46 THE CCERULEAN WOOD-WARBLER. 



In Louisiana, where it is as numerous as other Sylvise, I have several times 

 shot five or six during a single walk, towards the end of August, when the 

 young are nearly full coloured. 



The nest is placed in the forks of a low tree or bush, more frequently on 

 a dog-wood tree. It is partly pensile, projecting a little above the twigs to 

 which it is attached, and extending below them for nearly two inches. The 

 fibres of vines and of the stalks of rank herbaceous plants, together with slen- 

 der roots, compose the outer part, being arranged in a circular manner. The 

 lining consists entirely of the dry fibres of the Spanish moss. The female 

 lays four or five eggs, of a pure white colour, with a few reddish spots at the 

 larger end. When the female is disturbed during incubation, she trails along 

 the twigs and branches, with expanded tail and drooping wings, and utters a 

 plaintive note, resembling in all these circumstances the Blue-eyed Warbler. 

 I am not sure that they raise more than one brood in a season. When the 

 young abandon the nest, their plumage partakes of a greenish tinge, and no 

 difference can be perceived between the sexes without dissection. The little 

 family move and hunt together, and exhibit much pleasure in pursuing small 

 insects on wing, which they seize without any clicking sound of their bill. 

 They seem at this period to evince a great partiality for trees the tops of 

 which are thickly covered by grape vines, amongst the broad leaves of which 

 they find ample supplies of food. They also sometimes alight on the tall 

 weeds, and pick a few of their seeds. The males or females do not assume 

 the full brilliancy of their plumage until the following spring. 



In the course of my late journey to the Texas I found the Azure W^arbler 

 entering the United States from Mexico, early in April, when it was in per- 

 fect plumage. On an island on which we landed, about an hour before sun- 

 set, some hundreds had stopped to pass the night, the appearance of the 

 weather being threatening. My friend Edward Harris and my son shot a 

 number of them. Next day few were seen, and in about a week they had 

 all proceeded eastward. The whole breadth of our country, from the At- 

 lantic shores to those of the Pacific, is visited by this bird, which was found 

 along the Columbia River at Fort Vancouver by Mr. Townsend. The most 

 eastern point at which I have known it to be procured is the neighbourhood 

 of Pictou, Nova Scotia. It is not mentioned by Dr. Richardson. 



As to the Sylvia rara, my doubts regarding its specific distinction from 

 Sylvicola cairulea, are as great as ever, especially as no one has found its 

 nest. I mentioned this to the Prince of Musignano, who has placed it in his 

 list as the young of Sylvia azurea. 



C(erulean Warbler, Sylvia coeruka, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. ii. p. 141. Male. 

 Blue-green Warbler, Sylvia rara, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. iii. p. 119. Young. 



