466 Birds of Colorado 
but is not usually found above 6,000 feet, nor is it so common on the 
western slopes. It arrives from the south about the first week in May, 
and has been recorded from Loveland May 9th (Cooke), Boulder 
(Henderson), Barr, breeding abundantly (Hersey & Rockwell), Denver 
May 7th (Henshaw), El Paso co. May 3rd, and Limon May 23rd (Aiken), 
Pueblo (Beckham), Salida, arriving April 29th and breeding (Frey), Fort 
Lyon May 13th (Cooke), and in western Colorado at Grand Junction, 
where it arrives early in May, and stays throughout the summer 
(Rockwell). That it occasionally enters the mountains is shown by 
two records given by Cooke—Sweetwater Lake in Garfield co., 8,000 
feet, May 5th, 1898 (L. B. Gilmore), and breeding near Dillon, Summit 
co., 8,860 feet (E. Carter), while Cary recently observed it near Sulphur 
Springs at about 8,000 feet. 
Habits.—This is an active and restless little bird, 
commonly found about the low weedy thickets and the 
thick undergrowth bordering streams or sloughs. It is 
constantly on the move, climbing weed stalks and search- 
ing among the leaves on the ground for small insects, 
and often uttering a rather harsh scolding note. It has 
a pretty little characteristic song, easily identified though 
difficult to syllable—‘ whichitee-whichitee-whichitee ” 
seeuis the nearest. 
No Colorado observer appears to have described the 
nest, but Goss gives the following account: ‘‘ Their nests 
are usually placed on the ground, sometimes in bushes, 
two or three feet up. They are composed of loosely 
bound grass and leaves outside, lined with fine stems 
and rootlets within. The eggs, usually four, vary 4 
good deal, but are generally white, spotted and blotched 
with umber and other browns, chiefly at the larger end, 
and measure "74 x °54.” 
Genus ICTERIA. 
The largest of the Warblers, with a wing of 3-0 or more ; bill short, 
stout, laterally compressed and highly arched ; culmen strongly ridged 
and curved ; tail rounded, as long as or exceeding the wing. 
One species only. 
