6o 



IOWA ORNITHOLOGIST. 



rare. 



Helminthophila ru fie a pill a 

 Nashville Warbler). Though 

 properly an eastern species, this 

 bird is not uncommon with us 

 during migration. It is a small 

 and obscure species, usually as- 

 sociated with the Orange-crowned. 

 The two may often be observed 

 in large loose flocks, searching 

 for insects amongst the fallen 

 leaves in low open woods. 



Helminthophila aestiva (Yellow 

 Warbler). In habits this bird 

 closely resembles the preceding, 

 though in color it is still more 

 dull and obscure and is less com- 

 mon. It is seldom seen arnong 

 tall trees — living almost entirely 

 on the ground and among brush- 

 wood. 



Helminthophila peregrina (Ten- 

 nesse Warbler). This species is 

 one of the most irregular in its 

 migratory habits, sometimes ap- 

 pearing in a locality in countless 

 numbers, then vanishing for sev- 

 eral successive seasons. It is the 

 noisiest of all the Warblers dur- 

 ing migration. The tree-tops 

 ring with its shrill, monotonous 

 song from morning, till night, 

 though the bird itself is seldom 

 seen, for it does not usually ap- 

 pear in great numbers till the 

 leaves are out, when its uniform 

 olive green color effectually con- 



ceals it. It is a small species 

 and active, getting its food by 

 darting about amongst the denser 

 foliage near the tops of the trees. 

 It passes far north to breed. 



Compsothlypis americana (Blue 

 Yellow-backed Warbler: Parula 

 Warbler). This is the smallest 

 and daintiest of all our Warblers. 

 It is common, though seldom 

 seen in great numbers. It has a 

 curious habit of hovering like a 

 humming-bird about the tips of 

 long branches and seizing small 

 insects. It is the least suspicious 

 of the Warbler family and may 

 often be approached to within a 

 few feet. The peculiar coloring 

 and habits of this species makes 

 it a favorite with ornithologists. 

 In migration it is almost as pre- 

 carious as the Tennessee. 



Dendroica tigrina (Cape May 

 Warbler). Of all our Warblers 

 this species is the most interest- 

 ing to the ornithologist on ac- 

 count of some remarkable fea- 

 tures that it presents. Fifteen 

 years ago the Cape May Warblers 

 were confined almost exclusively 

 to the east side of the Mississippi, 

 and their occurrence on the west 

 side was considered accidental. 

 Now the great body of the species 

 migrate on the west side 

 and still continues a stead}' ad- 

 vance toward the plains. The 



