LAND BIRDS. 627 



Our records are not numerous enough to give much idea of its migration, 

 but Mr. Norman A. Wood has noted it at Ann Arbor seven times during 

 the last thirty years, the earhest record being May 2, 1905, and the other 

 records May 11, 1880, May 18, 1900, May 10, 1902, May 9, 1903, and May 

 13 and 14, 1907. There is one record for Port Huron, St. Clair county, 

 a specimen taken by P. A. Taverner, May 20, 1900; N. A. Wood found a 

 few migrants on Charity Island August 22 and 24, 1910; a single specimen 

 was seen at the Agricultural College May 11, 1900; Mr. Swales states that 

 it was found nesting near Detroit by W. A. Davidson May 27, 1894, but 

 the bird was not secured; Taverner took three specimens near the same 

 city. May 10, 1907. Other collectors in the vicinity of Detroit have failed 

 to find the species, either as a migrant or a resident, and, with the ex- 

 ceptions already noted, observers in other parts of the state have been 

 equally unfortunate. The nest found by Dr. Gibbs in Ottawa county 

 was taken May 26, 1879. It was about two feet from the ground, in a 

 small bush, and was made of dandelion down, bark of weeds and fibres 

 of milkweed, and Hned with woodchuck hair. It contained two eggs, 

 and the ovary of the parent taken contained another egg almost ready to 

 be laid. 



Dr. Gibbs states that he found this a rather common warbler near Howard 

 City, Montcalm county, in 1881 and 1882. He heard the first there (at 

 least a dozen) on May 9, 1881, and on the same date the following year 

 they were already numerous. May 14, 1882 he found them common and 

 unsuspicious, but later, during the nesting season, they were so shy that 

 it was difficult to secure a specimen. 



The eggs are white or buffy-white, speckled with burnt-umber or vandyke- 

 bi'own and lilac gray, and average .63 by .47 inches (Ridgway). 



The song of this warbler is neither loud nor striking, but is sufficiently 

 characteristic for recognition after one becomes famiUar with it. Butler 

 describes it as "beginning low and gradually growing louder, resembling 

 the sylla])les ' wee-wee-chee-chee-chee-chee '" (Bii-ds of Indiana, 1897, p. 

 1077). 



The food appears to be similai- to that of other wai'blers frequenting 

 like situations. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Adult male: Upper parts uniform olive-green, tlie middle of the baek spotted con- 

 spicuously with brick-red or chestnut; a briglit yellow streak from bill oyer and bi\yond 

 the eye; entire under parts clear rich yellow, unspotted along the median lin(\ l)ul liea\ily 

 streaked with deep black on sides of neck and breast and on flanks; a small l)hick sj)ot in 

 front of eye, and a larger one bounding the cheek below, and se])arat('d from tlie eye by a 

 narrow area of yelk)w; two wliite wing-bars; three outer jiairs of tail-featluMs mostly wiiite 

 on inner webs, the fourth feather witli a small wiiite sjoot. Female similai-, but with less 

 chestmit or none on tlie back, and other markings somewhat duller. 



i.engtli of male 4.2.5 to 5 inches; wing 2.10 to 2.:i(); tail l.i)() to 2.10. Fcm.ilc slightly 



286. Ovenbird. Seiurus aurocapillus (Linn.). (674) 



Synonyms: (iolden-crowiied 'riirusli. Teacher, Nightingale.— Mot acill.i auroca|)illa. 

 Linii., iVtit).— Turdus aun.capilla, Wils., P.ona))., And., Nutt. 



Figure 141. 



The broad golden-brown stripe through the middle of the crown with 

 the narrow stripe of black on either side, together with the absence of 



