KENTUCKY WARBLEB 329 



Kentucky Warbler : Geothlypis formosa. 

 (See Fig. 186, p. 340.) 



Upper parts olive ; crown, cheeks, and broad line bordering 

 throat black ; under parts brig-ht yellow. Length, about 5^ 

 inches. 



Geographic Distribution. — Eastern United States; breeds 

 from the Gidf states to Iowa and Connecticut ^; winters in Cen- 

 tral America. 



In the neighborlioocl of Washington, one of the 

 best places for birds on the spring migration is 

 along the eastern wooded bank of the Potomac. 

 There, above High Island, opposite the 'amphi- 

 theatre ' one day early in May we heard a song so 

 like the famons Carolina Wren's that we hnrried 

 off in its direction. Crossing on a fallen tree that 

 bridged the narrow arm of the Potomac, we were 

 on the little island where the bird was singing. 

 The song receded as we advanced, and we forced 

 our way through the dense tangle of undergrowth 

 to follow it till we came suddenly upon a forest 

 garden, a great blue rug spread on the floor of the 

 woodland and lit up by the sun coming through 

 the skylights of the freshly leafing trees. The 

 delicacy of the light blue phlox and its vine-like 

 tracery of meadow rue made an exquisite spring 

 picture. There was such a luxuriant growth of 

 the phlox that negroes were picking it for the 

 market. As we stood absorbed on the . edge of 

 the garden, suddenly, right before us, rang out 



