DENDRCECID^ — THE WARBLERS — DENDRCEC A. §7 



Dendroeca sestiva, Gmelin. 



THE YELLOW WARBLEK. 



Motacilla nstiva, G.melin, Syst. Xat. I. 178S, 996. — Si/h-ia (estiva, Latham, Index Orn. II. 



1790, 551. — AuDUiiON, Oni. Biog. I. 18.31, 476; pi. 95, 35. — Nuttall, Man. I. 1832, 



370, 2d cd. 417. — Si//ficola u'stica, SwAiNSON, F. Bor. Am. II. 1831, 211. — Audubon, 



Birds Amcr. II. 1841, 50 ; pi. 88. 

 Si/h'ia Cliildreni, Audubon, Oni. Biog. I. 1831, 180 ; pi. 35. (Immature.) 

 Dendmlca asliva, Baied, P. K. Kcp. IX. Birds, 282. — Heermann, X. vi. 40. — Cooper 



and SuCKLEV, XII. iii. Zuol. of W. T. 181. 



Sp. Char. Head all round, and under parts generally bright yellow ; rest of under 

 parts yellow-olivaceous, brightest on the rump. Back with obsolete streaks of dusky 

 reddish-brown. Fore breast and sides of the body streaked with brownish-red. Tail 

 feathers bright yellow ; the outer webs and ti))s, with the whole upper surfaces of the in- 

 nermost one, brown ; extreme outer edges of wing and tail feathers olivaceous, like the 



back, the middle and greater coverts and tertials edged with yellow, forming two bands on 

 the wings. Female similar, with the crown olivaceous like the back ; the streaks wanting 

 on the back, and much restricted on the under parts. Tail with more brown. Length of 

 male, 5.25 ; wing, 2.GG ; tail, 2.25. Iris brown ; bill horn-color; lower mandible lead-blue ; 

 feet yellow. 



Hah. The whole of North America ii-oni the Atlantic to the Pacific. 



Tliis lively and bright little songster is one of the most abundant sum- 

 mer \'isitors on this coast, as it is in the Atlantic States, and has habits 

 entirely similar. They arrived at Fort ]\Iojave about April 15, 1861, but 

 I saw them at the Straits of Fuca as early as April <S, 1854; so tliat they 

 must vary their migration very much ^^'ith the season. 



They prefer the warm inland valleys, frequenting chielly the deciduous 

 trees along rivers, and coming familiarly about gardens and orchards. 

 There they are actively engaged throughout the day seeking their insect 

 food among the leaves, and occasionally warbling their short but pleasing 

 songs, which have considerable variety, and yet a sameness of style and 

 tone which makes the performer easily recognizable. 



Their nest is built sometimes in a low bush, at others as high as fifty feet 



