66 



IOWA ORNITHOLOGIST. 



occurrence which I can find west 

 of the Mississippi. It can not be 

 considered as an accidental vis- 

 itor, however, as it has been re- 

 ported from a number of locali- 

 ties. The species may be recog- 

 nized at a great distance by the 

 opening and closing of the fan- 

 like tail. Of its habits I can say 

 nothing from observation. 



Sylvania Pusilla (Wilson's War- 

 bler: Black-capped Yellow War- 

 bler). The most widely distrib- 

 uted of all our Warblers. It is 

 found throughout the whole of 

 the U.S. A. neat, shy, little bird 

 common in the migrating season. 

 Usually met with among thickets 

 and along the edges of woods. 

 Its diminutive size and retiring 

 habits make it inconspicuous. 



Sylvania canadensis (Canada 

 Warbler). This beautiful bird 

 does not occur abundantly with 

 us, though it is not uncommon. 

 It is properly an eastern bird, 

 Iowa being the western limit of 

 its range. It prefers the deep 

 woods and large trees, where its 

 presence is made known by its 

 shrill and rapid song, without 

 which it vvould be seldom ob- 

 served. 



Setophaga ruticilla (American 

 Redstart). Little needbesaid of a 

 bird which, if not at present, was a 

 few years ago the most abundant 



summer resident of our forests. 

 Not an acre of wood-land could 

 be found on which there were not 

 two or three nests and often 

 twice that number. The Red- 

 start is of a very unsuspicious 

 nature, and the observer may 

 study his graceful movements and 

 beautiful plumage without incon- 

 venience. The nest is a small 

 and compact structure, usually 

 placed on a limb of a small sap- 

 ling or among the drooping 

 branches of an elm. 



This closes the list of War- 

 blers so far as known. Others 

 may occasionally occur within the 

 state, but I can find no record 

 of them. 



Their peculiar habits, their 

 gorgeous coloring, their great 

 economic importance, and the 

 rareness of many species make 

 this family one of the most inter- 

 esting to the ornithologist. Much 

 remains to be learned, however, 

 regarding them, and it is hoped 

 that these brief notes may serve 

 to incite some of our students of 

 bird-life to a closer observation 

 of so large and important a group. 



The Red=-tailed Hawk (Butes 

 boreal is). 



BY CARL FRITZ HENNING, BOONE, lA. 



IT IS the middle of March. The 



return of sunny days finds me 



on my way to my favorite collect- 



