LAND BIRDS. 649 



county, J. Claire Wood found it tolerably common from May 15 to 29, 1909. 



It is not impossible that the bird nests in the northernmost parts of 

 the state, but we have no record of such nesting and it is not probable. 

 It was found only as a migrant on Isle Royale, Lake Superior, where a 

 single specimen was taken August 31, and a second on September 5, 1905. 



The nest and eggs are still rarities in collections. The nest is placed 

 invariably on the ground, usually in wet woods, and often sunken deeply 

 in the moss and even more or less roofed over, so as to be difficult to find. 

 The eggs are usually four, white or creamy white, speckled with brown 

 and lavender or gray, and average .60 by .48 inches. 



In its habits this bird somewhat resembles the flycatchers and the 

 warblers, but on the whole does not seem to be so expert in catching winged 

 insects as one might infer from its structure. 



We find no satisfactory description of its song, which is said to resemble 

 that of the Yellow Warbler carelessly and imperfectly rendered. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Adult male: Top of head satiny black; rest of upper parts, iiicUiding wings and tail, 

 olive-green; forehead and entire under parts bright yellow, this color blending gradually 

 with the color of the upper parts and the sides of the neck; wings and l;iil without mark- 

 ings. Female similar, but with the black esq) often obscure, sometimes entirely wanting. 



Length 4.25 to 5.10 inches; wing 2.15 to 2.35; tail 2.05 to 2.25. 



297. Canada Warbler. Wilsonia canadensis (Linn.). (686) 



Synonyms: Canadian Flycatching Warbler, Canadian Warbler, Canada Flycatcher, 

 Speckled Canada Warbler, Necklaced AVarbler. — Muscicapa canadensis, Linn., 1766. — 

 Myiodioctes canadensis, Aud., 1839. — Sylvania canadensis, Ridgw., 1885, and many others. 



Upper parts, including wings and tail, bluish gray and without spots or 

 bars except that the crown and forehead are streaked with black; the 

 under parts bright yellow except for a broad band or necklace of black 

 spots across the chest, extending on either side to the eye. The female 

 is similar but shows no clear black, the necklace being of ashy spots and 

 less extensive. 



Distribution. — Eastern North America, west to the Plains, and north 

 to Newfoundland, southern Labrador, and Lake Winnipeg; south in 

 winter to Central America and northern South America. Breeds from 

 the higher parts of the Alleghanies and the more elevated parts of southern 

 New York and southern New England northward. 



This beautiful warbler is a common migrant, both spring and fall, over 

 the entire state and a not uncommon summer resident in favorable localities 

 in its northern half. 



It arrives from the south from ]\Iay 10 to 20 in the southern counties, 

 and a week or ten days later at the north. At Petersburg Mr. Trombley's 

 earliest record is May 10, 1894, while O. B. Warren recorded it the same 

 season at Palmer, Marquette coimty, June 3. At Ann Arbor the earliest 

 record for twenty-five years, is ]\Iay 1, 1888, the average being May 11 

 (Norman A. Wood). Specimens were killed on Spectacle Reef Light, 

 Lake Huron, May 15, 1891 and May 28, 1892. The southward movement 

 appears to begin early in August, l)ut the species is fairly common from 

 August 20 to the last of Sei)tombcr, although the larger numljcr move 

 southward before the middle of September. During migration it may be 



