224 NUUTH AMERICAN BIUDS. 



surface (juite ashy. lint this is, in i'liot, an actual hU'aching, frequently to be 

 seen in birds from that region. 



Haiuts. The geographical range of the connnon Summer Vellow-P.ird is 

 very nearly c(»extensive with North America. In its nortliern distribution 

 it is found as far toward the arctic sliores as anvof our land birds. Kichanl- 

 son speaks of it as well known throughout the fur countries as far as the 

 M-oods extend, and mentions meeting with it among the earliest arrivals in 

 spring, coming in com])any with the equally well-known llobin and the 

 CJrakle. At Fort Franklin, latitude (\iV\ he saw it tlie lotli of Mav, alnuit 

 the time of its first appearance in New England. Tliis was supposed to he 

 the limit of its northern range, but more recent observations give abundant 

 evidence of its presence, in considerable numl)ers, to the very shores of the 

 Arctic Ocean. The late Mr. Hepburn, in manuscript notes, states it to be a 

 common summer visitant lx)th of California and Vancouver's Island, and that 

 along the coast he has traced it as far north as tlie frontier line of 54° 40', 

 wliere it arrives at the beginning of May, but does not nest until the end of 

 the month. 



Mr. I)all, in his notes on the birds of .Alaska, states that this Warbler is a 

 rather common bird all through that territory, and gives its arrival as aljout 

 the 10th of May. 



Its extreme southern limit is not so distinctlv traced, but is at least as far 

 as the northern portions of South America, inclusive of Cayenne and »'uador. 

 In all of the West Indies except Trinidad it is replaced by seveml closely 

 allied species or local races. In Trinidad, Mr. E. C. Taylor states that he 

 found this species common, and could perceive no diH'erence from North 

 American specimens. In Guatemala it is abundant in the winter. 



Dr. Cones found this WarVder abundant in Arizona, where it is a summer 

 resident, from April 125 to the middle of Septemlier. There, as elsewliere, 

 its preference for watercourses was noticed. AVherever found, it is always 

 most abundant in alluvial meadows, and more rare in other localities. 



Dr. Samuel CalK)t found this Warbler common in Central America, and 

 Dr. Cragin, of Surinam, sent the B(^ston Society several specimens from 

 Guiana. Dr. Woodhouse found it abundant in Texas and New ^lexico, 

 as did Drs. Suckley and Coo])er in Washington Territory and California. It 

 breeds over the whole area of North America, from (Jeorgia on tlie southeast 

 and from Mexico, northward. Dr. Sumichrast found it, only as a migratory 

 bird, abundant on the jdains of ^Fexico. 



The notes of Mr. Kennicott and the memoranda of Messrs. McFarlane, 

 Ross, and Lockhart attest the extreme abundance of this species in the farthest 

 Arctic regions. In nearly every ii stance the nests were placed in willows 

 from two to five feet from the grou\d, and near water. In one instance Mr. 

 Iioss found the eggs of this .species in the nest of Tunlns .wninsoni, which 

 had either been deserted or the parent killed, as the eggs were in it, and would 

 probably have been hatched by the Warbler with her own. 



