168 AMERIOAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



NASHVILLE WARBLER. 



A. <). U. No. 645. ! (Helminthophila rubrioapilla.) 



RANGE. 



The United States and southern Canada east of the Rocky Mountains. 

 Winters in the tropics and breeds throughout its summer home. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Length about 4.5 in. There is little difference between the sexes of 

 this species but the female is a trifle duller in color and has less and 

 sometimes no chestnut on the crown. That on the crown of the male 

 is usually quite strongly tipped with gray so that the patch is partially 

 concealed. Young birds are still duller in plumage and the head is a 

 brownish gray rather than the clear gray of the adults, and the chestnut 

 patch is entirely lacking. 



NEST AND EGGS. 



Nashville Warblers build their homes on the ground, usually sinking 

 the nest in a small hollow flush with the surface of the ground and un- 

 der an overhanging tussock of grass so that it is very eifectively con- 

 cealed. I have always found these to be one of the most diilficult nests 

 to locate although the birds are quite common here in summer. They 

 commence building their nests by the latter part of May and fresh eggs 

 may be found until the end of June. The eggs vary in number from 

 three to five and are white, usually with a creamy tint, wreathed and 

 specked with light reddish brown; size .65x.45. 



HABITS. 



The little birds seem to be very irregularly distributed but are com- 

 mon locally throughout the northern parts of the L^nited States and 

 southern Canada. In New England they are very common and in favor- 

 able localities their song is heard persistently throughout the day, 

 They are usually met with on stony hillsides especially those covered 

 with numerous patches of small brushes or growth of pines. 



The song of these Warblers is very characteristic, being wholly un- 

 like that of any other Warbler with which I am acquainted. It resembles 

 "twee-twee-twee-twee-tre-e-e-e-e, the first syllable repeated either four 

 or five times and ending in a short trill. Sometimes I have heard them 

 leave off the distinguishing trill and the song then might be mistaken 

 for either that of the Chestnut-sided or Yellow Warbler. 



Unlike most of the Warblers, these are quite shy and often manage 

 to keep just beyond your vision so as to be an aggravating mystery to 

 to those unacquainted with their song. I have often followed one of 



