444 Birds of Colorado 



feet, where it breeds ; it has also been met with on the plains, but 

 probably only on migration. It arrives from the south early in May — 

 El Paso CO. May 2nd (Aiken), Monon, Baca co., May 3rd (Warren) — 

 and leaves again late in September. At Grand Junction on the western 

 slope Miss Eggleston states that it is a regular migrant (Rockwell). 



The following are recorded localities : Estes Park, breeding (W. G. 

 Smith ap^ld Chapman), Boulder co. (Minot), Middle and South Parks 

 (Carter), Beulah, Pueblo co. (Chapman), Fort Garland and Pagosa 

 Springs (Henshaw), all in the foothills and mountains ; Limon (Aiken) 

 and Monon (Warren), in the plains. 



Habits. — ^Aiken was the first to find this Warbler 

 in Colorado, and to him belongs the credit of first 

 describing the nesting habits of the species. He gives 

 the following account (Henshaw 75) : " During its 

 migrations, this interesting little bi^d^\dll be found among 

 the cotton-woods and willows bordering the streams, 

 and often also among the pines, but in summer it frequents 

 only the low scrub-oak brush on the hill-sides. It 

 exhibits at all times a good deal of shyness, hiding 

 instantly at the approach of an intruder or keeping at 

 a respectful distance while uttering its sharp alarm-note. 

 The male is very musical during the nesting season, 

 uttering his sweet httle ditty continually as he skips 

 through the bushes in search of his morning repast. 

 No bird with, which I am acquainted conceals its nest 

 more effectually than this Warbler. This is placed at 

 the base of a tussock of grass, among the oak bushes, 

 being sunk in a hollow scratched in the earth so that 

 the rim of the nest is on a level with the surface. About 

 the first of June, five white eggs, dehcately speckled 

 with reddish-brown, are laid." 



H. G. Smith found a nest on June 20th in Estes 

 Park ; it was under a rock ledge, sunk in the ground 

 and well hidden ; the eggs, four in number, were white, 

 speckled chiefly in a wreath round the larger end, mth 

 reddish and purplish-brown, and measured 66 x "49. 



