SYLVICOLTD.^ — THE WARBLERS. 293 



Oporornis formosus, Baird. 



KENTUCKY WARBLER. 



? Sylvia oequinoctialis, Vieill. Ois. Am. Sept. II, 1807, 26, pi. Ixxxi, Penn. (not of Gmemn). 



Sylvia formosa, WrLS. Am. Orii. Ill, 1811, 85, pi. xxv, fig. 3. — Nutt. ; Aud. Orn. 



Biog. I, pi. xxxviii. Sylvicola foniiosa, Jard. ; Rich. ; Bon. ; Max. Myiodiodes 



forrnosus, Aud. Syn. — • Ib. Birds Am. II, pi. Ixxiv. — Lembeye, Av. Cuba, 1850, 37. 



GuNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba). Oporornis formosus, Baikd, Bii-ds N. Am. 



1858, 247 ; Rev. 218. — Sclateu & Salvin, Ibis, I, 1859, 10 (Guatemala). 

 Other localities cited : Mexico, Sclater. Isthmus Panama, Lawrence. Veragita, Salv. 



Costa Eica, Lawr. 



Sp. Char. Adult male. Upper parts and sides dark olive-green. Crown and sides of 

 the head, including a triangular patch from behind the eye down the side of the neck, 

 black, the feathers of the crown narrowly lunulated at tips with dark ash. A line from 

 nostrils over the eye and encircling it (except anteriorly), with the entire under parts, 

 bright yellow. No white on the tail. Female similar, Avith less black on the head. Length, 

 5 inches ; wing, 2.95 ; tail, 2.25. Young not seen. 



The adults in autumn are exactly the same as in spring. 



Hab. Eastern Province of United States, north to Washington and Chicago ; west to 

 Republican Fork of Kansas River (Coues). Cuba, Gruatemala, and Isthmus Panama. Not 

 recorded from West Indies except Cuba. 



Habits. The Kentucky Warbler is an abundant species in the Southern 

 and Southwestern States, and lias been found, though more rarely, as far to 

 the north as Southern New York in the east and to Southern Wisconsin in 

 the west. It has also been obtained at Fort Eiley, in Kansas. Its nest and 

 eggs liave been procured near Cleveland, 0., by Dr. J. V. Kirtland, and also 

 in Chester County, Penn., by Mr. Norris. It is a winter inhabitant in 

 Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, and Cuba. 



Wilson speaks of having met with this bird in alnindance from Kentucky to 

 the mouth of the Mississippi, everywhere quite common, but most especially 

 so in the States of Tennessee and Kentucky. At the Balize he several times 

 heard it twittering among the high rank grass of those solitary morasses. 

 He found it frequenting low damp woods, and building its nest either in the 

 middle of thick tufts of rank grass, in the fork of a low bush, or on the 

 ground. The materials of which these nests were made were loose dry 

 grass, mixed with the pith of wood, and lined with hair. He found the eggs 

 from four to six in number, pure white, sprinkled with reddish specks. He 

 met with the female sitting upon her eggs as early as May. These birds, 

 he adds, are seldom seen among high branches, but prefer to frequent low 

 bushes and canebrakes. In their habits they are very lively and sprightly. 

 The song is loud, comprising three notes, and resembles twecdle-fwccdlc-dtvce- 

 dlr. It makes its a]>pearance in Kentucky from the South about the middle 

 of April, and leaves the region about New Orleans on tlie approach of cold 

 weather. W^ilson was assured that it never remains there during the winter. 



Wilson characterizes these birds as a reckless fighting species, almost 

 always engaged in pursuing its fellows. 



