1076 Eeport of State Geologist, 



1889; Petersburg, Mich., May 18, 1888; Chicago, III, May 26, 1895. 

 I have only heard its song a few times, from those that were in the 

 woods. It is not loud, but attracts one^s attention, as the four notes 

 come from the little singer, who keeps time by the motions of his 

 tail. Their tails are always in motion, and in this they remind one 

 of the Wagtails and Phoebe. 



The Palm Warbler is quite an adept at insect catching, often catch- 

 ing them on the wing as a Flycatcher does. "Of eight specimens 

 examined, one had eaten a small hymenoptera; one, five small moths; 

 one, three diptera; two, thirteen beetles, and one five plant lice" (King, 

 Geol. of Wis., I., p. 506). In the fall they begin to return about the 

 middle of September, and linger well into October. They may some- 

 times remain into November, as they have been noted in the vicinity 

 of Columbus, 0., November 7 (1874) (Wheaton), and even in the 

 southern part of the State through December, or possibly, in favor- 

 able winters, remain all winter, as it has been taken at Cincinnati, 

 December 24, 1878 (Dury and Freeman). The following early dates 

 give earliest arrival and late dates last departure: Wabash, September 

 10, 1892; Warren County, September 23, 1897, September 26, 1897; 

 Chicago, 111., September 13, 1895, October 11, 1896; Lake County, 

 Ind., October 2, 1881; Brookville, September 14, 1897, Octboer 13, 

 1887. 



279. (t^To). "^ Dendroica discolor. (Vieill.). 



Prairie Warbler. 



Adult Male. — Above, olive-green, the back spotted with reddish- 

 chestnut; forehead, a line over eye and spot below the eye, yellow; 

 spot in front of eye and stripe under eye, black; wing-bars, yellowish; 

 below, yellow; sides, streaked or spotted with black; lower tail-coverts, 

 buffy. Adult Female. — Similar, but duller and less distinctly marked. 

 Immature. — Above, more bro"miish; no wing-bars; few or no chestnut 

 spots on the back or black spots upon the sides. 



Length, 4.25-5.00; wing, 2.10-2.30; tail, 1.90-2.10. 



Range. — Eastern North America, from Central America (?) and 

 West Indies to Wisconsin, Northern Michigan, Mackinac Island and 

 Massachusetts, west to Kansas and Nebraska. Breeds locally through- 

 out most of the range. Winters from Florida south. 



Nest, deeply cupped and compact; of soft fibres, grasses; lined with 

 fine grasses or hair; in second-growth, scrub-growth and thickets 

 and in crotch or fork of vine or tree, two to seven feet high. JEggs, 

 4-5; white, creamy- white, greenish-white, dotted or blotched, some all 



