THE CCERULEAN WARBLER. Sl'S 



with lilac, and principally reddish-brown markings grouped 

 at the larger end." 



THE CCERULEAN WARBLER. 



I discharge both loads from my double-barrel, and bring 

 down a pair of Warblers, male and female, from the top of 

 a tall maple. They are fine specimens of the Ccerulean 

 Warbler (Dendrcecacarulea). Have they just dropped down 

 from the skies, and brought the pure azure with them ? 

 Except the dusky wings and tail, dark wing-coverts and 

 centers of many of the feathers and white under parts, the 

 epithet, ccerulean, or sky-blue, is certainly applicable to the 

 male, particularly to his head, back and collar just above the 

 breast. Excepting her lighter markings, less dusky wings 

 and tail, missing collar and greenish tint over the head and 

 back, the female is the same as the male. This species has 

 the streaks along the sides, and the white marks in the 

 outer tail-feathers, in common with the rest of the Den- 

 drceca. 



The Ccerulean Warbler, apparently belonging to the Mis- 

 sissippi Valley, and scarcely a casual visitor on the Atlantic 

 Coast, like certain other species of its locality, finds its 

 way around the Alleghany Mountains for a short distance, 

 and is very common throughout the summer in Western 

 New York. Indeed, it is not uncommon as a summer resi- 

 dent in the central part of the State. I have had every 

 opportunity of observing its habits; and, as no writer has 

 given it a full record, I bear it a special accountability. 



It is a bird of the woods, everywhere associated with the 

 beautiful tall forests of the more northern counties of 

 Western New York, sometimes found in the open woods of 

 pasture-lands, and quite partial to hard-wood trees. In its 

 flitting motion in search of insect prey, and in the jerking 



