YELLOW WARBLER. 6 1 



Parula Warbler: Compsothlypis americana. 



Length less than 5 inches. 



Upper parts bluish-gray, a yellowish patch on the back. 

 Throat and breast yellow, a dark band across the breast. 



Resident (uncommon) from April 20 to October 15; win- 

 ters from Florida southward. 



Parulas are common in migration but rare at other 

 times. Some, however, always nest near Kensington, 

 and at Great Falls on the Virginia side, building in 

 the hanging Usnea moss which grows in those locali- 

 ties. One of their dainty nests may be seen at the 

 Smithsonian. The eggs, 4 to 5, are creamy white, 

 lightly speckled with cinnamon-brown. 



The song of the Parula is described as " a short 

 insect-like buzz." 



Yellow Warbler; Summer Yellowbird: Dendroica 

 cestiva. 



Length about 5 inches. 

 Male, general color, bright yellow. 

 Under parts streaked with chestnut-red. 

 Female, much duller, without streaked breast. 

 Resident (common) from April 20 to September 30; win- 

 ters in Northern South America. 



Yellow Warblers are abundant in spring, and by 

 the last week in April their happy voices are heard 

 all over the city. Their song is a pleasant little 

 warble, that has been written, wee-chee, chee-chee, 

 cher-wee. 



Most of them soon pass on north or into the coun- 

 try, but some always remain to nest in the parks and 

 gardens of the city. They build in shrubbery or in 

 the smaller trees, and the nest is usually in an upright 

 fork. Fine grasses and plant-down are the choice 

 materials used, very compactly woven together. The 



