234 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



while it is soarciiing for its food uinoiig the hriuichos, in the manner of the 

 Vircos. 



Like nearly all tlio members of this family, in its search for food it blends 

 the hal)its of the C"roei)ers with tliose of the Flyeatcliers, feeding upon 

 insects in their every form, running up and down the trunks for the ova, 

 lar'\T, and pupfe, expertly catcliing the insect on the wing, and equally 

 skilful in hovering over the expanded bud and searching the o])eniug leaves. 



Mr. Audubon I'ouud its nest placed deep iiong the branches of h)w fir- 

 trees, su)i])orted by horizontal twigs, constr\icted of moss and lichens, and 

 lined with fibrous roots and feathers. One found in Labrador, in the Itegin- 

 ning of July, contained five eggs, small and rather more elongated than is 

 common in tliis genus. They were wliite, and sprinkled witii reddisii dots at 

 the Lirger end. The female fluttered among tlie brandies, si>rcading her 

 wings and tail in great distress, and returning to her nest as soon as the in- 

 truders were a few yards olf. In August he saw a number of tiieir young 

 already I'ollowing their ]iarents and moving southward. In his expedition 

 to T(!xas, ]\Ir. Audubon again met this bird, in considerable nuniliers, early 

 in Ajwil. Their eggs, he states, measure tiiree fourths of an inch in length 

 by nine sixteenths in breadth. In some the ground-color, in.stead of pure 

 white, is of a yeUowish tinge. 



The writer found this AVarbler abundant near Halifax in the early sum- 

 mer of 1850, freipienting the tliick hendock woods, confiding in its habits, 

 unsuspicious, and easily approached. Tlie distress, as described by Audulton, 

 manifested in behalf of its own young, it is as ready t«i exhibit when the 

 nest of a feathered neighbor is disturl)eil. A pair of Hudson's Hay Titmice, 

 protesting against tlie invasion of their home, by their outcries brouglit a jiair 

 of these Warblers to t]ieir,symi)athetic assistance ; and tlus latter manifested, 

 in a more gentle way, ipiite as much distress and anxiety as tiie leal i)arents. 

 "With exjmuded tail and lialf-extended wings tliey iUittered overhe.id among 

 the branches, approaching us almost within reach, uttering the most piteous 

 outcries. 



Sir Jolin Eichardson found this Warbler as connuon and as fiuuiliar as 

 the D. ajstiva on the Saskatchewan, and greatly resembling it in habits, 

 though giftetl witli a nmch more varied and agreeable song. 



!Mr. Kennicott met this Wail)ler on (Jreat Slave Lake, June 12, 1800, 

 wliere he obtained a i'emale, nest, and five eggs. Tlie nest, lodsely built, was 

 l)laced in a small spruce about two feet from the ground, and in thick 

 woods. The bird was rather bold, coming to her nest wliile he stood by it. 

 This nest was only one and a lialf indies deep, with a (b'ameter of three and 

 a half indies ; the cavity only one indi deeji, with a diamcler of two and a 

 half inches. It was mad(! almost entirely of fine stems of jilants and slender 

 grasses, and a lew mosses. The cavity was lineil with finer stems, ami fine 

 black roots of herbaceous ])lants. 



The eggs of this Warbler are, in shape, a rounded oval, one end being but 



