AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 87 



Warblers are one of the most strikingly beautiful species of the family. 

 In the spring they are very active and often seen flitting out among 

 apple trees when the latter are in bloom, their brilliant black and 

 yellow plumage contrasting beautifully with the delicate pink and 

 white tints of the blossoms. Large numbers of them can also be 

 observed in the underbrush of open woods or on hillsides. They show 

 little fear of man, but are very curious to see all that is going on; they 

 are usually noticed peering out from beneath the foliage with tail up, 

 wren fashion, and expanded so as to show the prominent white band 

 while the yellow rump is also much in evidence. They seem loath to 

 leave your society and may be seen first on one side then on the other 

 as you may make your way through the woods. Their notes are of 

 the same character as those of the Yellow Warbler, Redstart and many 



others of the more familiar birds, a loud whistling "chee-chee " 



usually uttered about six times. They chirp loudly and with great 

 energy if any one approaches the vicinity of their nest, a fact that 

 usually betrays that they have one, for they are skillfully 

 concealed and their presence would not be suspected if kept a secret 

 by the owners. 



During the latter part of September great numbers of these birds, 

 both old and young, pass through our land on their way to warmer 

 climes in which to pass the coming winter. 



CERULEAN WARBLER. 



A. O. U. No. 658 (Dendroica rara). 



RANGE. 



The breeding range of the Cerulean Warbler is in the Mississippi 

 and Ohio Valleys. They are rare east of the Allegheny Mountains but 

 are occasionally found as far east as Connecticut and Rhode Island. 

 In western New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia they are found 

 as commonly as might be expected for a bird that is nowhere abundant, 

 but the center of their abundance is in Ohio and Illinois. In winter 

 they are found in northern South America. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Length 5 inches. Above, a light blue or grayish blue with black 

 streaks on the back; below white with a gray blue breast baud and 

 darker stripes on the sides. The adult female and young are a gray 

 blue washed with greenish above, and white washed with yellow below. 

 They also have a white superciliary line. 



