BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 285 



Female. Similar to male, but more greenish-yellow above, but streaked with 

 black ; the black head markings are usually absent, sometimes very indistinctly 

 shown on malar region or about eyes ; a whitish ring about eye ; the chestnut streak 

 is much restricted. 



Young. Well marked yellow wing-bands ; upper parts yellowish-green with or 

 without dusky streaks ; sides of head, sides of neck and backward grayish-ash, rest 

 of lower parts white, with or without traces of chestnut stripe on sides. 



Habitat. Eastern United States and southern Canada, west to the plains, breed- 

 ing southward to central Illinois and the Appalachian highlands probably to north- 

 ern Georgia. In winter south to Bahamas, eastern Mexico, Central America, etc. 



Regular spring- and fall migrant, arriving- about the first week in May 

 and departing- in September. This species is usually much more num- 

 erous in the fall than during the vernal migration. In the spring this 

 handsome little warbler is generally most frequently to be found in 

 woods or thickets ; but occasionally he also is seen in orchards seeking 

 insects among the fragrant rose-tinted blossoms. I have seen birds of 

 this species, in the summer, in the counties of Chester, Delaware, Lan- 

 caster, Wayne, Susquehanna, Blair, Columbia, Mercer, Cameron and 

 McKean, where I have no doubt this bird breeds regularly* but spar- 

 ingly. From reports received from observers in nearly all parts of the 

 state, especially in the upper half, I find this bird breeds regularly (but 

 no place is it mentioned as being common) in nearly all parts of the 

 commonwealth. Feeds on various larvae, small beetles, and other in- 

 sects. Once, late in July, I shot a male Chestnut-sided Warbler in a 

 thicket near West Chester, the feathers of its chin and throat were 

 stained with what appeared to be the juice of a blackberry, possibly this 

 species sometimes feeds on berries. 



Dendroica castanea (WiLS.). 



Bay-breasted Warbler. 



DESCRIPTION (Plate 7S, Fig. ). 



Length about 5 ; extent about 8. 



Male, in spring. Forehead and sides of head black ; crown dark-chestnut ; back 

 thickly streaked with black and grayish ; chin, throat, forebreast and sides chestnut, 

 duller than crown; under tail-coverts pale buff; rest of lower parts, also a patch 

 behind ears, pale yellowish-white ; two white wing-bars ; tw r o outer tail-feathers 

 with white spots near end, and others also whitish on inner edges. Female i.s more 

 greenish-brown above, streaked with black ; traces of chestnut on crown and lower 

 parts ; bill and legs blackish. 



Habitat. Eastern North America, north to Hudson's Bay. Breeds from northern 

 New England and northern Michigan northward ; winters in Central America. 



Irregular spring and fall migrant, usually more plentiful in the fall. 

 Perhaps the Bay -breasted Warbler is more numerous than it is generally 

 admitted to be. During their brief visits in this region I have noticed 

 that these warblers are usually to be observed in the topmost branches 

 of tall forest trees, particularly in oaks, chestnuts and hickories. Food 



In 1872. Dr. J. C. Merrill, of Philadelphia, found this species breeding and quite common in Monroe 

 county. 



