BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 873 



without my meeting a few. If any breed here, I have failed to 

 learn the fact. Rumor amongst amateur ornithologists claims 

 that it has been seen in its autumnal migrations; but with warb- 

 lers on the wing in fall plumage, seeing is not always sufflcient 

 reason for believing. This very pretty species, is seen asso- 

 ciated with other warblers about the 10th of May. It has 

 been obtained late in August on its southern migration. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Upper parts uniform bluish-gray; head above and a large 

 patcli on the wings, yellow; a broad streak from the bill 

 through and behind the eye, with the chin, throat, and fore 

 part of breast, black; the external edge of the yellow crown 

 continuous with a broad patch on the side of the occiput above 

 the auriculars, a broad maxillary stripe widening on the side 

 of the neck, the under parts generally, with most of the inner 

 webs of the outer three tail feathers, white; sides of body pale 

 ash color. 



Length, 5; wing, 2.65; tail. 2.25. 



Habitat, eastern United States. 



HELMINTHOPHILA KI FK^APILLA (Wilson). (645.) 

 NASHVILLE WARBLER. 



The Nashville Warbler is abundant in the spring migrations 

 from about the 8th to the 15th of May, after which very few 

 are seen until perhaps the 10th to the 15th of September, when 

 although less numerous, they may be said to be fairly common 

 for the season. A remarkable fact concerning this species, which 

 is also true of several others of its family, is that their num- 

 bers have steadily increased from year to year for at least two 

 decades. In the case of those birds whose habits associate 

 them with agriculture, a reason for their increase is at once 

 suggested in the development of the country, but that would 

 scarcely be applicable for the wood-warblers. This species 

 undoubtedly breeds here, as it is known to do so in the im- 

 mediate vicinity south of us, and in the section of the Kandi- 

 yohi lakes, it is met with so frequently during the summer as 

 to leave no question of its breeding there at least. A single 

 nest containing four white eggs was found by a little boy on 

 the ground, constructed mostly of dried grass, fine roots, and 

 lined with the finest bits of the same, to which were added a 

 few pine needles and a few horse hairs The outside was over 

 laid with green moss, and the whole well concealed in a bunch 

 of brush. The eggs were spattered over with reddish- brown, 

 which formed a sort of ring around the larger end by their 

 multiplication there. 



