In the Woods. 139 



bars or markings. The lower parts are olive buff, lightest on the throat and 



belly, becoming grayish olive on the sides and Hanks. The top of the 



head and sides of the face are briy-hter buff, and this 

 Worm-eating i ■ • i i r i , ■,■ r , , , , 



Warbler color is intersected by tour broad lines oi clear black, two 



Heimitherus vcrmivorus on top of the licad from the base of the bill back, and 



one, passing from the bill back and through each eye. 



The birds are five inches and a half long. The sexes are alike. 



The nest is built on the ground of leaves and plant fibres, and three to 

 six white eggs are laid. They are spotted, with varying shades of brown, 

 and are a little less than seven tenths of an inch long, and more than half an 

 inch in their smaller diameter. The Worm-eatino- Warblers rano-e through- 

 out the Eastern United States, breeding where they occur, as far north as 

 Southern New York and Connecticut, Southern Illinois and Nebraska. 

 They winter in the West Indies, Central America, and Northern South 

 America. 



This Warbler is found in open dry woods and wooded hillsides. It 

 is seen generally on or near the ground, and is slow and dignified in its 

 movements, reminding one of a thrush in its ways. Not a common bird, 

 it is by no means rare, but often escapes observation from its quiet retiring 

 habits. 



This so called Creeper is of all the Warblers the most easily recognized. 

 The picture of a male bird on the opposite page is better than any descrip- 

 Black and White '^'O"- T^^^ colors of the bird are black and white. 



Warbler. The female is similar, but has less black striping be- 



Mniotiita varia (Linn.). Iqw, and the sides are washed with brownish. Young 

 birds resemble the female, and often have a brownish suffusion above as well 

 as below. 



The birds occur, during their migrations, throughout Eastern North 

 America, ranging as far north as Fort Simpson, and breed from Virginia and 

 Kansas northward. They winter from the Gulf States south through the 

 West Indies and Central America. 



The nest is built on the ground, generally at the base of some tree or 

 log, and is made of bark and plant fibres, lined with fine roots and hairs. 

 Four or five eggs are laid. They are white, spotted with varying shades of 

 brown, mainly about the larger end, and are nearly seven tenths of an inch 

 long, and over half an inch in their smaller diameter. 



