572 NASHVILLE WARBLER. 



portons. Found in summer throughout Eastern United States from Florida to Maine, west of the Great 

 Plains ; winters in Mexico and Central America, also rarely found in Florida at this season. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Average measui-ements of fourteen specimens from New England. Length, -t-7.5 ; stretch, 7. TiO ; wing, 

 2-35 ; tail, 1.70 ; bill, .40 ; tarsus, .67. Longest specimen ,5.51 ; greatest extent of wings, 7.75 ; longest wing, 

 2.50 ; tail, 1..S5; bill, .45; tarsus, .07. Shortest specimen, 4.55 ; smallest extent of wings. L'.oO; shortest 

 wing, 2.22 ; tail, l.fiO ; bill, 38 ; tarsus, .GO. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 Nest, composed outwardly of green moss, then dried grasses, lined with finer grasses nnd smue Avhite 

 hairs. Dimensions, external diameter, 3.50 inches, internal, 2.25 ; external dei)th, 2.75 inches, internal, 

 1.25. Eggs, four in number, rather pointed, creamy white in color, spotted and l)lotched on the larger end 

 with reddish-brown and lilac, where they sometimes form rings. The remaining surface of the egg is also 

 sparsely dotted with brown. Dimensions, .G(! by .50. The above description was made from a nest taken 

 at West Newbury, by my young friend, Gilman Brown. 



HABITS. 



I shot the first specimen of tliese little birds, that 1 had ever seen, many years ago, 

 in Newton. As this was the first knowletlge I ever obtained of their existence, and as 

 they appeared entirely different from any birds which I liad hitherto observed, I, like 

 most yomig collectors when they obtain an unfamiliar bird, considered them a new species. 

 I had taken two, one of eacli sex, and liastened home Avith my prizes to ascertain for a 

 certainty if they had been described, eagerly thinking over the matter that I might decide 

 upon an appropriate name for such pretty birds; but I found that I had counted a species 

 before it was hatched, for upon consulting tlie pro}»r books, discovered, nuicli to my dis- 

 appointment that the Nashville Warblers had not oidy been known for years but that 

 they were not even rare; all the ornithologists agreeing in pronouncing them conni;on. 

 Consequently, the little yellow-breasted and red-crowned birds fell many degrees in my 

 estimation. 



The first specimens were taken in a cluster of yellow pines which stood in an open 

 field, but near a somewliat extensi\'e grove. I liaA'e always fomid these birds in similar 

 situations, for they inhnbit the liorders of w^oods, and are seldom found in the deeper por- 

 tions Even in the vast forests of northern New England, the Nashville Warblers are 

 invariably found near the open marshy spots which are of frequent occurrence in these 

 wilds. The males are quite easy to find, for they sit on the topmost Ijough of some tall 

 tree and sing their loud songs throughout the entire day ; but the females are not as fre- 

 quently seen, for tliey are very quiet, and generally keep among the thick brandies wliere 

 they are constantly searching for insects. The.se birds place their nests on the ground, 

 usually in the edge of the wood. They are careful to keep them concealed so that it is 

 impossible to discover one unless the l)ird is accidentally started. But the chances of 

 doing this are quite as small, ;xs, while incubating, she will sit so closely that it is extremely 

 difficult to make her rise, and she will allow herself to be nearly trodden ujjon before flying. 

 There is another method l)y which the nest may be discovered however, and indeed one 

 that may be practised to advantage in finding tlie eggs of all ground breeding Warblers. 



