1861. 



NEW ENGLAJ^p FARMER. 



569 



For the New England Farmer. 



THE BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND— No. 17. 



WARBLERS. 



Cerulean Warbler — Black Poll Warbler— Prairie Warbler — 

 Cape May Warbler — Blue Yellow-Backed Warbler. 



The Cerulean Warbler, {Sylvicola ccerulea, 

 Swainson,) is doubtless occasionally met with in 

 New England ; but it is exceedingly rare here. 

 It appears to be mostly a Southern species, and 

 in Louisiana, according to Audubon, it is as com- 

 mon as any other Sylvicola, where it breeds. 

 "The liveliness of its notes," he observes, "ren- 

 ders it conspicuous in those parts of the skirts 

 of the forests which it frequents ; and its song, 

 although neither loud nor of long continuance, 

 is extremely sweet and mellow." Wilson, who 

 appears to have first described it, speaks of it as 

 a scarce bird in Pennsylvania, where it spends 

 the summer, retiring southward about the 20th 

 of August. It is also found sparingly in the 

 Western States. The nest, according to Audu- 

 bon's interesting account, is partially pensile, 

 placed in low trees or bushes ; the eggs are four 

 or five in number, pure white, with reddish spots 

 at the larger end. 



The Blue-Green Warbler, (Sylvia rara, Wil- 

 son,) of Wilson and Audubon, "so resembles the 

 young of the Azure (or Cerulean) Warbler," the 

 latter remarks, "that were not the form of its bill, 

 and some of its habits considerably different, I 

 should be tempted to consider it a mere variety 

 of that bird." Later writers, however, appear to 

 agree in considering it fully identical with the 

 Cerulean Warbler, being merely that bird in its 

 immature state of plumage. It is equally rare 

 in all the northern parts of the United States, and 

 in general possesses similar habits and song. 



The Cerulean or Azure Warbler measures four 

 and a half inches in length, and eight in alar ex- 

 tent. The color above is generally a fine, rich 

 blue, with streaks of blackish on the back ; be- 

 neath white, with dusky blue streaks on the sides 

 and breast ; two conspicuous bars of white on the 

 wings, and spots of the same on the tail. The 

 female and young have the colors paler, but oth- 

 erwise similar, and the blue of the upper parts is 

 tinged with green ; in this state it has been de- 

 scribed as the Blue- Green Warbler. 



The Black Poll Warbler, (Sylvicola stria- 

 ta, Swainson,) seldom reaches New England from 

 the South till the latter part of May, when for a 

 week or more it is one of our most common spe- 

 cies, and a few generally remain with us till into 

 June. It is known to breed as far south as New 

 Jersey, and throughout the intermediate regions 

 of North America, northward to Greenland, but 

 retires to sub-tropical or tropical regions to pass 

 the winter. Secluded woodlands and dense thick- 

 ets of brush-wood are its favorite haunts, and in 

 summer appears to be seldom met with in this 

 latitude. Like others of its tribe, it is extreme- 

 ly active, searching for insects among the tree- 

 tops and bushes, or seizing them on the wing ; 

 and is generally quite silent and unsuspicious. 



Length five and a half inches ; alar expanse, 

 eight and a half; whole upper parts of the head 

 and nape deep black ; general color above ash, 

 tinged with ochre yellow, and conspicuously 

 streaked with black; lower parts white, streaked 

 on the sides with black. Tae f<^male is similarly 



marked, except in a measure wanting the exten- 

 sive black patch on the head, but is strongly oli- 

 vaceous above, and the white beneath is tinged 

 with yellow. 



The Prairie Warbler (Sylvicola discolor, 

 Jardine,) was first discovered by Viellot, and next 

 met with by Wilson, "in that singular tract of 

 country in Kentucky, commonly called the Bar- 

 rens." Though met with in New England, it is 

 far from common here, and does not appear to be 

 anywhere very numerous, though it is more fre- 

 quently met with in some sections of the country 

 than in others. New York is the northern limit 

 assigned to it by Baird. The Prairie Warblers, 

 says Wilson, "seem to prefer open plains and 

 thinly-wooded tracts ; and have this singularity 

 in their manners, that they are not easily alarmed, 

 and search among the leaves the most leisurely 

 of any of their tribe I have yet met with ; seem- 

 ing to examine every blade of grass and every 

 leaf; uttering at short intervals a feeble chirr." 

 Audubon speaks of it as inhabiting Louisiana, 

 where it is one of the earliest birds that arrive in 

 spring, and one of the first to leave in the fall. 

 Its nest, he observes, is small and delicate, and is 

 "sometimes attached to three or four blades of 

 tall grass, or hangs between two small sprigs of 

 a slender twig. At first sight it seems to be 

 formed like that of a Humming Bird, the exter- 

 nal parts being composed of delicate grey lichens 

 and other substances, and skins of black cater- 

 pillars, and the interior finished with the finest 

 fibres of dried vines." The eggs are four, white, 

 with a few brownish spots at the larger end. Two 

 broods are raised in a season. He further ob- 

 serves : "Its flight is light and short, it making ami 

 eff'ort to rise to the height of eight or ten yards,,, 

 and immediately sinking down to the grass or 

 bushes. Whilst on the ground, where it remains 

 a good deal, it searches among the leaves slowly 

 and carefully, differing in this respect from all the 

 true Warblers with which I am acquainted." 



Length, five inches ; extent of wings, seven. 

 Above, light olive, with streaks of brownish ved 

 on the back ; line over the eye, cheeks, and be- 

 neath, bright yellow; lares, and a line beneath 

 the eye, black ; streaks of the same on the breast 

 and sides ; wings barred with pale yellow ; broad 

 spots of white on the exterior tail feathers. The 

 female is much paler, and has not the black 

 markings near the eyes. 



Of the Cape May Warbler (Sylvicola mara- 

 time, Jardine; Dcndroica tigrina, Baird.) but lit- 

 tle is known. It is everywhere found to be ex- 

 ceedingly rare, though individuals have been met 

 with over a wide extent of country, as at various 

 points in the eastern parts of the United States, 

 and in Cuba ; Audubon considers its highest 

 northern range to be the "Blue Mountains of Ver- 

 mont." Wilson met with the only individual he 

 ever saw, near Cape May, in New Jersey, and hence 

 the name it bears. This beautiful species is said 

 to be shy and solitary, and almost nothing is 

 known of its history or habits. 



The length of this species is five and a half 

 inches ; breadth of wing, eight and a half; upper 

 part of the head, deep black ; general color of the 

 dorsal aspect, yellow olive, thickly streaked with 

 black ; line over the eye, sides of the neck, the 

 throat and breast, a rich yellow, which fades into 

 yellowish white on the belly ; the breast and sides 



