;106 BiBDs OF XoKTii Carolina 



The Hooded Warbler arrives in North Carohiia about the middle of April, and 

 appears to leave late in September. While here it frequents shady woods, but is 

 most abundant in the low woodlands of the eastern part of the State, where it seems 

 to breed chiefly in reed thickets. 



The nest is usually built at a height of two to four feet from the ground, in the 

 top of a cluster of reeds or in a low bush, and is composed of reed-leaves, bark 

 strips, pine needles, and similar materials, lined with fine grass and roots. The 

 eggs are three or four in number, laid in May or occasionally in June, and have a 

 white ground-color, spotted and speckled, cliicHy near tlie larger end, mth brown 

 and grav. Size .70 x .5.5. 



Fia. 250. Hooded Warbler. 



The Hooded Warbler is another species that hal)itually wags its tail, and it also 

 has a habit, shared liy some other warljlcrs, as the Redstart and Magnolia Warbler, 

 of opening and shutting the tail, which alternately exhibits and hides tiie white 

 blotches on the outer tail-feathers. 



In common with the other members of the genus, it has the bill broad and de- 

 pressed at the base, and this character, addeil to the fact that it is providetl with 

 bristles at the gape, gives force to the name "Fly-catching Warbler," by which it 

 is sometimes called. 



311. Wilsonia pusilla pusilla (ll(7.v.). ^\■lI.s()^■s Wahdi.ku; \\'ilson's 

 Blackcap. 



Description. — CIciir yellow olivo, forchoud, sides of licad. and whole underparts bright yel- 

 low; crown black in adult iiiale, the black usuall.v le.ss distinct or even ab.sent in female and 

 voung birds; no wing-bars. K.\trenie measurements of 1 males from Raleigh: L., 4.7.5—5.00; 

 \V., 2.20-2.2.5; T., l.i».5-2.08. 



Range. — Ea.stern North America, breeding from iiorlhern I'nited States northward; winters 

 in Mexico and Central America. 



Range in Xiirlh Carolina. — A rare transient visitor between Raleigh and the mountains. 



Oin- only records of this species are Raleigh, May 17, 1880; May 13, 1882; 

 May 11, 16, 1893 (H. H. and C. S. Brimley); May 19, 1915 (S. C. Bruner); Dur- 

 ham, April 14, 1903 (Seeman); Weaverville, May 8, 1890; May 7, 1884; and Sei> 

 tember 22 and 25, 1894 (Cairns). 



