50 DENDllCECA STRIATA. 



I 



Adult female in spring, like the male in general coloration. The top of the head is olivaceous, streaked with 

 black. There is a greater suffusion of olivaceous over the back, fewer spots beneath, where the white is tinged 

 with buff. 



Adult male in autumn, somewhat similar to the female in spring, but the top of the head has fewer streaks, 

 there are also not as many black stripes beneath. 



The autumnal female resembles the male, but has the top of the head unspotted. 



The young of both sexes in autumn are olivaceous-green above, streaked on the back and sometimes on the 

 head with black. The sides of the head and entire under parts are greenish, varying with individuals in intensity, 

 and more or less streaked with dusky on the sides. 



Nesting plumage, similar, but paler and with each feather having a central spot of black or dusky. In all stages, 

 the irides are brown and the bill dark brown, lighter at the base of the lower mandible. The feet of the adult birds 

 are pale brown, but in younger stages of plumage they are darker. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



In the adult stages this Is a well marked species and will not be confounded with any other, but the young in 

 autumn closely resemble D. castanea in the same stages. They may be distinguished by the absence of any dark 

 streaks beneath in castanea and by the pure white under tail coverts of striata even when there are no traces of 

 chestnut to be seen in castanea. The under tail coverts of castanea are always tinged with buff. Distributed 

 during the breeding season throughout Eastern North America from Northern New England to the Arctic Ocean. 

 In migrating it passes through the eastern section of the United States winteriug in South America. Although 

 abundant in Florida during the spring migration, I have never seen it there in autumn or winter. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of twenty-six specimens. Length, 5-41; stretch, 8-85 ; wing, 2-GO; tail, 2-02; bill, -51; 

 tarsus, -66. Longest specimen, 5-75; greatest extent of wings, 9-70; longest wing, 3-10; tail, 2-10; bill, -75 ; tarsus, 

 75. Shortest specimen, 5-35; smallest extent of wings, 8-32; shortest wing, 2-45; tail, 1-80; bill, -45; tarsus, -65. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed in trees; composed of small twigs and grasses, mixed with black, hair-like lichens. It is very 

 bulky. Dimensions: external diameter, 4 inches, internal, 2; external depth, 2-50 inches, internal, 1-50 



The above description was taken from a specimen in the Smithsonian Institution and forwarded by Mr. Riclgway. 

 The nest was taken by Mr. McFarlaue, in June, 1862, at Anderson River Fort. 



Eggs, four in number, oval in form, pure white in color spotted and dotted with lilac and umber, the spots 

 becoming more confluent on the larger end. Dimensions from -67x-52 to -75x-58. 



HABITS. 



In April when the great magnolia is in full bloom the Black-polled Warblers may be 

 found in Florida. Later, in May, when all the apple orchards of New England are snowy 

 with blossoms, the same birds appear and linger a time, then depart for the North, arriving in 

 the British Provinces and Labrador when nature has assumed her most festive garb. Thus, in 

 all their long passage from the far South to their summer home, they revel amid bursting buds 

 and the fragrance of a continuous spring. 



The Black-polled Warblers breed quite commonly in the neighborhood of Eastport, Maine. 

 The nest is usually placed on the limb of a fir, close to the trunk. The eggs are laid during the 

 latter part of June, and by the first of August the young are fully fledged ; a little later the old 

 birds moult; then, as the season becomes cooler, commence the southern flight. 



It is difficult to believe that the little green birds, which come trooping in by thousands, are 

 the same which passed us in the bright springtime ; then the low lisping songs of the males 

 were constantly heard ; now they flit silently and hurriedly through the changing foliage which 

 too shortly precedes the season of desolation. 



