BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER. G05 



benecath with whitish and un the wiiitc with yellowish. The white of the wings is more extended, the outer 

 web of the first quill being white for its basal half. The young female is slightly browner above and has the 

 white patch on the wing less ilecided than in the adult. Nestlings. Male. Above, olive brown. Sides of 

 head very dark, with lores black. Throat, lower eyelids and a line over eye, pale buft". Abdomen, bright 

 fsulphur j^ellow. White spot on base of primaries, ]irominaut. Females, with wings and throat as in the 

 same se.x in autumn. Above, greenish br(jwu, with superciliary line, both eyelids, throat atjil abdomen, light 

 buff. Breast and sirles, olive. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 The male of this species is well marked and may easily be known by the ilescriptions. The female does 

 not resemble the male, in coloration, but may be distinguished from all other warblers by the white patch 

 on the wings at the base of the primaries, which is always present. The young birds of this species, from 

 which I have taken the above description, were kindly loanel me by Mr. Brewster. I am also indebted to 

 this gentleman and Mr. Deane for several specimens of this and other species. The habitat of these birds 

 during the breedmg season is the eastern section of North America from latitude 4-4 degrees, north, to about 

 .")2 degrees. They wmter at Key West and the West Indies. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of si.\ specimens. Length. .IIl' ; stretch, T.'.iG : wing, 2.44 ; tail. l.:»4 : bill. .40; 

 tarsus. .7:1 Longest specimen, ■').{(): greatest e.xteut of wings, 7.8S ; Lnigest wing, 2 .j7 : tail, 2.02 ; bill, .47; 

 tarsus, .77. Shortest specimen, ."J. (A) ; smallest e.xtenc of wings, 7.12 ; shortest wing, 2.10; tail, 1.7.1; bill, 

 .-!7 : tarsus, .70. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 Nests, placed in trees or bushes, composed of strips of bark, twigs and roots, lined with fine rootlets and 

 hair. Eaas, four or five in number, oval in form, ashy white in color, spotted and blotched with brown and 

 iilac of varying shades. Dimensions, .01 by .47 to .6.3 by SA). 



HABITS. 



Just to tliu eastward of the lighthouse, at Key West, is a little p,)ii(l whicli i.s verv 

 deep; indeed, it is reported to have no bottom. The edges are eovereil with a lu.xuriant 

 growth of grass and aquatic plants which gradudly merge into a liigher mass of shrubs 

 and low trees that surround the pool. I freijueutly visited this little pond, when I was 

 <,)!! the island in 1868, because its shores and waters aboundwl with bird life- The thicket, 

 especially, was nearly always swarming with various members of the feathered tribes^, the 

 inajority of whi(^h were Warblers. 



These little song.sters were most active in tlie early morning, hopping about on the 

 trees or searc!iiiig aniong the lower shrubs for insects. ■ I wa,s collecting in tliis place one 

 <1 ly, just b^'fore siunise, when I was surprised by shooting a, line male Black-throated Blue 

 Warbk'T. This was the lirst and onh' time th it lever ,s.aw this s[)ecies in Florida. It 

 was on tiie gnaind at the tim.', which is the usual habit of this species during the autumnal 

 migrations in iMas.sachusetts. But on the contrary during the spring they usually keep' 

 in the t'Dps of the higliest trees, wliere the pe(ailiar lisping song of the males m.ay be heard 

 at intervals. I have found them common in summer among the deciduous forests of 

 Northern Miine. Here they also fmiuent t'le to[)most branches and possiiily sometimes 

 ♦•onstruct tlieird nniciles there, but I do not know of a single instance of the nests being 

 ibund high, they being usually placed in bushes or small trees. 



