i^YLVK'MLID.K — THE WAKHLEIIS. 933 



Habits. The lilack and Yellow Warbler, one of the most l)eautitul of this 

 attractive faniily, was .sujti)osiMl ]>y our earlier writers to he exeeedingiy rare. 

 Wilson never met with more than two specimens, — one in Ohio, the other 

 on the Mississi]>]>i, — and spoke of it as a very scarce species. In regard to 

 its song he was «[uite at fault, denying to it any notes deserving the name 

 of .song. Xuttall, who had only .seen it occasionally in Massachusetts, in 

 the middh^ ni' ^lay, regarded it as rare, and was unac([uainted with its 

 notes. Its history is now much lietter known, and neither its great rarity 

 nor its deficiency as to melody can any longer 1h^ admitted. 



At certain seasons and in particular places it is a very common species. 

 It may he found during the breed ing-sea.son throughout Xorth America east 

 of tlie (Jreat Plains, between hititude 44' and Fort Sim}>son in the fur 

 country. During its migrations it may be met with in UKJSt of the Eastern 

 States, in Eastern Mexico, and tl'e northern portions of South America. It 

 has been found in the I>ahamas, and also in Cuba, where it is not common. 

 Specimens have been received from Mexico, (luatemala, and l*anama, and 

 from Fort IJesolution, liupert House, and Fort Simpson, in Arctic America, 

 and as far to the west as the mouth of Vermilion River. Dr. J>ryant 

 met with it in the Bahamas as early as the ITtli of ^larch, where it was 

 (piite connnon. M. Boucard found it at Playa Vicente, in the hot portion 

 of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico. 



In Western Ma.ssachusetts, ^Ir. Allen found it a common spring and 

 autumn visitor, occurring i'» its nortiiern flights from the mi(hlle of May to 

 the first of June, and in the autumn as late as Sej^tembcr 2(1. I'rcjfessor 

 Verrill found it in Western Maine, but not common, both in s])ring and fall, 

 but had no rea.^on to believe tliat it bred there. ^Ir. lioardman does not 

 include it in his list of C'ahiis bir<ls, and I did not find it amonij the islands 

 in the P>ay of Fundy. In the vicinity of Halifax, during the months f)f 

 June and July, it is on t oi the most common of the Warblers, occurring in 

 every direction. 



Mr. Audubon ob.served these Wavblei*s in Louisijina, in their migmtions, as 

 early as the mi«ldle of March ; lait its apjiearance there, as well as in Kentucky 

 and Ohio, api)eared to be occasional and accidental. In autunni he has met 

 with them in lari>e numl)e-'s amon<4 the mountains of Xorthern Pennsvlvanip 

 Tlun' were ])assing southward with their voung. While on his wav to Lab- 

 rador he notu'e<l them in Elaine, near Eastport, in May, very alauidant along 

 the roads, the fields, and the low woods, as well as in the orchards and gar- 

 dens. The season was then not advanced, the weather coid ; and these birds 

 sheltered themselves l)y night among the evergreens, and were oft^n so chilled 

 as to be readily taken l)y the hand. He also met them wherevCi' he landed 

 in the neighboring islands in the P»av of Fundv and at Labrador. 



The song of this Warbler is clear and sweetly modulated, and surpasses 



that of most of this family. It s- ems to prefer the interior of low woods, 



where its notes may chieHy be heard during the early summer, as it sings 



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