YELLOW WARBLER 6l 



Parula Warbler:* Compsothlypis amcricana. 



Length less than 5 inches. 



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

 Throat and breast yellow, an inconspicous 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 resembles that of the 

 Prairie Warbler. 



Yellow Warbler; Summer Yellowbird: Dcndroica 

 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, wce-chee, chee-chee, 

 cher-wee. 



* The Usnea Warbler, a rather recently described sub- 

 species of the Parula with a more northern breeding range, 

 differs principally in having the band across the breast 

 broad and conspicuous. See Auk, Tan. 1896, p. 44. 



