104 PARULA WARBLER 



Nesting Site. — Although specimens of Compsothlypis from 

 Mississippi are nearer usnece than americana, the following descrip- 

 tion of their nest and its site is more applicable to the later than to 

 the former. "The invariable nesting site is a clump of Spanish moss 



where this is to be had ; I have not observed nests from beyond the 



range of this plant. The nest is generally placed near the branch 

 from which the long filaments of the 'moss' depend, so that it is well 

 concealed. The height from the ground varies from about eight f.et 

 upwards. The site is not used a second year ; whether for a second 

 brood or not, I cannot say. 



Mest. — The nest is nearly hemispherical in shape, opening directly 

 upward. The usual material, in lower Louisiana, is thistle-down, 

 which is abundant during the nesting season. Animal hairs are not 

 used, I think. A nest from Bay St. Louis was composed of the very 

 black horse-hair-like inner fiber resulting from the decay of Tillandsia." 

 (Allison, MS.) 



Eggs. — 3 to 5, usually 4. Ground color white to creamy white, 

 somewhat glossy, marked with reddish brown, chestnut, and grayish 

 tints, tending to form a wreath around the large end ; the markings 

 are coarse and well-defined. These eggs vary in size and shape to a 

 marked degree. Size ; average, .67X.48. Two extreme sets of 4 eggs 

 each measure .75X.50, .76X.50, .77X. 50 and .65X.47, .61X.44, .64X.46. 

 (Figs. 31,32.) 



Nesting Dates. — Bay St. Louis, Miss., May 8, young about ready 

 to leave nest — August newly fledged young (Allison). (Doubtless 

 referable to C. usneo') ; Mt. Pleasant, S. C, April 15 (Wayne). 



Parula Warbler 



COMPSOTHLYPIS AMERICANA USNE/E (Brewsf.) Plate VIII 



Distinguishing Characters. — General color above bluish, center of back yel- 

 lowish; two conspicuous white wing-bars. Length (skin), 4.00; wing. 2.40; 

 tail, 1. 6s; bill, .38. 



Adult c?. Spring. — Upperparts grayish blue, center of back yellowish green ; 

 lores black, eye-ring with a white spot above and another below the eye ; tail 

 edged with bluish, outer two or three feathers with a white patch on the inner 

 web near the tip ; wings edged with bluish, median and greater coverts broadly 

 tipped with white ; sides of the throat grayish blue much restricting the brown- 

 tinged yellow of chin and upper throat, lower throat with a more or less well- 

 defined band of bluish black often tinged with brownish and tipped with yellow, 

 this bordered posteriorly by a less well-defined brown, yellow-tipped area which, 

 in turn, is bordered by clear yellow ; belly white the sides grayish, often with 

 more or less brownish chestnut. 



