MYRTLE WARBLER. 217 



MYRTLE WARBLER. 



yellow-rump warbler. yellow-crowned warbler. 



Dendroica coronata. 



Char. Male : above, bluish gray streaked with black ; sides of head 

 black ; breast and sides mostly black ; patches of yellow on crown and 

 rump and sides of breast ; throat and belly white ; wing-bars and patches 

 on tail white. Female, young, and male in winter: similar, but the back 

 with a tint of brown in place of blue, and all colors duller, and markings 

 less distinct. Length 5 to 6 inches. 



Nest. In a coniferous tree 5 to 10 feet from the ground, in a pasture or 

 open grove of woodland ; composed of twigs and grass, lined with fine 

 grass, sometimes with feathers. 



Eggs. 4-5 ; dull white or creamy white, spotted chiefly around the 

 larger end with brown and lilac ; 0.70 X 0.50. 



The history of this rather common Warbler remains very 

 imperfect. In the Middle and Northern States it is a bird of 

 passage, arriving from the South about the close of April or 

 beginning of May, and proceeding north as far as Canada and 

 Labrador to pass the summer season in the cares of breeding 

 and rearing the young. As early as the 30th of August, or after 

 an absence of little more than three months, these birds again 

 appear ; and being hardy, passing parties continue with us in 

 gardens and woods till about the close of November, feeding 

 now almost exclusively on the myrtle-wax berries {Myrica ceri- 

 fera) , or on those of the Virginian juniper. These, other late 

 and persisting berries, and occasional insects, constitute their 

 winter food in the Southern States, where, in considerable num- 

 bers, in the swamps and sheltered groves of the sea-coast, they 

 pass the cold season. In fine weather, in the early part of Oc- 

 tober, they may be seen, at times, collecting grasshoppers and 

 moths from the meadows and pastures, and, like the Blue Bird, 

 they often watch for the appearance of their prey from a neigh- 

 boring stake, low bough, or fence-rail ; and at this time are so 

 familiar and unsuspicious, particularly the young, as fearlessly 

 to approach almost within the reach of the silent spectator. At 



