and most of the West India Islands, gen- 

 erally as a migrant. It has also been found in Texas, in the Indian Terri- 

 tory, and in ife-xico, and throughout Central America. In the last-named 

 region Mr. Salvin states it to be pretty equally and generally spread over 

 the whole country. It is there migratory, leaving in spring. It was also 

 detected in Colombia, South America, by Mr. 

 C. W. Wyatt. Mr. Xewton also met with it 

 as a winter visitant in St. Croi.x, leaving that 

 island at the end of March. He regards this 

 species as almost a thorough Creeper in habits. 

 In Jamaica a few are resident throughout the 

 year, according to the observations of Mr. 

 March, and though its nests have never been 

 found there, a son of Mr. ilarch saw a pair 

 carrying materials with which to construct 

 one. 



Dr. Coues states that this Warbler is a very 

 common summer resident near Washington, 



but is more abundant there in the spring and in the fall, the greater number 

 going farther north to breed. They arrive in Washington during the first 

 week in April, and are exceedingly numerous until May. He adds that they 

 are generally found in high open wnods, and that they " breed in holes in 

 trees." This is probably an error, or, if ever known to occur, an entirely 

 exceptional case. 



Our bird is also a common summer visitant at Calais, arriving there about 

 the 1st of May, and by the Kith becoming rather abundant. Mr. Boardman 

 has frequently found their nests there, and always on the ground, in rocky 

 places and usually under small trees. 



It does not appear to have been met with on the Pacific coast north of 

 Mazatlan, nor in any portion of AVestern Xorth America, beyond the vaUeys 

 of the AIi.ssissippi and the Eio Grande. 



In its habits tli^s bird seems to be more of a Creeper than a Warbler. 

 It is an expert and nimble climber, and rarely, if ever, perches on the branch 

 of a tree or .shrub. In the manner of the smaller Woodpeckers, the Creep- 

 ers, Nuthatches, and Titmice, it UKn-es rapidly around the trunlcs and larger 

 limbs of the trees of the forest in search of small insects and their larvje. 



Mniotilta varia. 



