THE WILSON WARBLER. 193 



sary to add that they were placed, the one in an oak and the other in an alder 

 sapling, at a height of about two feet from the ground. In feeding the young 

 in the Sugar Grove nest the parents would invariably appear upon a certain 

 bare twig some fifty feet above; here, if observed, the bird would chirp ap- 

 prehensively for a minute or two, and then without further precaution launch 

 straight for the nest. 



The Hooded Warbler is possibly on the increase. I have seen it twice 

 at Columbus and twice at Oberlin within three years, but have not suspected 

 it of nesting at either place. Mr. Robert J. Sim reports it as a regular 

 breeder in Ashtabula County, while Rev. W. F. Henninger reports it as rare 

 in Scioto County in summer. 



No. 86. 



WILSON WARBLER. 



A. O. U. No. 685. Wilsonia pusilla (Wils.). 



Synonym. — Black-cappEd Warbler. 



Description. — Adult male : Above bright olive-green ; forehe:id, sides of 

 head, and under parts bright greenish yellow, usually tinged or vaguely clouded 

 with olive; crown or "cap" lustrous black; wings and tail fuscous and olive-edged, 

 without peculiar marks; bill dark above, light below; feet light brown. Adult 

 female: Similar, but the black cap usually wanting, or if present, less distinct. 

 Immature: Like female, without cap. Length 4.25-5.10 (108.-129.5) ; av. of ten 

 Columbus males : wing 2.20 (55.9) ; tail 1.90 (48.3) ; bill .32 (8.1). 



Recognition Marks. — ^Least, pygmy size ; black cap of male ; recognizable in 

 any plumage by small size and greenish yellow coloration. Keeps well down in 

 bushes, weed-patches, and thickets. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, of grass, leaves and trash, lined 

 with fine grass or hair, on the ground, often partially concealed by grass or weeds. 

 Eggs, 4 or 5, white or pinkish white, minutely speckled with reddish brown, some- 

 times in wreath about larger end. Av. size, .60 x .49 ( 15.2 x 12.6) . 



General Range. — Eastern North America west to and including the Rocky 

 Mountains, north to Labrador, Hudson Bay Territory and Alaska. Breeds chiefly 

 north of the United States, migrating south to eastern Mexico and Central America. 



Range in Ohio. — Fairly common spring and fall migrant. Ranges low in 

 brush patches or weed thickets. 



AMONG the least of Warblers, the pretty little Black-cap is known 

 throughout the state as a not uncommon but somewhat irregular migrant. 



