72 KEY AND DESCRIPTION 



Most warblers are tree living ; some are only to be found in 

 the tops of tall trees, but many live in low bushes, while a 

 few are terrestrial. As a whole, the warblers do not deserve 

 their name, as their vocal powers are inferior, though a few 

 species are remarkable singers. But few species are as large 

 as the English sparrow, and only one, the chat, is larger. 

 Numbers 1 and 11 are creepers.; Nos. 2-10 are wor7n eaters; 

 these are usually creepers along the smaller twigs ; Nos. 12-28 

 are the usual or typical warblers; Nos. 29-35 are ground war- 

 blers; Nos. 37-40 are flycatching warblers; while No. 36 is a 

 large, heavy-billed, aberrant form placed in this family only 

 because it belongs nowhere else. 



Key to the Species 



* Large, over 6J long ; bill rather stout and compressed; i under parts 



bright yellow, abruptly changing to white at about the middle of the 

 length from chin to tail 36. Yellow-breasted Chat. 



* Bill depressed, broader than high at base, notched and 



slightly hooked at tip ; rictal bristles nearly or quite half 

 the length of the bill.2 (R.) 



* Bill slender and not depressed ; rictal bristles small '' or 



none.' (A.) 

 A. No bright yellow or orange anywhere, at most a slightly 



yellowish tinge. (L. ) 

 A. Yellow nearly everywhere ; inner web of under tail 

 feathers yellow, outer web dusky ; no white blotches 



on under tail feathers 13. Yellow Warbler. 



A. Whole head and neck bright yellow ; wings ashy, with 

 neither white nor yellow wing bars ; inner web of under 

 tail feathers mostly white. .2. Prothonotaria Warbler. 

 A. Whole head and neck not bright yellow ; under tail feathers blotched 



with wliite. (E.) 

 A. Under tail feathers with no white blotches, but of about the same 

 color on both webs ; no distinct win^- bars. (B.) 

 B. Tail and wings of about equal length, each about 2 inches (l|-2}) ; 



back, wings, and tail olive-green 35. Maryland Yellow-throat. 



B. Tail about J inch (|-|) shorter than the wing. (D.) 

 B. Tail over J inch (J-l) shorter than the wing. (C.) 



C. Head, neck, and breast bluish-gray (or in the female and young, 

 grayish-brown) ; other upper parts olive-green ; belly yellow ; a 

 well-marked white line around the eye. .33. Connecticut Warbler. 



