SYLVlCOLIUJi- THE WAKBLEKt). 255 



October 10, Carlisle, Penn.) differe in having the black appearing in patches, 

 tlie throat being mostly wliite; tJiere is also a narrow white superciliary 

 stripe. 



Habits. Tlie Black-tliroated Blue Warbler, at different seasons of the 

 year, is distrilnited over nearly the whole eastern portion of North America. 

 Abundant in the West Indies in winter, as also in the South Atlantic States 

 in early spring and late in fall, it is fuund during the breeding-season from 

 Northern New York and New England nearly to the Arctic regions. A few 

 probably stop to breed in the high portions of Massachusetts, and in late 

 seasons they linger aliout the orcdiards luitil June. They undoulitedly breed 

 in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. 



Dr. Woodhouse states that lie found it abundant in Te.xas ; but this is the 

 only instance, so far as is known, of its occurring west of the Mississij)pi 

 Yailey. 



Towards the close of tiie remarkably mild winter of 1866, a pair of these 

 birds were observed for several days in a sheltered portion of Boston. They 

 were in excellent condition, and were \'ery busily employed hunting for the 

 larva; and eggs of insects and spiders in tlie corners and crevices of the walls 

 of houses and out-buildings, e\id('ntly obtaining a full supply. In Soathern 

 Illinois, Mr. Eidgway cites this Warbler as one of tlie least common of tlie 

 spring and fall visitants. 



Auduljon found this species in nearly every Southern and Southwestern 

 State during tlieir migrations. They arrivi^ in South Carolina late in ]\Iarch, 

 are most abundant in April, and leave early in May. They keep in the deep 

 woods, passing among the brandies about twenty feet from the ground. He 

 traced them as far north as tlie Magdaleine Islands, but found none in New- 

 foundland, and but a single specimen in Labrador. They breed in Nova 

 Scotia, and a nest was given him found near Halifa.K by Dr. MacCulloch. 

 These were said to be usually placed on the horizontal branch of a fir-tree, 

 seven or eight feet from the ground, and to be composed of fine strips of bark, 

 mosses, and fibrous roots, and lined with fine grasses and a warm l)ed of 

 feathers. The eggs, five in numlier, were white, with a rosy tint, and sprin- 

 kled with reddish-brown dots, chiefly at the larger end. 



This Warliler is an expert catcher of tlie smaller winged insects, pursuing 

 them quite a distance, and, when seizing them, making the clicking sound of 

 the true Flycatciier. So far as they have been observed, they have no song, 

 only a monotonous and sad-sounding cheep. 



Nuttall, in the second edition of iiis Manual, mentions having observed 

 several pairs near Farranville, Penn., on tlie Susquehanna, and among the 

 AUeghanies. It was in May, and in a tliick and shady wood of hemlock. 

 They were busy foraging for food, ami were uttering what he describes as 

 slender, wiry notes. 



In Western ^Massachusetts, Mr. Allen states it to be common from the loth 

 to tlie 2r.tli of :May, and again in September. They were found by Mr. C. W. 



