iv-:/. i.o ir- /;. i rKi-:i> \v.\i; m.i-i;. (\r> 



GENUS IV. PARULA. THE LITTLE AVAK15I.KRS. 



GF..V. Cu. Bill, eon , i/t-m tin- li,',id, ulenili > itiitl acuminate. Tarsus, longer than the hind toe and 



claw. ll'-i<jlit <>f ki'i'l, not <:m;<lhi<j mf-hulf tin 1 iri,Ilh of sternum. Coracoid bones, eit/iul in Ifiujllt to tin: top of keel. 

 Birds of this genus, although .small in size, are rather stout in form. 



PARULA AMERICANA. 



Blue Yellow-backed Warbler. 



Parula Americana BON., List of Birds of North America, 1838. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. Cu. Si/.e, small. Wings, rather long. Tail, square and slightly emarginate. Sternum, not stoutly built. 

 Tongue, <|iiite thick and llcshy at the basal half, then suddenly becomes thin and acuminate. The end is cleft for 

 live-hundivdths of an inch and the divided portions are coarsely ciliated. This tongue is quite unique among 

 Warblers, differing from any others that I have seen ill having u fleshy base, terminating abruptly in a thill point. 



Coi in:. .\<lnlt mule. Above, slaty-bluo, brightest on the head; with a large patch of greenish-yellow in the 

 middle of the back. Wings and tail, brown, edged with bluish; the six outer feathers of the latter are spotted 

 subterininally, on the inner webs, with white. The two rows of upper wing coverts are tipped with white, forming 

 rather broad liars. The blue above extends down on the sides of the head and neck, but is rather dusky on these 

 parts. The lore-, are black, and there is a spot of white on the upper and lower eyelids. The sides and flanks are 

 tinged with pale bluish. Throat and breast, yellow, with a patch of chestnut-brown across the upper part of the 

 latter, which is sometimes preceded by a narrow line of the same color as the sides of the neck. The remaining 

 under snrlace. including under tail coverts, under wing coverts and closed wing beneath, white. Ventral region, 

 tinged with yellow. 



Adult female, similar to the male, but the chestnut of the breast and the yellow of the back is not as bright or 

 as extended. 



You n<i hi'ili-, similar to the adult female. 



The ymmy female has the yellow beneath less extended and without a trace of chestnut. There is also but a 

 sliirht indication of the yellow patch above. lu all stages the irides are brown; upper mandible, brown ; lower, 

 whitish; feet, brown. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



This pretty little species may be distinguished at once from all others by the ever present yellowish-green patch 

 upon the back, combined with the yellow throat. Distributed during the breeding season throughout Eastern 

 United States from Virginia north to Canada; winters in Mexico, Central America, West Indies and Key West. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of twenty-three specimens. Length, 4-75; stretch, 7-30; wing, 2-30; tail, 1-70; bill, 

 40; tarsus, -63. Longest specimen, 4-90; greatest extent of wings, 7-70; longest wing, 2-85; tail, 1-85; bill, -49; 

 tarsus, -75. Shortest specimen, 4-25; shortest extent of wings, 7-70; shortest wing, 2-20; tail, 1-40; bill, '35; 

 tarsus -59. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



'.<. The accompanying description is from Mr. Brewster. "A nest discovered by Mr. Deane and myself, at 

 Stoneham, Mass., in June, 1808. was hun;/ in a drooping spray of hemlock, about eight feet from the ground, near the 

 extremity of the limb, and differs in structure from any other that I have seen. In appearance it strongly resembles 

 the domicile of !<<> <> H.ilHmore, being entirely open at the top, not in the least purse-shaped as in the case of other 

 nests of this species which I have examined, and which also differ in having the entrance hole at the side. It is 

 composed entirely of long moss curiously interwove'n. The whole structure is so delicate and frail that the eggs, 

 which were three in number, could be plainly seen through the bottom as I stood on the ground. Dimensions: 



ial diameter, 2-25 inches, internal, 1-75; external depth, 2'(>2 inches, internal 2-50." 



Some beautiful specimens of these nests, in the cabinet of my friend, Mr. II. A. Purdie, are also composed of the 

 long, gray moss, but differ from that described above in being perfect little purses, with the entrance hole on the 

 side. There is no oilier material used for lining than that of which the structures are made. 



-. usually four in number, white in color, spotted and dotted everywhere with light reddish-brown and lil r, 

 but more sparsely on the smaller end. The largest spots arc of brown and the smallest of lilac. Dimensions from 

 66 X -48 to -70 x -50. 



BIKDS Of KLOKIDA. 9 



