BIRDS OF 



season, their numbers can be estimated only by close observa- 

 tion. I was once caught in the rain in the woods in the month 

 of April, and took shelter in a clump of evergreens, which I 

 found was in possession of a flock of Ruby-crowns. When the 

 clouds passed away and a light breeze shook the sparkling drops 

 from the foliage, I was delighted to hear some of the Kinglets 

 indulge in a song of considerable compass and duration. It was 

 more full, soft and musical than anything I have ever heard from 

 so small a bird. At that season their stay is short ; sometimes 

 they are seen only during two or three days, but in the fall they 

 travel more leisurely. Their breeding ground is far north. 

 The only description I have seen of a nest is that of one found 

 in Colorado. It was placed on the bough of a spruce about 15 

 feet from the ground, and contained five young birds and one egg. 



SUBFAMILY POLIOPTILIN^E. GNATCATCHERS. 

 GENUS POLIOPTILA SCLATER. 



295. POLIOPTILA C^RULEA (LINN.). 751. 

 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. 



Above ashy-blue, bluer on the head, lighter on the rump ; forehead and 

 line over eye black, wanting in the female ; ring around the eye and under parts 

 whitish ; outer tail-feather, except at base, two-thirds the second and tip of 

 third white, rest of tail black. Length, 4^ ; wing, 2 ; tail, 2^. 



HAB. Middle and southern portions of the United States, from the 

 Atlantic to the Pacific, south in winter to Guatemala, Cuba and the Bahamas ; 

 rare north toward the Great Lakes, Southern New York and Southern New 

 England, straggling north to Massachusetts and Maine. 



Nest, a model of bird architecture, compact-walled and contracted at the 

 brim, elegantly stuccoed with lichens fixed to slender twigs at a height vary- 

 ing from 10 to 50 or 60 feet from the ground. 



Eggs, 4 to 5 ; white, speckled with reddish, umber-brown and lilac. 



The Gnatcatcher is, I believe, a regular summer resident in 

 Southern Ontario, though apparently locally distributed and 

 not very abundant. There is one particular patch of bush 

 where I usually see this species every spring, but elsewhere I have 

 not observed it. Mr. Dickson finds it regularly at Waterdown, 



296 



