SYLVICOLID.E — THE WARBLERS. 293 



Oporornis formosus, U.ukd. 



KENTTJCKY WARBLEE. 



! Sylvia cequinoclialis, Vieill. Ois. Am. Sept. 11, lsu7, 26, pi. Ixx.xi, Peun. (not of Gmelin). 



Sylvia fonnosa, Wils. Am. Orn. Ill, 1811, 85, pl. xxv, fig. 3. — Nutt. ; Aud. Ora. 



Biog. I, pl. xxxviii. Sylvicola formosa, Jaed. ; Rich. ; BoN. ; M.4X. Myiodiodes 



formosus, Aud. Syn. — Ib. Birds Am. II, pl. l.xxiv. — Lembeye, Av. Cuba, 1S50, 37. 



GuNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba). Oporornis formosus, Baiiid, Birds N. Am. 



1858, 247 ; Rev. 218. — Sclater & Salvin, Ibis, I, 1859, 10 (Guatemala). 

 Other localities cited : Mexico, Sclatek. Isthmus Pananm, Lawkexce. Veragua, Salv. 



Costa Rica, L.4.WE. 



Sr. Char. Adult male. Upper parts and sides dark olive-green. Crown and side.s of 

 the head, including a triangular patch from behind the eye down the .side of tlie neck, 

 black, the feathers of the crown narrowly lunulated at tips with dark a,sli. A line from 

 nostrils over the eye and encircling it (except anteriorly), with the entire under parts, 

 bright yellow. No white on the tail. Female similar, with less black on the head. Length, 

 5 inches ; wing, 2.9.5 ; tail, 2.2.5. Young not seen. 



The adults in autumn are exactly the same as in spring. 



Had. Eastern Province of United States, north to Washington and Chicago ; west to 

 Republican Fork of Kansas River (Coues). Cuba, Guatemala, aud Isthmus Panama. Not 

 recorded from West Indies except Cuba. 



HAB1T.S. The Kentucky Warbler is an abundant species in the Southern 

 and Southwestern States, and has been found, though more rarely, as far to 

 the north as Soutliern Xew York in tlie east and to Southern Wisconsin in 

 the west. It has also been obtained at P'oit lUley, in Kansas. Its uest and 

 eggs have been procured near Cleveland, 0., by Dr. J. P. Kirtland, and also 

 in Chester County, Penn., by Mr. Xorris. It is a winter inhabitant in 

 Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, and Cuba. 



Wilson .sjieaks of having met with this liird in aliundance from Kentucky to 

 the mouth of the Mississippi, everywhere quite common, but most especially 

 so in the States of Tennessee and Kentucky. At the Balize he several times 

 heard it twittering among the high rank grass of those solitary morasses. 

 He ibund it frequenting low damp woods, and building its nest either in the 

 middle of thick tufts of rank grass, in tlie fork of a low busli, or on the 

 ground. The materials of which these nests were made were loose dry 

 grass, mixed with the pith of wood, aud lined with hair. He found the eggs 

 from four to six in number, pure white, sprinkled with reddish specks. He 

 met with the female sitting upon her eggs as early as May. These birds, 

 he adds, are seldom seen among high branches, but prefer to frequent low 

 bushes and canebrakes. In their habits they- are very lively and sprightly. 

 The song is loiul, comprising three notes, and resembles twcedlc-hvcedlc-clwee- 

 dle. It makes its appearance in Kentucky from the South about the middle 

 of April, and leaves the region about New Orleans on the approach of cold 

 weather. Wilson was assured that it never remains there during the winter. 



Wilson characterizes these birds as a reckless fighting species, almost 

 always engaged in pursuing its fellows. 



