SYLVICOLID.E — THE WARBLERS. 255 



October 10, Carlisle, Penn.) differs in having the black appearing in patches, 

 the throat being mostly wliite ; there is also a narrow white superciliary 

 stripe. 



Habits. The Black-throated Blue Warbler, at different seasons of the 

 year, is distributed over nearly the whole eastern portion of North America. 

 Abundant in tlie West Indies in winter, as also in the South Atlantic States 

 in early spring and late in fall, it is found during the breeding-season from 

 Northern New York and New England nearly to the Arctic regions. A few 

 probably stop to breed in the high portions of Massachusetts, and in late 

 seasons they linger about the orchards until June. They undoubtedly breed 

 in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. 



Dr. Woodhouse states that he found it abundant in Texas ; but this is the 

 only instance, so far as is known, of its occurring west of the Mississippi 

 Valley. 



Towards the close of the remarkably mild winter of 1866, a pair of these 

 birds were observed for several days in a sheltered portion of Boston. They 

 were in excellent condition, and were very busily employed hunting for the 

 larvie and eggs of insects and spiders in the corners and crevices of the walls 

 of houses and out-buildings, evidently obtaining a full supply. In Southern 

 Illinois, Mr. Eidgway cites this Warbler as one of the least common of tlie 

 spring and fall visitants. 



Audubon found this species in nearly every Southern and Southwestern 

 State during their migrations. They arrive in South Carolina late in March, 

 are most abundant in April, and leave early in May. They keep in the deep 

 woods, passing among the branches about twenty feet from the ground. He 

 traced them as far north as the Magdaleine Islands, but found none in New- 

 foundland, and but a single specimen in Labrador. They breed in Nova 

 Scotia, and a nest was given him found near Halifax by Dr. MacCulloch. 

 These were said to be usually placed on the horizontal branch of a fir-tree, 

 seven or eight feet from the ground, and to be composed of fine strii)S of bark, 

 mosses, and fibrous roots, and lined with fine grasses and a warm bed of 

 feathers. The eggs, five in number, were white, witli a rosy tint, and sprin- 

 kled with reddish-brown dots, chiefly at the larger end. 



This Warbler is an expert catcher of the smaller winged insects, pursuing 

 them quite a distance, and, when seizing them, making the clicking sound of 

 the true Flycatcher. So far as they have been observed, they have no song, 

 only a monotonous and sad- sounding cheep. 



Nuttall, in the second edition of his Manual, mentions having observed 

 several pairs near Farranville, Penn., on the Suscpiehanna, and among the 

 AUeghanies. It was in May, and in a thick and shady wood of hemlock. 

 They were busy foraging for food, and were uttering what he describes as 

 slender, wiry notes. 



In Western Massachusetts, Mr. Allen states it to be common from the loth 

 to the 25th of May, and again in September. They were found by jNIr. C. AV. 



