YELLUW-RUMPED WARBLER. 597 



this respect approaching the D. audubuuia of the West. Aside from the yellow throat, audubonia closely 

 resembles D. coronata ; it has, however, less black above, more white on the tail and wing coverts and it 

 lacks the superciliary stripe of coronata, but the eyelids are white as in that species. The Yellow-rump 

 need not be confounded with any other species except audubonia. Breeds from Northern New England north 

 to the Arctic Ocean, and, according to Prof. Baird, in Jamaica. W^inters from Southern New England south 

 to Florida. Also in the Bahamas and Greater Antilles. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of thirty-two spocimens. Length, 5. -52 ; stretch, S.71 ; wing, 2.81) ; tail, 2.22 ; 

 bill, . 4S ; tarsus, .70. Longest specimen, .'). 70 ; greatest extent of wings, 9.30; longest wing, 3.00; tail, 

 2.77 ; bill, .40; tarsus, .!J0. Shortest specimen, 5.00 : smallest e.xtent of wings, 8.00 ; shortest wing, 2.58; 

 tail. 2.00 : bill, .32 ; tarsus, fiO. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed in evergreen trees but a short distance above the ground ; composed of sticks and roots, 

 liuel with feathers and horse hairs. Dimensions ; external diameter, 4 inches, internal, 2; external depth, 

 2 inches, internal, l-)0. Egji.s, four in number, oval in fjrm, white in color, generally with a ring of partly 

 rouHaeiit spjts and blotches of umber, brown and lilac around the largest part of the eggs. The remaining 

 surface is lun'e or less dotted with pale brown. Dimensions from .72 by .55 to .70 by .50. 



HABITS. 



TliL' Yellow-nuiiped W;irl)ler i:s one of the most iibuiKlaiit winter birds of Florida. 

 Tills active little species frequents the hauunoeks of the mainland everywhere, and one 

 c..v.\ se.ircel}' approach a thicket without seeing one or more of them, Init bj the middle of 

 M;;ich the\- counnence the northern migration, passing Massachusetts during the last 

 week in April or the first in May; at this season these birds frequent the swamps. They 

 ))reed abundantly in northern New England. 



I well remember when I first saw a nest of this species, Mr. H. B. Bailey and my- 

 .self were saarcliing among a low growth of jouug firs and spruces for the eggs of the 

 iSaow Bird when he found a structure in a tree but a short distance from the ground which, 

 from its sm ill size, we knew must belong to some warbler. I had not examined it when 

 a little bird made its appearance and began chn-ping loudly while it fluttered from limb to 

 limb near us behaving as if solicitous for the safety of its home ; I quickly shot it, for night 

 was approaching and I liad not the slightest doubt but that it was the owner of the nest. 

 U))on picking it up 1 was delighted to find that it was a Tennessee Warl>ler. for I knew 

 that the eggs of thisl^ird had never been found. We were naturallj- jubilant over this dis- 

 covery, but, upon looking into the nest and i)erceiving the large size of the eggs, our 

 ardor was somewhat dampened. The fat-t of its being in a tree was also against it belong- 

 ing to the bird whicii I had killed, for all members of this genus are apt to place their 

 domiciles upon the gnnmd. Subseipiently, much to our disappointment, our doubts were 

 confirmed by finding several similar nests which undoubtedly belonged to the Yellow- 

 rumped Warbler. Although the eggs of this last named species area prize, yet such was 

 the inq^res.sion left upon my mind by finding the first I had ever seen, imder the circum- 

 stances narrated, that I have ever since regarded them with a kind ofdij^gust. 



These birds usually select very low trees in which to breed, but 1 found a nest, con- 

 taining four young, on Grand Manan, that was placed in a sjjruce twenty feet from the 



