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 al] colors duller, and markings 
less distinct. Length 5 to 6 inches. 
4Vest. Ina 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. 
£ggs. 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 (Africa 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 
