HABITS or Audubon's warbler 277 



plains as well as in the woods. They retire toward the north 

 in April, none being seen after May, even in the Coast Eange 

 south of San Francisco, though they reappear in September. 

 According to Heermann, they winter in California as far north 

 as Sacramento, and Cooper is inclined to believe that some re- 

 main, in mild winters, in the Columbia Eiver region. In Nevada, 

 Eidgway states this beautiful Warbler inhabits chiefly the pine 

 forests of the higher mountain-ranges during the summer, but 

 also frequents the cedar and pinon woods of the desert mount- 

 ains, descending thence to the lower portions of the country, 

 where it haunts the shrubbery of the water-courses, precisely 

 after the manner of the Eastern Yellow-rump. In Montana, at 

 latitude 49°, and at an elevation of about 4,500 feet, I found 

 Audubon's Warblers abundant, and evidently at their birth- 

 place, as the time was August, and before any migration had 

 begun. 



But it is needless to multiply quotations further. The only 

 nest of Audubon's Warbler I have ever seen is the one in the 

 National Museum, transmitted from Vancouver by the late Mr. 

 J. Hepburn, who affirms that the structure may be placed indif- 

 ferently in the upper branches of trees or in bushes only a few 

 feet from the ground ; and that the eggs, to the number of four, 

 are white, with red markings, chiefly about the larger end. 

 The nest just spoken of was built in the crotch formed by three 

 forks of an oblique stem, its shape consequently being obliquely 

 conical. The exterior of the nest is composed of rather coarse 

 strips of fibrous bark and weeds variously intertwined, the main 

 substance consisting of fine grasses, mosses, and rootlets, 

 mixed with some large feathers and bits of string, these mis- 

 cellaneous materials being closely matted or felted ; and the 

 interior is finished off with an abundant lining of horse-hairs. 



The general habits of Audubon's Warbler indicate no traits 

 of character that are not shared by its very well-known Eastern 

 relative, the familiar Yellow-rump. In some parts of thecountry, 

 as in Eastern Colorado, and also in Guatemala, the two species 

 are found together, behaving exactly alike. Mr. Salvin noticed 

 them thus associated at San Geronimo, where they congregated 

 on the ground, and got most of their food in this way. One 

 difference, however, between the two birds has been attested 

 by independent observers. Mr. Trippe likens their ordinary 

 chirping note to one of the sounds uttered by the Barn Swal- 

 low, while Mr. Eidgway speaks of their feeble ^wW as some- 



