WOOD WARBLERS. 365 



the outer vane of the outer feather white at the hase ; a yellow line over the 

 eye ; lores and a crescent below the eye black ; under parts bright yellow ; 

 sides heavily streaked with black. Ad. 9 . — Similar, but with less, and some- 

 times no ohestnut-rufous in the back. Im. — Upper parts uniform ashy olive- 

 green ; no apparent wing-bars ; outer tail-feathei-s with white on their inner 

 webs at tlie tips; ear-ooverts ashy; under pai'ts yellow; sides indistinctly 

 streaked with blackish. L., 4-75 ; W., 2-20 ; T., 1-95 ; B. from N., -28. 



Remarks. — The chestnut-rufous patch in the back at once identifies the 

 adults ; but the young are puzzling birds, to be known chiefly by their small 

 size, absence of wing-bai-s and streaks on the sides. 



Range.— Eas^Mm LTnited States ; breeds from Florida to Michigan and 

 Massachusetts ; winters from southern Florida southward. 



Washington, very common S. E., Apl. 20 to Sept. Sing Sing, rare S. E., 

 May 2 to Sept. 14. Cambridge, locally common S. E., May 8 to Sept. 15. 



2i'esi, of plant fibere and plant down, lined with rootlets and long hairs, in 

 briary bushes. Bggs, four to five, white, spotted distinctly and obscurely with 

 cinnamon- or olive-brown, or chestnut, chiefly in a wreath at the larger end, 

 •64 X -48. 



The Yellow, Palm, and Prairie Warblers are the three " Wood 

 Warblers " that are rarely found in the woods. The latter, however, 

 differs decidedly in habits fi'om either of the former. It is a rather 

 retiring inhabitant of scrubby clearings, bushy fields, and pastures, or 

 thickets of young pines and cedars. But while the Prairie, if silent, 

 might readily escape observation, no one with an ear for bird music 

 will pass within sound of a singing bird without at least trying to 

 solve the mystery of its peculiar notes, a series of six or seven quickly 

 repeated zees, the next to the last one the highest. 



674. Seiurus aurocapillus (Z»»n.). Oven-bird; Golden-gbowned 

 Thecsh. (Fig. 104.) Ad. — Center of the crown pale rufous or oohraoeous- 

 buft', bordered on either side by black lines ; rest of the upper pai-ts, wings, 

 and tail brownish olive-green ; no wing-hai-s or tail-patches ; under parts 

 white; the sides of the throat, the breast, and sides streaked with black. L., 

 6-17 ; W., 3-00 ; T., 2-15 ; B. from N., -35. 



Range. — Eastern North America; breeds from Kansas and Virginia north- 

 ward to Manitoba and Labrador, southward along the Alleghanies to South 

 Carolina ; wintei-s from Florida southward. 



Washington, very common S. E., Apl. 20 to Oct. 15. Sing Sing, common 

 S. E., Apl. 27 to Oct. 10. Cambridge, abundant S. K., May 6 to Sept. 15. 



Si'st, bulky, covered, the entrance at one side, of coarse grasses, weed 

 stalks, leaves, and rootlets, on tlie ground. Spgs, four to five, white, speckled 

 or spotted with cinnamon- or rufoue-brown markings, sometimes finely dis- 

 tributed, sometimes confiuent about the larger end, -80 x -60. 



During the nesting season Oven-birds are among our commonest 

 woodland birds. We hear them everywhere ; one singer scarcely ceases 

 before another begins. But when the song period has passed how 



