LAND BIRDS. 627 
Our records are not numerous enough to give much idea of its migration, 
but Mr. Norman A. Wood has noted it at Ann Arbor seven times during 
the last thirty years, the earliest record being May 2, 1905, and the other 
records May 11, 1880, May 18, 1900, May 10, 1902, May 9, 1903, and May 
13 and 14, 1907. There is one record for Port Huron, St. Clair county, 
a specimen taken by P. A. Taverner, May 20, 1900; N. A. Wood found a 
few migrants on Charity Island August 22 and 24, 1910; a single specimen 
was seen at the Agricultural College May 11, 1900; Mr. Swales states that 
it was found nesting near Detroit by W. A. Davidson May 27, 1894, but 
the bird was not secured; Taverner took three specimens near the same 
city, May 10, 1907. Other collectors in the vicinity of Detroit have failed 
to find the species, either as a migrant or a resident, and, with the ex- 
ceptions already noted, observers in other parts of the state have been 
equally unfortunate. The nest found by Dr. Gibbs in Ottawa county 
was taken May 26, 1879. It was about two feet from the ground, ina 
small bush, and was made of dandelion down, bark of weeds and fibres 
of milkweed, and lined with woodchuck hair. It contained two eggs, 
and the ovary of the parent taken contained another egg almost ready to 
be laid. 
Dr. Gibbs states that he found this a rather common warbler near Howard 
City, Montcalm county, in 1881 and 1882. He heard the first there (at 
least a dozen) on May 9, 1881, and on the same date the following year 
they were already numerous. May 14, 1882 he found them common and 
unsuspicious, but later, during the nesting season, they were so shy that 
it was difficult to secure a specimen. 
The eggs are white or buffy-white, speckled with burnt-umber or vandyke- 
brown and lilac gray, and average .63 by .47 inches (Ridgway). 
The song of this warbler is neither loud nor striking, but is sufficiently 
characteristic for recognition after one becomes familiar with it. Butler 
describes it as ‘‘beginning low and gradually growing louder, resembling 
the syllables ‘wee-wee-chee-chee-chee-chee’” (Birds of Indiana, 1897, p. 
1077). 
The food appears to be similar to that of other warblers frequenting 
like situations. 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
Adult male: Upper parts uniform olive-green, the middle of the back spotted con- 
spicuously with brick-red or chestnut; a bright yellow streak from bill over and beyond 
the eye; entire under parts clear rich yellow, unspotted along the median line, but heavily 
streaked with deep black on sides of neck and breast and on flanks; a small black spot in 
front of eye, and a larger one bounding the cheek below, and separated from the eye by a 
narrow area of yellow; two white wing-bars; three outer pairs of tail-feathers mostly white 
on inner webs, the fourth feather with a small white spot. Female similar, but with less 
chestnut or none on the back, and other markings somewhat duller. 
Length of male 4.25 to 5 inches; wing 2.10 to 2.30; tail 1.90 to 2.10. Female slightly 
smaller. 
286. Ovenbird. Seiurus aurocapillus (Linn.). (674) 
Synonyms: Golden-crowned Thrush, Teacher, Nightingale—Motacilla aurocapilla, 
Linn., 1766.—Turdus aurocapilla, Wils., Bonap., Aud., Nutt. 
Figure 141. 
The broad golden-brown stripe through the middle of the crown with 
the narrow stripe of black on either side, together with the absence of 
