HERMIT WARBLER 1 67 



Biographical References 



(i) J. P. N[0Eius], A Series of Eggs of the Golden-cheeked Warbler, Orn. 

 and 061., XIV, 1889, 68. (2) N. C. Brown, A Reconnoissance in Southern 

 Texas, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, VII, 1882, 36. (3) H. P. Attwatkh, List of 

 Birds observed in the Vicinity of San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, Auk, 

 IX, 1892, 341. 



Hermit Warbler 



DENDROICA OCCIDENTALIS (Towns.) Plate XV 



Distinguishing Characters. — ^The adult <? may be' known by its yellow head, 

 and black throat, whitish, virtually unstreaked sides, while the latter character, 

 in connection with yellow cheeks and yellow or basally yellow crown feathers, 

 will distinguish birds in other plumage. Length (skin), 4.60; wing, 1.55; tail, 

 1.95 ; bill, .40. 



Adult (3, Spring. — Top and sides of head yellow, hindhead and nape with 

 more or less black; back black margined with grayish; tail black mar- 

 gined with gray, both webs of outer feathers largely white, inner web of third 

 feather white at end; wings margined with gray; median coverts broadly 

 tipped with white the greater coverts terminally margined with whitish; throat 

 black, rest of underparts soiled white, the sides rarely with a few streaks. 



Adult (?, Fall. — Similar to adult c? in Spring but head with more black, 

 back more widely margined with olive, throat veiled with whitish, sides browner. 



Young (?, Fall. — Similar to adult d" in Fall but with black above largely 

 replaced by olive-green; sides of head duskier; throat buffy instead of black; 

 sides browner. 



Adult S, Spring. — Similar to adult c? in Spring but with less yellow on 

 head, back olive-gray often without black streaks, less white in tail, wing-bars 

 browner, throat usually yellow bordered posteriorly with black, sometimes 

 largely whitish, rarely all black, white below browner. 



Adult % Fall. — Similar to adult 2 in Spring but greener above, yellow of 

 head and streaks in back (when present) more obscured, throat markings 

 more or less concealed with buflfy. 



Young 5, Fall. — Similar to adult 2 in Fall but upperparts chiefly dark, 

 grayish olive-green, forehead basally yellow; sides of head and chin yellowish, 

 rest of underparts buffy white. Closely resembles young c? in Fall but has 

 less yellow and no black on head but that of shaft streaks. 



Nestling. — Above brownish gray; breast grayish, belly whitish washed with 

 brownish and tipped with blackish ; a whitish postocular streak. 

 General Distribution. — Pacific Coast region. 

 Summer Range. — Breeds in the higher mountains of California 

 and north to southern British Columbia. 



Winter Range. — Mexico and Guatemala. 



Spring Migration. — Enters the United States in April being 

 reported from Oracle, Arizona, April T2, i$99, and the Huachuca 

 Mountains, Arizona, April 9, 1902. Records of the earliest birds seen 

 in California are Campo, April 27, 1877, and Julian, April 25, 1884. 



