AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY 133 



YELLOW WARBLER, 



A. O. U. No, 653, (Ueiulroiea aestiva,) 



RANGE. 

 Found throughout North America except in the southwestern parts. 

 In winter they migrate to Central America. In Arizona and western 

 "Texas, the Yellow Warbler is replaced by the Sonora Yellow Warbler. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Length, 5 in,; extent, 7.5 in.; tail, 2 in. Eye, bill and feet brownish. 

 Entirely golden yellow with the back tinged with greenish. Numerous 

 ■chestnut streaks on the under parts. These streaks are lacking on the 

 female and the head is also tinged with greenish on the crown. The 

 yellow of the under parts is also paler. 



The Sonora Yellow Warbler (D. a. sonorana) is practically indistin- 

 guishable from the common variety. In the comparison of a large 

 number of specimens the chestnut streaks on the sides were found to 

 be more faintly defined and somewhat fewer in number. The habits of 

 both varieties are the same and may practically be considered as the 

 same birds. 



NEST AND EGGS. 



r 



Yellow Warblers begin their nest building about the first week in 

 May. The nests are generally placed in fruit trees or low bushes and 

 shrubbery. They are most often found at heights varying from two to 

 ten feet, while occasionally one may be found at a greater elevation. 



The nest is firmly bound in the crotch formed by the union of two or 

 more branches. It is a neat and artistic structure made of fibres and 

 leaves and lined with plant down, feathers and horse-hair. The eggs 

 liave a greenish white ground color and are prominently marked in the 

 form of a wreath around the larger end, with spots of varying shades 

 •of brown and gray. Three or four eggs commonly make the completed 

 set. 



HABITS. 

 These bright golden gems come to us from their winter retreat about 

 the iirst of May, and are the forerunner of the countless numbers of 

 jewels that are soon to follow. They are the most sprightly, sociable, 

 and entertaining of all the beautiful warblers, to me the most interest- 

 ing of all birds. Soon after the trees have commenced to take on a 



