1054 Report of State Geologist. 



Nest, 20 to 50 feet high, 5 to 15 feet from body of tree, saddled to 

 horizontal limb. Material, shredded bark of trees and vines, grass and 

 vegetable fibre, lichens and spiders' webs on outside and lined with fine 

 bark and grass. Sggs, 4-5; size .64 by 50; greenish-white, bluish- white 

 or creamy, spotted with reddish-brown, russet and lilac chiefly at the 

 larger end. 



The Cerulean Warbler is a summer resident over most if not all 

 of our State. In some localities it appears to be rare or wanting, and 

 from others it has only been reported as a migrant. In southeastern, 

 and I have no doubt in general, through the rougher land of southern 

 Indiana, this is the most common tree-inhabiting warbler, both during 

 the migrations and in summer. It is common and breeds throughout 

 the lower Wabash Valley at least to Terre Haute and in Carroll 

 County (Evermann). I have no doubt it does also in the picturesque 

 Sugar Creek region in Parke and Montgomery counties, where we 

 found it common May 19 and 20, 1887. At Brookville it breeds com- 

 monly. Messrs. L. A. and C. D. Test have noted it several times at 

 Lafayette, once as late as May 30 (1892), but have not found its nest. 

 It is tolerably common in Dekalb and Wabash counties, where it 

 probably breeds. At English Lake it is rare, but one pair being re- 

 corded from there. May 20, 1888. Mr. J. G. Parker found a female 

 with tw^o young but a few days out of the nest along the Kankakee 

 River near Kouts, Ind., sixty miles from Chicago, June 29, 1895. 



In southern Indiana they usually arrive the last half of April, 

 and by May 10 are often spread over the State. The following dates 

 give earliest and latest dates of first arrival: Brookville, April 19, 

 .1889, May 5, 1893; Monroe County, April 27, 1886; Carroll County, 

 May 5, 1884, May 21, 1883; Wabash, May 4, 1892; Muncie, May 6, 

 1888; Lafayette, April 24, 1897, April 27, 1892; Dekalb County, April 

 24, 1891, May 12, 1892; Petersburg, :.rich., April 27, 1888, May 10, 

 1893; Plymouth, Mich., May 3, 1891 and 1896, May 18, 1893. The 

 males precede the females by from one or two days to a week, and 

 always outnumber them greatly. At once, upon the arrival of the 

 females, the season of courtship begins. I have observed them mat- 

 ing as early as April 26, and by the first week in May their time is 

 largely occupied in choosing a mate. All does not go smoothly, how- 

 ever, for frequently more than one of the beaux has a very decided 

 fancy for a partic ular belle. There is a meeting between the rivals, 

 and frequently the battle is long and severe. So engi'ossed do they 

 become at times that they fall, fighting, to the earth, unheeding every- 

 thing around them. At this time the male is using his utmost effort 

 to sing his sweetest songs. ^Mien he first came, his song was, zee-zee- 



