ioo 



GRAY, WESf E&N, MaCGILLIVRaY, BtfCHMAN, CARBONATED WARBLERS. 



toward the retreat they seek out for their temporary abode. As 

 this species frequents the upper parts of the lofty firs, it was al- 

 most an accident to obtain it at all." 



Black-throated Gray Warbler. {Dendroeca nigrescens.) 



Fig. 3- 



This remarkably curious species resembles the Black-poll War- 

 bler. It ranges from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific, south 

 through Mexico. Nuttall says : " I had the satisfaction of heark- 

 ening to the delicate but monotonous song of this bird, as he busily 

 and intently searched every leafy bough and expanding bud for 

 larvae and insects in a spreading oak, from whence he delivered 

 his solitary note. Sometimes he remained a minute or two station- 

 ary, but more generally continued in quest of prey. His song, at 

 short and regular intervals, seemed like t'shee, t'shay, fshait-shee, 

 varying the feeble sound very little, and with the concluding note 

 somewhat suddenly and plaintively raised." 



Western or Hermit Warbler. (Dendroeca occidentalism 



Fig. 4. 



" The Hermit Warbler, I have little doubt,"Nuttall says, "breeds 

 in the dark forests of the Columbia, where we saw and heard it 

 singing in the month of June, near the outlet of the Wahlamet. 

 It is a remarkably shy and solitary bird, retiring into the darkest 

 and most silent recesses of the evergreens, where, gaining a 

 glimpse of the light by assending the loftiest branches of the 

 gigantic firs, it occupies in solitude a world of its own, but seldom 

 invaded even by the prying Jay, who also retreats, as a last resort, 

 to the same sad gloom. In consequence of this erimitic predi- 

 lection, it is with extreme difficulty that we ever get sight of our 

 wily and retiring subject, who, no doubt, breeds and feeds in the 

 tops of these firs. Its song, frequently heard from the same place, 

 at very regular intervals, for an hour or two at a time, is a soft, 

 moody, faint, and monotonous note, apparently delivered chiefly 

 when the bird is at rest on some lofty twig, and within convenient 

 hearing of its mate and only companion of the wilderness." 



Blue Mountain Warbler. (Dendroeca montana.) 

 Fig- 5- 



This species, although ascribed to North America, is not now 

 known to exist. 



Macgillivray's, or Tolmie's Ground Warblers. 



gillivrayi.") 



Fig. 6. 



( Geothlypis mac- 



This is one of our common species of Warblers. It usually ap- 

 pears in the north and west early in May, and remains until near 

 winter, when it returns to the south. After the manner of the 

 Maryland Yellow-throat, says Nuttall, " it keeps near ground in low 

 brushes, where it gleans its subsistence. When surprised or 

 closely observed, it is shy and jealous, immediately skulking off, 

 and sometimes uttering a loud snapping click. Its note has oc- 

 casionally the hurried rattling sound of the Golden-crowned 

 Thrush, resembling tHsh ttsh ttsh tsheete, altering into tsh tsh tsh 

 teet shee. Another male, on the skirts of a thicket, called out at 

 short intervals, vish vishtyu, changing to vit vit vit vityu and vit 

 vit vityu, sometimes, when approached, dropping his voice and 

 abbreviating his song. Another had a call of visht visht visht e 

 visht e shew and visht visht visht eshew or vititshee. The nest is 



chiefly made of strips of the inner scaly bark of probably the 

 white cedar, lined with slender wiry stalks of dry weeds, and 

 concealed near the ground in the dead mossy limits of a fallen oak, 

 and further partly hidden by a long tuft of moss. . . . On re- 

 turning the nest to the place it had been taken from, I had almost 

 immediately the satisfaction of seeing the anxious parents come 

 to find their charge, and for some days they showed great un- 

 easiness on being approached." 



Mr. Townsend says, " It is mostly solitary and extremely wary, 

 keeping chiefly in the most impenetrable thickets, and gliding 

 through them in a cautious and suspicious manner. It may, how- 

 ever, sometimes be seen toward mid-day perched upon a dead 

 twig over its favorite places of concealment, and at such times 

 warbles a very sprightly and pleasant little song, raising its head 

 until its bill is almost vertical, swelling its throat in the manner of 

 its relatives." 



Bachman's Warbler. (Helminthophaga bachmanii.) 



Fig- 7- 



A very rare species of Warbler, said to be confined exclusively 

 to the South Atlantic States. It was first obtained a few miles from 

 Charleston, South Carolina, by Dr. Bachman, after whom it is 

 named. Nuttall says : "It appears to be a lively, active species, 

 frequenting thick bushes, through which it glides after insects, or, 

 occasionally mounting on wing, it seizes them in the air." 



Swainson's Warbler. (Helmitherus swainsonii.) 

 Fig. 8. 



An exceedingly rare species, confined to the South Atlantic 

 States. "The wild orange groves of Florida," Maynard says, 

 "are quite abundant along the streams, and grow upon shell 

 mounds which were formed by the Indians many years ago. As 

 these trees do not grow in any other situation than those which 

 bear evidence of having been the residence of man, this is a strong 

 argument in favor of their having been introduced into the country 

 by the Spaniards, and distributed by them or the. original inhabit- 

 ants. These groves are always noticeable landmarks, when passing 

 along the St. John's river, on account of the dark green foliage, 

 but when in early winter the golden fruit appears surrounded by 

 the glossy leaves the effect is striking ; later in February, when 

 the snowy clusters of blossoms burst forth, and the air becomes 

 redolent with their fragrance, the desire to linger in such a spot be- 

 comes almost irresistible. Hundreds of birds frequent these lovely 

 retreats, and many build their nests among the branches. These 

 are places where one would naturally look for rare species, and it 

 was in an orange grove that Mr. Thaxter found the specimen." 



Carbonated Warbler. (Dendroeca carbonata.) 



Fig. 9- 



This species is only known by the figure and description of a 

 pair killed in Kentucky, and, according to Coues, is not now 

 known to exist. 



Orange-crowned Warbler. (Helminthophaga celata.) 



Fig. 10. 



Audubon says: "This species is seen in the Southern States, 

 where it passes the winter, and while crossing the Union, in early 

 spring, on its way to those northeastern districts where it breeds. 

 It leaves Louisiana, the Floridas, and Carolinas from the beginning 

 to the end of April, is seen in the Middle States about the tenth of 



