SYLVICOLID^ — THE WARBLERS. 253 



arrival in Pennsylvania and New Jersey early in April, and its almost 

 immediate and sudden disappearance. He several times obtained them at 

 that period, and yet has also shot them in Louisiana as late as June, while 

 busily searcliing for food among the blossoms of the cotton-plant. 



Wilson also regarded this species as very rare. He reports it as passing 

 through Pennsylvania about the middle of May, but soon disappearing. He 

 describes these birds as having many of the habits of Titmice, and dis- 

 playing all their activity. It hangs about the extremity of the twigs, and 

 darts about from place to place with restless diligence in search of various 

 kinds of larvae. Wilson never met with it in the summer, and very rarely 

 in the fall. 



Mr. Nuttall noticed this species passing through Massachusetts about the 

 15th of April. He regarded it as an active insect-hunter, keeping in the tops 

 of the highest trees, darting about with great activity, and hanging from the 

 twigs with fluttering wings. One of these birds that had been wounded 

 soon became reconciled to its confinement, and greedily caught at and 

 devoured the flies that were offered. In its habits and manners it seemed 

 to him to greatly resemble the Chestnut-sided Warbler. 



Mr. T. M. Trippe speaks of this Warbler as one of the last to arrive near 

 Orange, N. Y. Owing to the fact that at that time the foliage is pretty dense, 

 and that it makes but a short stay, it is not often seen. He speaks of it as 

 not quite so active as the other Warblers, keeping more on the lower boughs, 

 and seldom ascending to the tops of the trees. 



Mr. C. W. Wyatt met with this species at Naranjo, in Colombia, South 

 America. 



Eggs of this bird obtained by Mr. George Bush at Coldwater, near 

 Lake Superior, are of an oblong-oval shape, measuring .75 by .52 of an inch, 

 and except in their superior size and fewer markings might be mistaken for 

 eggs of D. cestiva. Their ground-color is a bluish or greenish white. The 

 markings are very few and fine, except those in the crown around the larger 

 end, and there the blotches are deeper and more numerous. Their colors are 

 dark reddish-brown and purple. 



Mr. Maynard found this species the most abundant of the Sijlvicolidm at 

 Lake Umbagog, where it breeds. Two nests were taken in June. One was 

 found June 3, in a tree by the side of a cart-path in the woods, just com- 

 pleted. It was built in the horizontal branch of a hemlock, twenty feet 

 from the ground, and five or six from the trunk of the tree. By the 8th of 

 June it contained three fresh eggs. The other was built in a similar situa- 

 tion, fifteen feet from the ground, and contained two fresh eggs. 



These nests were large for the bird, and resembled those of the Purple 

 Finch. They were composed outwardly of fine twigs of the hackmatack, 

 with which was mingled some of the long hanging Usnea mosses. They were 

 very smoothly and neatly lined with black fibrous roots, the seed-stalks of 

 Cladonia mosses, and a few hairs. They had a diameter of about six inches, 



