Nests in Trees, Bushes, or Vines 



leaves, grass, and caterpillars' silk, lined with hairs, feathers, and 

 the downy material from fern stems. It is a beautiful, compact 

 nest, placed usually in a low bush or in a tree, but by no means 

 always within ten feet of the ground. 3 to 5 eggs are laid; they 

 are white or whitish, with a wreath of spots and blotches of 

 chestnut and lilac or lavender, and a few very dark irregular 

 markings round the larger end; the region enclosed by the 

 wreath sometimes is light brownish with reddish spots, and there 

 are a few spots of chestnut scattered over the rest of the surface. 

 Size — .65 X .46. See Fig. 14, Plate D. 



This is one of our commonest warblers; it is usually to be 

 found in rather swampy thickets or in orchards. The nests, which 

 are made early in May, are exquisite examples of bird architecture ; 

 they are very frequently placed in elder bushes, and are usually 

 at no great distance from water. They may be easily found 

 by watching the conspicuous yellow birds as they gather the 

 down from the young fern-stalks; this they collect in large quan- 

 tities and fly directly to the site of their building operations, at- 

 tracting attention during flight by their oft-repeated chee-wee. 

 The parent birds are very solicitous for the welfare of their young 

 and become greatly excited if the nest is threatened. 



The breeding season lasts from early May to about the mid- 

 dle of June and as a rule only one set of eggs is laid. 



654. Black-throated Blue Warbler: Dendroica 

 caerulescens (Gmel.) 



Adult}, — Upper parts slaty blue; throat, side of head, and sides 



of breast black; breast and belly white. 

 Adulfi — Upper parts dull olive green, a white spot on the wing, 



under parts buffy white. Length — 3.28. 

 Breeding Range — Along the Alleghanies, from South Carolina 



northward, and from northern United States northward ; 



rarely in Connecticut. 



The nest is placed in a laurel, a yew, or other tree, according 

 to locality, at a distance from the ground of two feet and up- 

 wards. It is composed of bark, grass, pine needles, and cocoons, 

 lined with hair and fine black roots. The eggs, usually 4 in 

 number are white, tinged with either buff or green, blotched and 



156 



