60 BLUE- WING ED WARBLER 



The Worm-eating Warbler is found in dense under- 

 growth, especially in that of thickly wooded ravines, 

 such as are along Rock Creek, and the Potomac on 

 the Virginia side. He resembles the Oven-bird in 

 habits and general appearance, but the four black 

 stripes on his head and his unmarked breast will dis- 

 tinguish him from that species. He spends much 

 time on the ground hunting worms and spiders, and 

 flies to a low perch when disturbed, quite like the 

 Oven-bird; like him also he builds a sheltered nest 

 of dead leaves and rootlets, which is nearly always 

 lined with the reddish stems of moss. The eggs, 4 

 to 5, are minutely speckled with cinnamon-brown. 



The song of this Warbler is much like that of the 

 Chipping Sparrow, though faster. 



Blue- winged Warbler: Hclminthophila pinus. 



Length less than 5 inches. 



Crown and under parts bright yellow; a black line through 

 the eye. 



Back bright olive-green; wings and tail grayish-blue; 

 white wing-bars and tail patches. 



A rare summer resident and not common in migrations; 

 winters in the tropics. 



These rarely seen Warblers live in wild thickets 

 bordering woods, and in open, scrubby woodland. 

 They are great insect-hunters and when fruit-trees 

 are in blossom sometimes visit orchards. Their com- 

 mon song is " two drawled wheezy notes swee-chcc; 

 the first inhaled, the second exhaled." 



The nest is on the ground, and the eggs, 4 to 6, 

 are lightly speckled. 



