AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. iir 



PARULA WARBLER. 



A. O. \/. J^o. 64S. {Compjolhlypis americana.)' 



RANGE. 



Eastern North America, south of Canada. South in winter to Mexico' 

 and the West hidies. Breeds in favorable localities throughout its range. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Length, 4.5 in.; extent, 7 in.; tail 1.75 in. Bill, above, black; below,, 

 flesh color. Legs, yellowish. Eye brown. 



Male. — Entire upper parts, dull blue. A patch of greenish yellow on 

 the middle of the back. A white spot on each eyelid. Primaries and 

 secondaries, black, edged on under web with blue. Two broad bands of 

 white cross the wings. Tail, black, the outer webs of the feathers being 

 edged with blue. The two outer feathers have large square patches of 

 white on the inner webs. Generally the third and fourth feathers also 

 show small white spots. Sides of head and neck darker than back. Chin, 

 throat and breast, yellowish, changing to white on the belly. Breast 

 spotted with orange brown, the spots being darker on the throat, and 

 sometimes forming a black collar. 



Female. — Upper parts paler; less white on the wings and tail. Paler 

 yellow beneath, and spots on the breast generally lacking. 



NEST AND EGGS. 



They nest in moss covered trees in swamps. The nest is formed by 

 turning up an end of the long hanging moss so as to form a pocket. This 

 is sometimes lined with grasses or feathers, but oftener not at all. The 

 eggs are white, faintly spotted with reddish. Four in number and laid (in 

 Massachusetts) about May 30th. 



HABITS. 



This, the smallest and liveliest of they leave us, they are found in 



our warblers, is known everywhere flocks, generally climbing about 



as the "Blue Yellow-backed Warb- among the upper branches of tall 



ler." He returns from his winter trees. But in the Spring they seem 



stay in the South early in May, to prefer low trees and bushes, 



reaching Massachusetts about the Other than an occasional warning 



loth. These little fellows combine chirp, they pay little attention to 



the habits of the creepers with those you, even if you go quite near to 



of the warblers, and as they search them. 



low bushes and apple trees for in- They seem to delight in climbing 



sects, they assume all manner of to the top end of the highest branch 



positions. and pour forth their simple but 



In the fall of the year before merry, little trilling song. 



