NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 451 



679. raOtTKNING WAKBLEB. GeotMypis pJiiladelpMa (Wils.) Geog. Dist.— 

 Eastern North America, breeding from the Northern United States northward; in 

 ■winter, south to Central and Northern South America. 



The Mourning Warbler is known to breed in the mountainous portions of Penn- 

 sylvania, New England, New York, Michigan, Minnesota and Eastern Nebraska 

 northward. It has been found nesting in Illinois, south of latitude 39°. Its nest is 

 built on or near the ground in woods. One discovered by Mr. John Burroughs in 

 the State of New York was built in ferns about a foot from the ground, on the edge 

 of a hemlock wood. It contained three eggs. Mr. Wm. L. Kells found what doubt- 

 less was the nest of this species in a swampy woods near Listowel, Ontario, early in 

 June, 1877. The nest was placed in the horizontal branch of a small cedar a little 

 more than a foot above the ground. It was composed of fine strips of bark and 

 other fibrous material, lined with fine hair. This nest contained four eggs which are 

 white with a sprinkling of reddish dots near the larger ends. The eggs are described 

 as being colored like those of G. formosa or G. agilis; size .71x.54 inches. 



680. MACGILLIVRAY'S WAKBLEB. GeotMypis maaffilUvrayi (And.) Geog. 

 Dist. — Western United States, north to British Columbia; in winter, south through 

 Mexico, and Central America to Panama. 



Macgillivray's Warbler breeds.throughout its United States range — in Colorado, 

 Utah, Montana, Idaho, Washington Territory, Oregon, and in the mountains of Cali- 

 fornia. Mr. A. W. Anthony gives it as a common summer resident of Washington 

 county, Oregon, where it frequents the low, tangled shrubbery, and is found much of 

 the time on the ground. A nest was discovered placed in a hazel at an elevation of 

 one foot. Mr. H. D. Minot obtained a nest at Manitou, Colorado, June 21, which was 

 placed in a scrub-oak five feet above the ground and three feet from a traveled road. 

 Mr. Charles F. Morrison states that this species is one of the most common birds of 

 La Plata county, Colorado, where it nests in juniper bushes, four to six feet up. A 

 set of three eggs in Mr. Norris' cabinet was taken May 18, 1884, near Riverside, 

 California. The nest was situated in a small bush near the ground, and was made of 

 dry tules, lined with horse hair. Incubation had begun. The eggs are creamy-white, 

 marked near the larger ends with spots and pen lines (somewhat like an Oriole's 

 egg) of clove brown. Their sizes are .74x.54, .73x.53, .71x.51. The eggs of this species 

 are three to five in number, usually four, and average .72x.52 inches. 



681. MABYLAWD YELLOW-THBOAT. GeotMypis trichas (Linn.) Geog. 

 Dist. — Eastern United States, north to Canada and Nova Scotia; in winter. South 

 Atlantic and Gulf States and the West Indies. 



This active little Warbler breeds throughout its United States range. Begins 

 building about the middle of May. The nest is not an easy one to find, being built on 

 the ground, snugly tucked under the foot of bush or tussock of rank grass, and 

 sometimes partly roofed over like the Oven-bird's. The favorite resorts of this 

 Warbler are in low, swampy places or in the shadowy undergrowth of woodland. 

 It resembles a wren in its fondness for bush and brier. On approaching such places 

 early in spring one is almost sure to be saluted with its sprightly song, full of 

 energy. My friend, Mr. Thomas M. Earl, ha? given me the best description of this 

 bird's song that I know of. One evening in May, 1884, he was returning from a day's 

 hunt, and after a rest on an old log, he was about to start on his journey homeward. 

 At this instant a little Yellow-throat mounted a small bush, and in quick succession 

 said, tackle me! tackle me! tackle me! The eggs of this ipecies are four 



