WARBLERS 297 



The stomachs of 16 individuals taken in Alabama in winter 

 and spring showed the food to consist mainly of flies, beetles, 

 ants, and other Hymenoptera, caterpillars, aphids, and 

 spiders; some of the birds taken on the coast had eaten wax 

 myrtle berries. 



MAGNOLIA WARBLER : Dendroica magnolia (Wilson) . 



State records. — The magnolia warbler occurs c»mmonly as 

 a migrant in spring and fall. McCormack found it in con- 

 siderable numbers at Leighton between September 16 and 

 October 5 and Avery observed it at Greensboro between 

 September 9 and October 19. Golsan took specimrais at Au- 

 taugaville, October 16 and 21 (1915). I saw one at Auburn, 

 October 2, and others at Castleberry, October 13 (1908). In 

 spring it seems to be less common and neither Avery nor Mc- 

 Cormack has reported it. I saw 2 individuals at Leighton, 

 May 1, and 1 May 10 (1912) ; 2 at Florence, May 6 and 7 

 (1912), and several on Sipsey Fork and Ryan Creek, near 

 Ardell, May 2 to 5 (1914). Golsan and Holt record the bird 

 from Prattville in spring.* It was reported, also, from 

 Shelby, May 4, 5, and 12 (1898), and from Sand Mountain 

 (near Carpenter) , April 27 (1914), and May 4 and 18 (1912). 



General habits. — In its summer home in New England, this 

 warbler is said to frequent second-growth spruce woods, but 

 during its migrations it is found almost anywhere in decidu- 

 ous woodland. It is quick and nervous in movement and fre- 

 quently spreads its tail in such way as to display the large 

 white patches on the outer feathers. Altogether it is one of 

 the most attractive and graceful of the large family of war- 

 blers. The song is described by Langille as "a loud, clear, 

 whistle, which may be imitated by the syllables chee-to, chee- 

 to, chee-tee-ee, uttered rapidly and ending in the falling in- 

 flection."t 



CERULEAN WARBLER : Dendroica cervlea (Wilson) . 



State records. — The cerulean warbler is a moderately com- 

 mon summer resident in the northern half of the State. The 



•GoUan and Holt, The Auk, vol. 31, p. 231, 1914. 

 tLangille, J. H., Our Blrda in their Haunts, p. 328, 1884. 



