SYLVICOLID^ — THE WARBLERS. 291 



A specimen in the collection of the Pliiladelphia Academj^ killed hy ]\rr. 

 Krider, has tlie darker ash of the jiigulum of a decided sooty tinge. 



A peculiarity in the history of tliis species is shown in the fact that it is 

 quite abundant in Illinois, Wisconsin, etc., in the spring, and very rare in 

 the autumn ; jwecisely the reverse being tlie case near the Atlantic border, 

 where only two or three spring specimens have been announced as captured 

 by collectors. It is possible tliat tliey go iiortli in spring, along the valley of 

 the Mississippi, and return in autumn througli the Atlantic States. Their 

 summer abode and breeding-place are as yet unknown. 



Habits. Of the history of this rare and beautiful species but little is as 

 yet known. It was first met with by 

 Wilson, in the State of Connecticut, 

 and he afterwards obtained two other 

 specimens near Philadelpliia. Otlicrs 

 have since been procured at Carlisle, 

 Penn., at Washington, Loudon County, 

 Va.,near Chicago, Racine, and in South- 

 ern Illinois. September 25 to Octo- 

 ber 1, and Mav, from the loth to the - :Li^-^^*^^'i^a5?%Wf^?'^- ., ,_^ 

 28th, appears to be the epoch of their "' i - — -.ea.Sife!-^>-: — i 



fall and spring occurrence. They are 

 more frequently noticed in the au- 

 tumn. It is supposed to be a migratory bird, going north to breed. 



It was found by Wilson, in every case, among low thickets, and seemed to 

 be more than commonly active, not remaining for a moment in the same 

 position. Mr. Audubon obtained only two specimens, a pair, opposite Phila- 

 delphia in New Jersey. When he first observed them they were hopping 

 and skipping from one low bush to another, and among the tall reeds of the 

 marsh, emitting an oft-repeated twutt at every move. They were cliasing a 

 species of spider tliat ran nimbly over the water, and winch they caught by 

 gliding over it. Upon dissecting them, he found a number of these spiders 

 in their stomaclis, and no other I'ood. These two birds were not at all shy, 

 and seemed to take very little notice of him, even when close to them. 



Mr. Trumljull, in his list of the birds of Eastern Pennsylvania, marks it 

 as a summer resident of that State, which is probably not tiie fact. Mr. Law- 

 rence includes it in liis list of birds found near New York City. It is not 

 given by Mr. Verrill or ]\Ir. Boardman as occurring in any part of Maine, and 

 has not been detected in Western IMassachusetts by Mr. Allen, though it has 

 been occasionally met with in the eastern part of the State by Dr. Cabot, Mr. 

 Maynard, and others. More recently, in the fall of 1870, and again in that 

 of 1871, this species lias been found quite abundant in a restricted locality 

 in the eastern part of that State. It was first obser\ed by Mr. H. W. Hen- 

 shaw, a promising young naturalist, in the early part of September, 1870, 

 among the Fresh Pond marshes in Cambridge. They appeared to be quite 



