DENDROECA PINUS, PINE-CREEPIXG WARBLER. 69 



DENDRCEOA PIXUS, (Wils.) Ed. 

 Pine-creeping Warbler. 



Sylvia xnnus, Wils., Am. Oru. iii, 1811, 25, pi. 19, ficr. 4.— Bp., Syu. 1828, 81. — Nutt., 

 Man. i, 1832, 367.— Aud., Oru. Biog. ii, 1834, 232, pi. 111. 



TJiryothorus inmis, Steph., Shaw's G. Z. xiv, 194. 



Sylvicola pinus, Jard. ; Rich. &. Bp., Lists. — Aud., Syn. 1839, 54. — Aud., B. Am. ii, 1841, 

 37, pi. 82.— WooDH., Sitgr. Rep. 1853, 70 (Texas).— Tiuppe, Pr, Ess. Inst, vi, 

 1871, 114 (queries it from Minnesota). 



RliimampJnis inmis, Bp., Cousp. i, 1850, 311. 



Dendrocca jnnns, Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 277 ; Rev. 1865, 190 (not of CouES, Phila. Acad. 1861, 

 220, which = striata .').— Coles & Pkent., Smiths. Rep. 1861, 407 (Washington, 

 D. C., breeding, but not wintering). — McIlwr., Pr. Ess. Inst, vi, 1866, 86 (Ham- 

 iltoD, C. W.). — Coues, Pr. Ess. Inst, v, 1868, 272 (Kew England, breeding, not 

 wintering). — Coues, Pr. Bost. Soc. xii, 1868, 109 (South Carolina, resident). — 

 TURXB., B. E. Pa. 1869, 18 (migratory).- Allex, Bull. M. C. Z. ii, 1871, 26-8 

 (Florida, resident). — Mayx., Guide, 1870, 103 (Massachusetts, migratory, a few 

 breeding) ; B. Fla. 1872, 49.— Coues, Key, 1872, 104. 



■Sylvia vigorsii, Aud., Oru. Biog. i, 1832, 153, 30. 



Vireo vigorsit, Nutt., Man. i, 1832, 318. 



Hah. — Eastern United States to the Lower Missouri. North to Canada and New 

 Brunswick, but not to Labrador. Bermuda {Jones, Nat. in Berm. 1859, 59 ; only extra- 

 liraital record). Breeds throughout its United States range ; resident from the Caroli- 

 nas southward. 



Like the Palm Warbler, with which it is often found associated, the 

 Pine-creeping is a migrant betimes in the spring, and a loiterer in the 

 fall. The range, as well as the movement of the two species, is some- 

 what coincident, but that of the present bird is more restricted, not ex- 

 tending into the West Indies, nor reaching so far north. The quotation 

 "Labrador" originated in an error of mine some years since On a re- 

 examination lately of the specimen I thought was pinus, I find that it is 

 a newly-fledged Black-poll Warbler, in the spotted plumage common to 

 very young birds of many species of Warblers and Thrushes, corre- 

 sponding to the equally early aud transient streaked stage of many 

 Sparrows. The earliness of the vernal movement is attested bj- the 

 bird's presence in New England by the end of March, sometimes when 

 the ground is still covered with snow. Audubon affirms that it winters 

 in the Middle States, but I think the alleged fact has not been since con- 

 firmed. Dr. Turnbull does not so state; and for my own part I could 

 never detect the species in Maryland or Virginia between October aud 

 March. I found it, however, at all seasons in South Carolina, where it 

 is extremely abundant, and one of the very few species breeding there. 

 It nests there remarkably early for a W^arbler, the first broods being 

 abroad by the second week in April. The nortliward migration of that 

 portion of the great body of ])ir(ls that winter in the Southeru States 

 begins in jMarch, about the time that those not intending to move off set 

 about mating and nesting. The return movement is delayed in its com- 

 pletion until November by the stragglers. 



Tiie nest is built of a variety of soft vegetable substances, plant-down, 

 &c., usually mixed with fine rootlets, and often with hair or feathers, 

 and set on a foundation of coarse fibrous and weedy material. It mea- 

 sures about three inches across by two deep, aud generally presents a 

 pretty firm bi-im of circularly dispo.sed fibres. It is ]>lacc'd on trees. 

 The eggs are commonly four in number, about 0.70 by 0.50, of the usual 

 shape, white, six'cklcd and si)otted with dilVcrcnt shades of brown, 

 usually tending to wreathe around the larger end, sometimes generally 

 distributed. 



As its iianu' imidies, the Pine-creeping Warbler is partial to coniferous 

 woods, but by no means confined to such forests ; in fact I have observed 



