KENTUCKY WARBLER 509 



feet from the ground, and you mark the Usual limit of the Kentucky 

 warbler's quest for food." E-idgway (1889) writes: 



In its manners it is almost a counterpart of the Golden-crowned Thrush, but 

 is altogether a more conspicuous bird, both on account of its brilliant plumage 

 and the fact that it is more active, the males being, during the breeding season, 

 very pugnacious, and continually chasing one another about the woods. * * * 

 Considering its great abundance, the nest of this species is extraordinarily 

 difficult to find ; at least this has been the writer's experience, and he has come 

 to the conclusion that the female must slyly leave the nest at the approach of the 

 intruder and run beneath the herbage until a considerable distance from the 

 nest, when joined by her mate, the pair by their evident anxiety mislead the 

 collector as to its location. However this may be, the writer has never found 

 a nest of this species except by accident, although he has repeatedly searched 

 every square foot of ground within a radius of many yards of the spot where 

 a pair showed most uneasiness at his presence. 



Other observers have commented on this same trait. And Amos 

 W. Butler (1898) refers to its resemblance to the ovenbird in its 

 actions, saying : "It carries its body evenly balanced, apparently, and 

 the equilibrium is only maintained with much difficulty by using its 

 tail as a balance, causing that appendage to bob up and down. Hop- 

 ping about a steep, springy bank, it reminds one of the Worm-eating 

 Warbler, as it climbs over roots, sticks and logs, now disappearing from 

 view in a hole beneath the roots, then behind a log, here stopping to 

 peck at an insect, and there turning over the leaves." 



Voice. — Dr. Chapman (1912) writes: 



His song is entirely unlike that of any other Warbler. It is a loud, clearly 

 whistled performance of five, six, or seven notes — tur-dle, tur-dle, tur-dle — re- 

 sembling in tone some of the calls of the Carolina Wren. Even in the woods it 

 may be heard at a distance of about one hundred and fifty yards. In the height 

 of the breeding season this Warbler is a most persistent singer. On one occasion, 

 at Englewood, N. .L, I watched a male for three hours. During this period, 

 with the exception of five interruptions of less than forty-five seconds each, he 

 sang with the greatest regularity once every twelve seconds. Thus, allowing 

 for the brief intervals of silence, he sang about 875 times, or some 5,250 notes. 

 I found him singing, and when I departed he showed no signs of ceasing. 



F. L. Burns wrote to Dr. Chapman (1907) : 



The song is a loud, clear and sweetly whistled peer-ry, repeated rapidly four 

 or five times. Often, though less frequently, a che che che pcer-ry peer-ry peer-ry. 

 When first heard it is suggestive of the song of the Cardinal or Carolina Wren. 

 During the nesting season it is an incessant singer from the lower branches 

 of the sapling in which it is constantly moving or as often from the ground 

 where it is at its best, walking about with an air and dignity not often attained 

 by small birds. The song continues from arrival until June 27-June 23, and one 

 was heard August 7, (1902). * * * A flight song is sometimes delivered 

 about dusk during the height of the breeding period. It is indescribable. The 

 alarm note is a metallic chip, check, or chuck, more or less rapidly repeated, 

 and to a critical ear easily recognizable." 



