214 BIRDS OP PENNSYLVANIA. 



GENUS SEIURUS. SWAINSON. 

 674. Seiurus aurocapillus (LINN.). 



Ovenbird. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Length about 6 ; extent about 9| inches ; bill and eyes brown ; legs flesh color. 

 Above uniform olive-green with a tinge of yellow ; crown with two black lateral 

 streaks, which extend from bill and enclose a golden or brownish-orange space ; 

 white ring around eye ; beneath, white breast and sides streaked with dusky or 

 black. The young at first have no stripes on top of head, and lower parts are light- 

 dull brownish-yellow, with obscure dusky streaks. 



Hob. Eastern North America, north to Hudson's Bay territory and Alaska, 

 breeding from Kansas, the Ohio Valley and Virginia, northward. In winter, south- 

 ern Florida, the West Indies and Central America. 



This bird is a common summer resident, arriving here generally 

 about the 25th of April and remaining until about the middle of Sep- 

 tember. During migrations it is often found in thickets, and occa- 

 sionally is seen in yards and gardens. In the summer months it rarely 

 is observed to leave its favorite retreats in dark and unfrequented lo- 

 calities in forests. The Ovenbird very carefully hides its rather 

 bulky and loosely built nest in old leaves, by the side of a log or un- 

 der the projecting edges of brush heaps ; in addition to such protec- 

 tions, and to further conceal its treasures from the curious eyes of egg- 

 collectors or other predatory animals, the top is usually covered over 

 or roofed by the birds, who gain an entrance through an opening in 

 the side. The eggs, 4 to 6, are creamy-white, spotted with reddish- 

 brown. They measure about ,80 of an inch long and .60 of an inch 

 wide. The song of this bird is exceeding loud, shrill and monotonous. 

 Birds of this genus, when walking on the ground, have the habit of 

 wagging their tails like the Spotted Sandpiper. The Ovenbird sub- 

 sists chiefly on various forms of insect life, such as beetles, earth- 

 worms, crickets, flies, spiders and larvae ; it also sometimes feeds on 

 small seeds. 



GENUS GEOTHLYPIS. OABANIS. 

 681. Goethlypis trichas (LINN.). 



Maryland Yellow-throat. 



DESCRIPTION. (Plate 42.) 



Length of male about 5| ; extent about 7| ; female rather smaller ; bill black ; legs 

 pale-brown. Male in summer : Above olive-green ; forehead and a broad band 

 through the eyes and on side of neck pure black, bordered posteriorly with ashy ; 

 chin, throat, breast, under coverts, and edge of wing bright yellow, fading into a 

 dull buff-white on belly, wings and tail, glossed with yellowish-olive. Female in 

 summer : Colors duller ; less yellow on under parts ; no black or ashy head mark- 

 ings; top of head, especially forehead, reddish-brown. The young generally resem- 



