BIRDS OF KANSAS. 559 



Iris dark brown; bill black, sometimes the under mandible is 

 bluish at base; legs, feet and claws slaty blue. 



These charming little birds frequent the open woods, groves 

 and shrubby growths bordering the fields, prairies and streams, 

 seldom visiting the gardens and shade trees about our dwell- 

 ings. They are quite common east of the Mississippi Eiver. 

 At Pewaukee, Wisconsin, (where brother and I have so often 

 rambled together,) they are a very common summer resident; 

 breeding in the second growths of shrubby oaks and bushes. 

 They are not naturally suspicious and wild, often allowing a 

 near approach. They search largely for their food among the 

 upper branches, and are expert in catching insects on the wing, 

 darting from their perch and usually returning to the same, 

 much Jike the true Flycatchers. 



Their ordinary call note is a rather feeble "Tsip," which, 

 when alarmed, is uttered in a harsh, chattering manner. Their 

 song is rather short a few varied, musical notes, resembling 

 that of the Yellow Warbler. 



Their nests are placed in the forks of low bushes, and are 

 composed of small stems, grasses and flax-like strippings from 

 plants, rather loosely woven together, and lined with hairs. 

 Eggs usually four, .68x.50; white, or creamy white, spotted 

 with reddish to dark brown and lilac, thickest and generally 

 tending to form a ring around the larger end; some are spar- 

 ingly, others profusely marked; in form, oval. A set of four 

 eggs, collected June 15th, 1879, at Pewaukee, Wisconsin, from a 

 nest in the forks of a low bush, in a thick growth, are, in dimen- 

 sions: .68x.48, .69x.50, .70x.50, .70x.50. 



Dendroica striata (FORST.). 



BLACK-POLL WARBLER. 

 PLATE XXXIL 



Migratory; common. Arrive the first to middle of May; 

 begin to return early in September. The bulk leave for the 

 south during the latter part of the month; a few occasionally 

 remain until the last of October. 



B. 202. R. 101. C. 122. G. 46, 285. U. 661. 



