THE BAY STATE OOLOGIST. 



The 'Nashville Warbler. 



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BY WM. L. KELLS, LISTOWEL, ONTARIO, CANADA. 



The life-history of this bird is jet, to a great extent, wrapped in obscurity. 

 Sometimes it is numerous in the Spring migration ; again it is comparitively rare. 

 It can only yet be regarded as a migrant in the south and central parts of Ontario, 

 as no certain record has yet been made of its nesting, or making its summer home 

 in this locality ; though it is very probable that more of this genus of birds may 

 remain during the summer, and nest in the deep, swampy woods of this Province, 

 then is now generally known. 



In my early days, while rambling in the forest, or at work in the woods in the 

 summer time, I have seen nests of little birds, never since discovered by 

 me, and almost every year since I began to form my Oological collection, I 

 have taken one or more nests of Warblers previously unknown to me, and as 1 oc- 

 casionally catch glimpses of others in my hunting excursions in the summer sea- 

 son, I am led to believe, that as time progresses and more attention is given to the 

 subject, more nests of these birds will be discovered and described by our rising 

 Ornithologists, and among others that of the Nashville Warbler. This is the 

 more probable in the case of this species, from the fact that its general habitat is 

 in deep, swampy places, where few persons interested in Ornithology care to pen- 

 etrate, and also from the fact that specimens of this species are occasionally ob- 

 served on the margins of swampy woods, in the summer season. 



It is said that this species nests upon the ground in the moss that grows in damp 

 places, and to form the same with dry leaves, fibres of bark, pine needles, fine, dry 

 grass and hay. The eggs, four or five, are white, speckled with lilac or reddish- 

 brown. 



This is one of those wanderers of the Mississippi Valley which appear to enter 

 Ontario from the south-west. It is between four or five inches in length, and on 

 the upper parts the plumage is 01 an olive-green, brighter on the rump ; but ashy 

 on the head. Below it is bright yellow, paler towards the lower parts, with olive 

 shading on the sides. Crown with a chestnut patch, and pale ring round the 

 eyes. 



