SYLVICOLID.E — THE WARBLERS. 203 



Habits. Tlie <^cogTa]>Iiiciil distribution of H. ccUUa is involved in some 

 doubt, owinj,' jn'obaljly to its ir'jgulai'ity of niignition. In a few oceiU'^ional 

 instances this species has been oliserved in the Atlantic States. Several luive 

 l)eeu obtained near Philadelphia. Mr. Audubon attinns to havin<? .seen it in 

 the Middle States about the lUth of May, and in Maine later in the montli. 

 Beyond tliat he did not trace it. Mr. J. A. Allen procured one specimen of 

 tliif. bird in Si)ringHeld, Mass., May 15, 18t)3. There were quite a uuniljer 

 among the fruit-trees of the garden and orchard, then in bloom, and, mis- 

 taking them for Hclminthoplunja rvjicfipilla, he at first neglected to slujot any, 

 until, being in doulit, lie procured one, and found it the C)i'auge-( "rown. The 

 group passed on, and one was all he ol)lained. It is not given by Mr. 

 Turubull as one of the birds of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, nor by Mr. 

 IJoardnuin or I'rofessor Verrill as occuriiug in Maine. 1 am informed Ity 

 Mr. Ridgway that it is a regubir s])ring and autunui migrant in Southern 

 Illinois, and in some seasons is ([uite connuon. 



It was taken as a migratory species at Oaxaca, Mexico, during the winter 

 montiis, by M. A. Boueard. 



Mr. Aiulubon's account of the habits iind movements of this species must 

 be received with much caution. His description of its nest is entirely inac- 

 curate, and much that lie attril)utes to this siHicies we have reason to believe 

 relates to the habits of other birds. 



On the Pacific coa.st it seems to be quite abundant, at different seasons, 

 from (.'ape St. Lucas to the arctic regions, where it breeds. Mr. Kennicott 

 obtained several sfwcimens at Fort Yukon and at Fort Resolution, and Mr. 

 lioss met with them at Fort Simjjson. Xantus obtained these birds both at 

 Fort Tejon and at Cape St. Lucas. It is common in Southern ("alil'ornia 

 during the wintt-r, frequenting low l)usiies and tiie margins of streams. Dr. 

 (}aml)el met with it in early spring on the island of Santa Catalina, where 

 he had an o])portiuiity of listening to its simple and lively song. Tiiis lie 

 describes as commencing in a low, sweet trill, and ending in fsfic-iip. It 

 is .sometimes considerably varied, but is described as generally reseml)ling 

 i')'-i;r,r,r-ii/ie-iiii. 



Dr. ("ooper sjjcaks of this Warbler as an abundant and constant resident 

 of California, near tiie coast, and found in summer througliout the Sierra 

 Nevada. In March they begin in sing their sinqtle trill, which, he says, is 

 rather nuisical, and audible for a long distance. 



Dr. Coues met with this Warlder in Arizona, at Fort Yuma, Septemln^r 17, 

 at Fort Mohave, Octolter 1, and also at the liead-waters of Bill Williams 

 liiver. Lieutenant Couch found it at Brownsville, Te.x., seeking its food 

 and making its home among the low shrubbery. 



Dr. Suckley found it very abundant at Fort Steilacooni, in Washington 

 Territory, where it kept in shady places among thick brusli, generally in the 

 vicinity of watercourses. Dr. Heermann i'ound a few jtaii-s incubating near 

 the summits of the highest mountains o'l the Ctdorado River. The nests of 



