318 THE BIRDS 
altitude, the food during that period counts for little as 
a factor in economic ornithology, but the migratory birds 
passing back and forth must prove of much benefit to 
us in helping to keep in check many injurious insects. My 
father found two beautiful sets of eggs, and I two nests 
with young, at Mountain Lake, Giles County, the last 
week in May and the latter part of June. 
GENUS SETOPHAGA. 
[687]. Setophaga ruticilla (Linneus). Redstart. 
Raner.—North America and northern South America. 
Breeds in Canadian, Transition, and Upper Austral zones 
from central British Columbia, west central Mackenzie, 
southern Keewatin, northern Quebec, and Newfoundland 
‘to Washington, northern Utah, Colorado, central 
Oklahoma, Arkansas, and North Carolina; rarely breeds 
in the southeastern United States south of latitude 35°; 
casual in migration in Oregon, California, Lower Call- 
fornia, Arizona, and northern Ungava; winters in the 
West Indies and from central Mexico (Puebla) to Ecua- 
dor and British Guiana. 
This bird has long been a puzzle to me in our section, 
knowing as I do that we should find them a breeding bird, 
though possibly sparingly, in Tidewater. Large numbers 
pass through during the spring migration; April 14th 
finds it at its height, and many linger well into May, 
leading me to think each season that many will surely 
remain and breed. But year after year has gone bv with 
no positive evidence of eggs or young birds, only old 
nests found in the winter time corresponding favorably 
