202 



SUBSPECIES. The White-eyed Vireo is represented by several subspecies, the 

 type form, the Northern White-eyed V. g. griseus, to which the type belongs, being the only 

 one which occurs in Canada. 



A bird of the south noted for its remarkable voice. This species is 

 included here on the basis of a few records scattered along the southern 

 borders of Canada. 



FAMILY MNIOTILTID^J. WOOD WARBLERS. 



General Description. Small birds, only one Canadian species being over 6-28 inches 

 long and very few over 5-75. They are usually bright-coloured woodland and tree-top 

 birds though a few inhabit the ground and the grass. They are, as a family, difficult 

 to diagnose and the genera can be most easily recognized by the bills (Figures 57, 58, 59, 

 p. 27) though considerable familiarity with the species is necessary to recognize the 

 generic characteristics. 



Field Marks. No reliable field marks that cover the whole family can be given. 

 However, after a little experience with them their small size, bright colours, and sprightly 

 actions are easily recognized. They are most likely to be confused with the Vireos. 



Nesting. The nesting habits of the family are various; some build in trees, from down 

 near the ground to well up towards the taller tops, others on the ground or in grass, and 

 some in holes in dead stubs, etc. 



Distribution. Most of the Warblers breed in the northern spruce woods beyond the 

 limits of general settlement. A few nest in the more cultivated sections and some just 

 across the International Boundary. All are migratory and spend the winter, according to 

 species, from northern United States south to the Amazon country of South America. 



The American Wood Warblers constitute a large family peculiar to 

 the Americas. In fact they divide the honours in point of numbers with 

 the Sparrows. The Warblers are the delight of amateur bird-observers. 

 So small that few but the enthusiast ever see them, but so numerous and 

 brilliantly coloured that their discovery opens up a new world of interest 

 to the beginner. The sexes are usually dissimilar and there is considerable 

 seasonal change in plumage. This, multiplied by the large number of 

 species makes the task of identifying all of them seem almost hopeless to 

 the beginner. It is not, however, as difficult as it seems at first. The 

 spring males are usually distinctly marked and as many of them are furn- 

 ished with descriptive names their differentiation is comparatively simple. 

 As the females and autumn birds almost invariably retain suggestions of 

 the characteristic spring markings of the males the difficulty is really less 

 than is generally anticipated. Of course, puzzling specimens occur which 

 give even the experts some difficulty, but it is usually an alternative between 

 two species, which can be settled by giving attention to one or more 

 small details. In studying the Warblers the observer is advised to become 

 familiar with the spring males first. When the males of the common 

 species are known, a comparatively easy matter with such strongly char- 

 acterized forms, most of the females are recognized without much difficulty 

 as they usually carry a subdued reflection of their mate's brighter colour 

 pattern. In the autumn, most juveniles resemble the females closely 

 enough to make recognition not so very difficult. There are thus compara- 

 tively few plumages besides those of the spring males that have to be 

 learned individually. The Canadian Warblers represent twelve genera, 

 seven of which are represented by single species only. Dendraica has six- 

 teen species, Vermivora five, and three others are represented by three 

 species each. The generic details of the most important will be discussed 

 under their proper headings. 



