I'.IKI] 



Tracy: WhiU Markings in Birds. 



:id.-, 



SPECIAL STUDY OF THE MNIOTILTIDAB 



For a more minute study of the relation of white color marks 

 to a bird's habitual range I have chosen the American wood 

 warblers. Not only are the members of this family very well 

 distributed among the more or less well defined strata of local 

 vegetation, but, unlike I he Sylviidae or old world warblers, they 

 show the highest degree of specialization both in regard to variety 

 of pigments and to white patterns. It seemed worth while, 

 therefore, to investigate the actual distribution of the species in 

 the three categories of high or open foliage, medium, and low 

 or close coverts. The results of such a study are embodied in 

 the following table in which the mean height of the bird's 

 occurrence has been compared with that of its average nesting 

 site as recorded by numerous observers, and its feeding beat 

 gauged with some accuracy. While it has not always been 

 possible to distinguish clear lines of demarcation, on the whole 

 there is a surprising agreement among writers who allude to 

 the feeding levels of the warblers. 



WARBLERS WITH WHITE WING OR TAIL MARKINGS. 



\'t rmimora bachmani 



Ct>iiii>sothliu>is amcricaiia 



Compsothlypis u. usnt a< 

 Co mpsothlyp is pitiayumi 



nigrilora 

 Peuced ramus olivaceus 

 I>< ndroica magnolia 

 Dendroica tigrina 

 Dt ndroica auduboni 

 l>i ndroica tvigri set ns 

 Dendroica I in ns 



Mniotilta varia 

 Protonotaria air, a 

 ]'i rmivora chrysoptera 

 Vermivora pinus 

 Dendroica coronata 



lh ndroica caerulesct ns 

 Dendroica pensyl/uan ica 



Of Lowest Range. 



l'-3' Dendroica palmarwn 



ground 



