360 



WOOD WARBLERS. 



i 





most sleiulcT and wiry in all our forests, and as distinguishable as the 

 hum of the cicada or the shrilling of the katydid. " Tree-trec-tree-tiee- 

 trce-tree-trep-tree, rapidly uttered, the monotonous notes of equal length, 

 beginning very softly, gradually increasing to the middle of the strain, 

 and then as gradually diminishing, thus forming a fine musical swell, 

 may convey a fair idea of the song. There is a peculiar soft and 

 tinkling sweetness in this melody, suggestive of the quiet mysteries of 

 the forest, and sedative as an anodyne to the nerves." 



662> Dendrolcai blackbumisB (Omd.). Blackburnian Wah- 



HLKii. A(I. 6 . — Center of the Ijlaek crown, a line over tlie eye, patch behind 

 the black ear-coverts, throat, and breast beautiful rich orange ; back black, 

 streaked with wliitiMh; win^r-coverts wliite, torininj; a large white patch on 

 tiio winu:; iinier vane of most of tlie tail-featiiers almost entirely wliite, ex- 

 cept at the tip; the outer vane of the outer feather white at the base; belly 

 tinged with orange, sides streaked with black. Ad. 9. — Kesembles the $, 

 but the orange nuirkings are duller, tlie ui)per parts are ashy olive-green 

 streaked with black and wiiitish ; tiie white on the wings mil tail is less ex- 

 tensive. Ini. 6 . — Kesembles the 9 , but liiis the orange markings dull yellow, 

 tlic crown-patch nearly absent. //«. 9 . — Similar to the im. 6 , but the yel- 

 low markings nmclx paler, nearly butty, the back browner. L., 5-25; W., 

 2-71 ; T., 1-96 ; B. from N., '31. 



Kemarhs. — In connection with other markings the large amount of white 

 in the tail, appearing on even tiie outer vane of the outer feather, is cliarae- 

 teristic of this species. 



^a«f7f.— Kastcrn North America: breeds from northern Minnesota and 

 southern Maine northward to Labrador and soutiiward along the Alleghanies 

 to South Carolina; winters in the tropics, 



Washington, connnon T. V., May T) to 20; Aug. 20 to Oct. .5. Sing Sing, 

 common T. V., May 10 to 21»; Aug. 15 to Oct. 15. Cambridge, unconunon 

 T. v.. May 12 to 22 ; Sept. 15 to 30. 



Nest., of fine twigs and grasses, lined with grasses and tendrils, in conifer- 

 ous trees, ten to forty feet \\\\ E^qi^, four, grayish white or bluisli white, dis- 

 tinctly and obsei'rely spotted, speckled, and blotched with cinnamon-brown 

 or olive-brown, -68 x -oO. 



The Blackburnian is uncommon enough to make us appreciate his 

 unusual beauty. Coming in May. before the woods are fully clad, he 

 seems like some bright-plumaged tropical bird who has lost his way 

 and wandered to northern climes. The summer is pas.sed among the 

 higher branches in coniferous forests, and in the early fall the bird 

 returns to surroundings which seem more in keeping with its attire. 



Mr. Minot describes its summer song as resend)ling the syllables 

 wee-see-wee-see-wee-see (wee-we-ick), while in the spring its notes may 

 be likened to wee-see-nm-see, tsee-fsee, tsee, tfiep, tsee-isee, t»ee, tsee, 

 the latter syllables being on ascending scale, the very last shrill and 

 fine. 



