114 THE PROTHONOTARY WARBLER. 



of a nest's having been definitely reported within the state. During the 

 second week in June birds were seen feeding full grown young in the ravines 

 opening into the valley of the Hock-hocking near Sugar Grove. The scene 

 represented in the accompanying illustration was persistently haunted by two 

 anxious parents, but the particular objects of solicitude were not discovered. 

 The tree which appears in the middle distance provided a favorite line of de- 

 scent to the male bird on his frequent errands of mercy; and, standing as it 

 does in contrasting sun and shadow, it affords a curious reminiscence of the 

 bird itself. 



The nest of this Warbler is invariably placed upon the ground, a bulky 

 collection of bark-strips, leaves and trash, carefully lined with fine grasses, 

 rootlets and hair. It often courts the protection of some over-shadowing 

 bush-clump, stump, or log, and not in vain, as our still empty collections testify. 



No. 51. 



PROTHONOTARY WARBLER. 



A. O. U. No. 637. Protonotaria citrea (Bodd.) 



Description. — Adult male, in highest plumage : Head and neck all around 

 and under-parts down to crissum, golden yellow (Indian yellow), paler below, 

 an orange tint sometimes perceptible on crown and throat ; back, and hind-neck 

 on sides, olive ; rump bluish ash ; wings dusky, overlaid with bluish ash on sec- 

 ondaries and narrowly on outer webs of primaries, and touched with olive on 

 the coverts ; tail-feathers bluish ash with dusky centers and tips, the outer pairs 

 broadly and decreasingly blotched with white on the inner webs ; crissum white ; 

 bill black; feet dark brown. Except in the highest plumage the olive of the 

 back encroaches more or less upon the crown and the sides of the neck. Adult 

 female : Similar, but paler yellow, and with white on belly ; crown always over- 

 laid with olive; bluish ash of wings and tail duller. Eength 5.50 (139.7); 

 wings 2.77 (70.4) ; tail 1.87 (47.5) ; bill .55 (14.). 



Recognition Marks. — Medium warbler size ; head and under-parts, golden 

 yellow; back olive; wing and tail bluish ash; bill black; wings without white 

 (thus distinguished, as well as by superior size, from Helminthophila pinus). 



Nest, in cavities, deserted woodpecker holes and the like, in small trees 

 standing in or near the water, one to eight feet up, and heavily lined with moss. 

 Eggs, 3-7, white or creamy-white, heavily spotted with rich chestnut, 

 sometimes nearly concealing ground color. Av. size, .68x .55 (17.3 x 14.). 



General Range. — Eastern United States, west to Nebraska and Kansas, 

 north to Virginia, southern Michigan and Iowa, casually to New England, On- 

 tario and Minnesota; in winter, Cuba and northern South America. Breeds 

 throughout its United States range. 



