BLACK AND YELLOW WARBLE/!. 57 



Touny m>il'', similar, but the colors beneath arc paler. The black of the back Is obscured with greenish and 

 the top of the head is not as pure slate. 



ivsfinbles the young male, but the top of the head Is paler and the patches on the sides of the 

 head are also obscured with greenish. 



I.-);//.,,/'. The head is obscured with greenish. The back is olivaceous green without any appearance 

 of black, the upper tail coverts arc vrivi-nish. the spots and stripes of the head are obsolete, the streaks beneath are 

 hardy pi>rci'ptililf and the white on the upper wing coverts is less extended than in the adult. Irides, brown; feet 

 and bill black in all stairs, excepting in the young female, where the latter is brown, lighter at the base of the lower 

 mandible. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



This flue warbler may always be known by the white baud on the tail which is always present in all stages. 

 1> -tribute,! throughout the northern portions of the eastern section of the United States and British Provinces. 

 Winters in Mexico, Cuba, and rarely in Florida. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of sixteen specimens from New England. Length, 4-97 ; stretch, 7'55; wing, 2-35; tail, 

 l-Oo; bill. :;.",: tarsus, -80. Longest specimen, 5-10; greatest extent of wings, 7-80; longest wing, 2-75; tall, 1-93; 

 bill, -4i>; tarsus, -'.in. Shortest specimen, 4-75; smallest extent of wings, 7-12; shortest wing, 2-20; tail, 1-70; bill, 



:!l : tarsus, -90. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



\~. ji/jj, placed in low evergreen trees. They are composed of small twigs, weeds and dried grass, not very 

 compactly interwoven, lined with fibrous roots and horsehairs. The structures are very neat, but quite shallow. 

 Dimensions : external diameter, 3 inches, internal, 2; external depth, 1-75 inches, internal, 1-25. 



KIJIJK. four in number, oval in form, ashy-white in color, spotted and blotched somewhat irregularly with brown 

 and lilac. The larger blotches, however, are inclined to accumulate on the larger end where they sometimes form 

 rings. 



HABITS. 



I never experienced more pleasure in finding a bird's nest that was new to me than when I 

 discovered the neat domicile of- this fine Warbler. I was searching, in early June, among 

 some low firs, which grew on a hillside in Northern Maine, for the nests of the Olive-backed 

 Thrush, when I started a female Black and Yellow Warbler from a little tree in which she had 

 her home. The pretty little structure was placed in the fork of a limb about five feet from the 

 ground, and contained four fresh eggs. The bird was extremely shy, keeping at a distance, 

 but did not appear very solicitous, only occasionally uttering a low chirp, and the male 

 did not make his appearance. I afterwards found several nests, one or two of which were 

 placed near a travelled road within a few feet of passing vehicles. They were always built 

 in low evergreen trees, but a few feet from the ground and in such a position as to be 

 concealed. The females were all shy, generally darting from the nest and instantly hiding in 

 the nearest thicket. I never remember of having seen the males in the immediate vicinity 

 of the nest, but constantly heard their peculiarly short songs in the forests, and frequently saw 

 them among the trees or flying swiftly through the woods in pursuit of their mates. 



These Warblers are not common in Massachusetts during the migrations, but are oftener 

 met with in spring than in autumn. They appear with other Sylvicolidce in May and frequent 

 the tops of trees which grow in swampy places. The few which pass in the fall are found 

 in similar situations. I have never seen this species in Florida, but Mr. Boardman says that 

 he has taken a single specimen at Green Cove Spring, in February. I therefore introduce 

 it into the fauua of the state upon his authority. 



HlltDS OF FLORIDA. 8 



