274 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



mens in Georgia, near Savannah, early in Feliruary, and infers that some pass 

 the entire winter in Georgia, which is not improbable, as this bird can endui-e 

 severe weather without any apparent inconvenience. 



There are several marked peculiarities in the habits of tliis AVarbler which 

 distinguish it from every other of its genus. Alone of all the Dendroicm, so 

 far as is known, it builds its nest on the groiiud, and is quite terrestrial in its 

 habits, and, notwithstanding tlie statements of earlier writers, these are quite 

 different from all others of this genus. It has very little of the Imbits of the 

 Creeper and still less of the Flycatchei-, while it has all the manners of the 

 true Ground AVarbler, and even approximates, in this respect, to the Titlarks. 



My attention was first called to these peculiarities by ]\Ir. Uownes of 

 Halifax, in the summer of 1851; and 1 was surprised to find it nesting on the 

 ground, and yet more to note that in all its mo\'ements it appeared fully as 

 terrestrial as the Maryland Yellow-Throat, or the Towhee Finch. Since then 

 Mr. Boardmau and other naturalists have found its nest, winch is always on 

 the ground. 



Mr. MacCulloch, in tlie fourth vohuuc of the Journal of the Boston 

 Natural History Society, has given an interesting paper upon the terrestrial 

 peculiarities of this species, showing them to be nearly identical with those 

 of the seiuri, with wliom he thinks it should be classed. In its terrestrial 

 movements this bird is shown to be quite at home, while other Warblers, 

 when driven by necessity to feed upon the ground, are awkward, and mani- 

 fest a want of adaptation. 



Dr. Henry Bryant, another very close and accurate observer, in his notes 

 on the birds of the Bahamas, referring to this Warbler, speaks of it as ex- 

 tremely abundant, but confined to the sea-shore. " Its habits," he adds, 

 apparently with some surprise, " are decidedly terrestrial, and it approaches, 

 in this respect, to the Titlarks. They were constantly running along the 

 edges of the road, or else hoj^jiing amongst the low branches in the pastures. 

 I did not see a single individual seeking for Ibod amidst the large trees. 

 These birds could be constantly seen running \ip and down in the market in 

 search of small flies. These they caught either on the ground or else by 

 hopjiing up a few inches, scarcely opening the wings, and alighting directly." 



Mr. J. A. Allen, in his Birds observed in W^estern Massachusetts, shows 

 that these peculiarities of habits in this Warbler had not escaped his notice. 

 He speaks of it as " frequenting, in company with I), pinus, the edges of 

 thickets, orchards, and open fields, and is much on tlie groimd." 



Ml'. George A. Boardman, writing me from St. Stephen, March, 1867, says : 

 " The Yellow Eed-PoU is one of our most common Warblers, and, unlike 

 most other Warblers, spends much of its time feeding upon tlie ground. It 

 is no uncommon thing to see a dozen or two on tlie gi'ouud in my garden at 

 a time, in early spring. Later in the season tliey have more of the habits of 

 otlier Warblers, and are in summer expert flycatchers. In the fall we again 

 see them mostly upon the ground, feeding with the Blue Snowbirds (Junco 



