H. RUFICAPILLA: NASHVILLE WARBLER. 117 



by Mr. Maynard in West Newton, Mass., was built 

 on the ground, at the foot of an elm, of oak-leaves 

 and grape-vine bark, lined with fine grasses and a few 

 horse-hairs. Eggs from these New England nests 

 have been described as measuring from 0.68 to 0.72 in 

 length by 0.48 to 0.58 in breadth ; in color white, 

 more or less thickly dotted, especially at the larger 

 end, with reddish-brown. Two of the eggs from Mr. 

 Warren's nest are said to have been " pure white." 



NASHVILLE WARBLER. 

 HELMINTHOPHAGA RUFICAPILLA ( Wits.) JBd. 



Chars. Above, olive-green, brighter on rump, ashy on head, with a 

 concealed chestnut-brown patch on the crown. Below, bright 

 yellow, paler on belly, olive-shaded on sides ; lores and eye-ring 

 pale ; no supraciliary stripe ; wings and tail without white bars 

 or spots. The characteristic crown-patch may be wanting m, 

 female and young specimens, in which, also, the ashy of the head, 

 is more or less glossed, with olive. Length, 4.50-4.75; wing, 

 2.30-2.50; tail, 1.75-2.00; bill, 0.40; tarsus, 0.60. 



A summer resident throughout New England, breed- 

 ing in any suitable situations ; common, but less so in 

 the summer than during the migrations, when it is 

 quite abundant. It goes very far north in summer, 

 and in New England is chiefly limited southward in 

 the breeding season by the Alleghanian Fauna, though 

 it also nests sparingly in the Carolinian. The nest is 

 placed on the ground ; it is composed of leaves, bark, 

 sometimes almost entirely of pine needles, lined with 

 finer material of similar kinds, occasionally with hair. 

 The eggs are usually four in number, laid early in June. 



