(308 RED-POLLED WARBLER. 



tliem and without a luoiiicnts warning would dart like a tiasli at a warhicr; lait such 

 forays almost always proved unsucessful; for although the swooj) of the hawk was so lapid 

 that the eye could scarcely follow its moveuients vet the Red-poll was on the alei't. and 

 uttering a shrill chirp of alarm would instantly- shoot into the nearest |)rickly pear, oi- 

 mass of tangled vines where it was safe from the pursuer. Tiie song of the Yellow Red- 

 poll is a low rather feeble war] >le, consisting of several rather detatched notes, rising from 

 the Ijcginiiing to the middle then following to the termination. 



In March, this species leaves Florida, arriving in Massachusetts in April; here they fre- 

 ((uent low bushes by the side of woods spending much of their time upon the ground. At 

 this season the males have a low warbling song ; after lingering here a few weeks they mi- 

 •'rate northward. Mr. Boardman informs me that these birds occasiona.lly breed about 

 Calais placing their nests on the ground. In autunm they pass Massachusetts dni'ing 

 October, but they are not as abundant then as in the spring. 



DENDROICA PALMARUM. 



Red-pol!ed Warbler. 



Dendi-oica palmaruni Ridgway, Bull. N. (3. C, Vol. 1, Nnv. IS?!!, p. S.'.. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sr. Ch. General coloration and form, similar to that of the Yellow Red-polled but the size is a little 

 smaller and the upper parts are grayer in shade, with the 3'ellow of the under parts bright and continuous 

 on the throat only, but sometimes showhig in irregular tintings elsewhere, but the under tail coverts are 

 always yellow. Young, vary much as in the last, but are always grayer. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



This well marked form, which is always readily distinguishable in all shades of plumage, excepting, 

 nestling birds, breed in the central region of North America, migrating in autumn southward ( often at 

 this season ap]iearing in New England ) to Floriila and the keys and to the Baliamas. Nests and EciGS, 

 indistinguishable from those of the Yellow Red-polled. 



HABITS. 



The Red-polls made their appearance at Sandford, Florida on October ist, 1SS7, and 

 by the loth of the month they were connnon. I iiave alwaxs found lliem alinndant in 

 company with the Yellow Red-poll in all sections of Florida, even at Key West when Imth 

 I'orms mingled together. On tlje Bahamas, liovve\'er, I havenevi'i- sfcii any but the pi'es- 

 ent form. Here they frequent the neighborhood ol settlements and I havi' vww .•<een 

 them on the streets of Nassau. I have also met them in the scrub in various places. ( )ne 

 which frerpiented my yard at Nassau, coming everj- day to feed af)out t!ie hou.-^e, h.ad but 

 one eye. It remained until the last of March when it disappeared. This same \ear 

 ( 1884 ) I found them on Andros where thev remained as late as April 29t'i, altout wiiich 

 time, the last one departed. In P\'bi-u:iry, ISSS, I found them cDnnnon on [nagir'i espec- 

 ially near the salina and on the lioi'ders of tin.' lake. That same a ear 1 (il)ser\ed them 

 to be common on Cayman Brae in March. Here they were found in open spaces along 

 the sea, sometimes even appearing on the beach. In general haljit, the Hcd-])oll does not 

 differ from its near alh-, but I have never heard it sinti'. 



