WOOD WARBLERS. 373 



with no black on the head or breast. L., 5-67 ; W., 2-58 ; T., 2-30 ; B. from 

 N., -31. 



Range. — Eastern United States ; breeds as far north as southern Michigan 

 and southern Connecticut, and winters in Central America. 



Washington, rare T. V., may breed; May 1 to 30; Aug. 15 to Sept. 15. 

 Sing Sing, rare S. E., to Sept. 1. 



Nest., of leaves, strips of bark, and rootlets, lined with fine grasses and 

 rootlets, in the crotch of a bush or sapling, about four feet up. Eggs^ four to 

 five, white or creamy white, rather thinly speckled or spotted with rufous or 

 rufous-brown, generally in a wreath at the larger end, -71 x -53. 



This beautiful bird is a lover of well-watered, rather densely grown 

 woods. It is a bird of the lower growth rather than the trees, but is 

 not a thicket-haunter, and its habit of flitting restlessly from bush to 

 bush renders it easily observed. When on the wing its white outer 

 tail-feathers are conspicuously displayed, and, with the striking mark- 

 ings of the head, make an excellent field mark. 



The song of the Hooded Warbler is sweet and graceful. It is sub- 

 ject to much variation, but as a rule consists of eight or nine notes. 

 To ray ear the bird seems to say, "You must come to the woods, or 

 you won't see me." 



Its call-note is a sharp, characteristic cheep, frequently uttered when 

 the bird is anxious for the safety of its nest or young, and accompanied 

 by a flit of the tail, which reveals the white outer tail-feathers. 



685. Sylvania pusilla ( Wils.). Yv'ilson's Warbler (Fig. 107.) 

 Ad. <$ . — Forehead yellow, crown black ; rest of the upper parts, wings, and 

 tail bright olive-green ; no wing-bars or tail-patches ; under parts bright yel- 

 low ; bill with bristles at its base. Ad. $ . —Similar, but generally without 

 the black cap. Im. — Similar, but without black cap. L., 5-00; W., 2-21; T., 

 2-03 ; B. from N., -25. 



Range. — North America; breeds from British Columbia, Minnesota, and 

 Nova Scotia northward; winters in Central America. 



Washington, rather common T. V., May 8 to 23 ; Aug. 28 to Sept. 15. 

 Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V., May 9 to 30; Aug. 10 to Sept. 9. Cam- 

 bridge, common T. V., May 12 to 25 ; Sept. 1 to 20. 



Nest^ of leaves and grasses, lined with fine grasses and hairs, on the ground. 

 Eggs., four to five, white, speckled with cinnamon-rufous and lavender-gray, 

 •59 X -48 (Davie). 



The Black-cap frequents the lower woodland growth, and is gen- 

 erally found near water. Like other members of this genus, it has 

 decided talents as a flycatcher, and captures much of its prey on the 

 wing, darting out into the air, but does not, like a true Flycatcher, 

 return to the same perch. 



Its song is compared by Minot to that of the Redstart or Yellow 

 Warbler, while Nuttall writes it " Hsli-tsli-tsh-tshea,'' and to Goss it 

 sounds like "■ zee-zee-zee-zee-e.'" 



