BLUE- WINGED WARBLER. 259 



haunts of men, to pass the period of breeding and rearing its 

 young in more security. 



The apparent distribution of this species, judged by the records 

 of recent observations, is somewhat peculiar. It seems to be 

 abundant in the southwestern portion of this Eastern Province, and 

 rarely ranges east of the Alleghanian hills until north of 40°, when 

 it spreads off to the shores of the Atlantic, though seldom going 

 beyond latitude 42°. " It is a common summer resident of south- 

 ern Connecticut, but is not known to occur regularly north of 

 Hartford, and is most numerous in the country immediately border- 

 ing the Sound and in the lower valley of the Connecticut River " 

 (Brewster). A few examples only have been taken in Massachu- 

 setts, and though common in Ohio it has not been seen in Ontario. 

 Farther west it is found north to the southern portions of Michigan, 

 Wisconsin, and Minnesota. It winters south to eastern Mexico 

 and Guatemala. 



The nests that have been discovered in recent years are not 

 fashioned like that described by Wilson, for instead of being 

 funnel-shaped, they have tlie ordinary cup-like form. 



Opinions differ regarding the song, but I am inclined to believe 

 that it is a rapid trill of strong, sweet tones, Umited in compass and 

 executed with little art, — a merry whistle rather than an artistic 

 melody. " As a rule it consists of the two drawled wheezy notes 

 swee-chee ; the first inhaled, the second exhaled. A less common 

 song uttered later in the season is wee, cM-chl-chi-chi, chur, chee, 

 chilr, and is sometimes accompanied by peculiar kik notes" 

 (Chapman). 



