BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER. 203 
grows in great luxuriance in such localities. The nest contained four eggs of a greenish- 
white ground-color, more or less heavily spotted with different shades of brown and 
purple.— This was the only nest I found, although the birds were seen in other places, 
but always in the thick underwood shaded by high timber. Rev. C. M. Jones found 
this Warbler breeding at Eastford, Conn. One nest, found June 8, 1874, was located in 
deep woods, near the base of a hill which sloped down to a swampy run. It was built 
in a small laurel’. About five inches from the ground the bush separated into three 
branches, and in this triple fork the nest was situated. It had a firm and compact 
appearance, being composed outwardly of what appeared to be dry bark of grape-vine, 
with a few twigs and roots. This was covered in many places with a reddish wooly 
substance, apparently the outer covering of some species of cocoon. The inside was 
composed of small black roots and hairs. The nest contained four eggs. A second nest 
was also found in a laurel about eleven inches from the ground. 
Wherever found, the Black-throated Blue Warbler prefers to settle in dense swampy 
woods with a heavy undergrowth. It has a particular fondness for the beautiful kalmia 
and the rhododendron, both of which sometimes cover extensive areas in southern New 
England and the Alleghany Mountains. 
I observed the bird in the flowering magnolias and loblolly bays of Florida, in the 
apple trees of Missouri, Illinois, and Wisconsin, together with Magnolia, Black-throated 
Green, Blackburnian, Black-poll Warblers, and others, but I have rarely heard its song. 
Without producing a single sound the whole company is busily searching for insects 
among the new leaves and the blossoms. Only on rare occasions we may hear a low 
plaintive z-ing or z-ip, or a few notes sounding like chee-chee-chee-cheep in the upward 
slide. The song in the breeding range is quite different. According to Mr. W. L. Kells, 
this little wildwood wanderer warbles its song with clearness and animation, especially 
for some weeks after its arrival from the South, yet it. must be admitted that its music 
is not remarkable for its melody, for in its refrain there seems a melancholy plaintive- 
ness, as though the little performer was complaining that it was seeking in vain for 
something that it had loved and lost. But, as adding a varying strain to the great 
orchestra of the wilderness, it must ever be interesting to the lover of bird music, and 
the student of animated nature. 
During the middle of September it is on its way to the South. Even in greater num- 
S 
bers than in spring we may see it on the borders of woods, not frequenting at this time 
orchards and gardens, Its winter-quarters are the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and Florida. 
NAMES: Buack-THROATED BLUE WARBLER, Canadian Warbler, Pine Swamp Warbler. 
SCIENTIFIC NAMES: Motacilla cerulescens Gmel. (1788). DENDROICA CA:RULESCENS Bamop (1865). 
Sylvia canadensis Wils. (1810). Dendroica canadensis Baird (1858). 
DESCRIPTION: Adult male: Above, uniform slaty-blue, sometimes with a few black streaks on the back; 
below, pure white; the sides of the head to above the eyes, sides of the body, chin, throat, jet-black; 
a white spot at the base of the primaries; wings, dark; tail, dark, with a white patch near end of 
inner web of each feather except middle two. Female: Entirely different; above, dull olive-green, with 
bluish shade, below, pale dull yellowish; easily recognized by the triangular white spot near base of 
primaries. 
Length, 5 inches; wings, 2.50; tail, 2.00 inches. 
1 Kalmia fatifolia. 
