Blue Yellow-backed Warbler. 



ITS SUMMER HOME. 



The long, pendulous tree moss, so- 

 called, in which the Blue Yellow-backed 

 "Warbler builds its nest and breeds, is a 

 lichen of the genus Usnea ( U. barhata, var. 

 hirta) and ( U. trichodea). The filamen- 

 tous thallus of the latter is coarser and 

 longer than the former, specimens often 

 measuring more than two feet in length. 

 Both species are often found in the same 

 nest, U. barbata, or the finer parts of U. 

 trichodea, being used for the nest proper. 



Of the nine species recognized by 

 Nylander three are European and six are 

 possessed by us. U. barhata, var. Flori- 

 da is • verj' common in our woods, but is 

 hardly pendulous enough for the purposes 

 of the Warbler in question. It may be 

 readily distinguished by its numerous 

 peltate apothecia, with radiate margins 

 and whitish faces. The longer species 

 mentioned above {var. hirta), is found on 

 juniper or savins in exposed localities on 

 our highest hills ; old scraggy trees, partly 

 dead, furnish the greatest supply. I have 

 found none on young trees. The filaments 

 of this lichen are very fine and hair-like. 

 The finest specimens of U. trichodea are ' 

 found in our densest swamps on the 

 white cedar {Cupressus thyoides) and on 

 other swamp trees. 



In appearance these lichens are related 

 to am northern cedar swamps very much 

 as the Spanish or black moss ( Tillandsia 

 usenoldes) is to the southern ; though the 

 latter is not a lichen, belonging as it does 

 to the pineapple family, it is nevertheless 

 an epiphyte. Lichens are all hardy air 

 plants and simply require a foothold, when 

 they are able to thrive under the most 

 adverse conditions of temperature. In 

 one of these swamps I was shown my 

 first Blue Yellow-back's nest, by an en- 

 thusiastic worker hereabouts, who had the 

 Idndness to guide me through the Swamp- 

 tangled labyrinths for the space of an 

 hour or more to my great profit and 

 delight. The beautiful Oalla palustres 

 and the pitcher plant {8. purpurea) were 

 in blossom under the shade of the trees, 

 and the spagnum under foot, several feet 

 in thickness, was as soft as a bed of down. 

 Botanically considered, the spot was a per- 

 fect treasure house. I visited the place 

 again during the Winter of 1880, when 

 the ice assisted me greatly in getting about. 

 — G. M. C.N'oricich.OQnn. , 



Nov., 1882.] 



AND 0' 



Fresh Work in an Old Field. 



%ss» Akin to the joy a collector feels on find- 

 V ing a bird unknown to science or new to 

 ^ his section, is the pleasure of finding the 



gp ^ iiest and eggs of a Summer resident which 

 Q • has hitherto escaped his notice. It may 

 ^ have eluded us for years, but, once found, 

 p f the chances are that we shall not now have 

 5* much trouble in taking it again and again. 



% ^Each year the circle of our observation 

 ^ ^ grows narrower, but there will always re- 

 % some local desiderata to stimulate 



^ further search. 

 ^ S oix years I collected before I found a 

 ^ ^ Blue YeUow-backed Warbler's n est. Since 

 then, with their range and peculiarities 

 known, I can take more of their eggs than 

 of the common Summer Warbler. 



June 10th found a Blue_YeL^ 

 j lo w-backed Warbler's n est containing threeU 

 i young. I cut tlie limb off to get at the ^ 

 ' nest. I then pulled the nest from the | 

 limb and tied it to another Hmb with *^ 

 piece of fish line. Ten days later W. W. \ 

 Coe and his hired boy found the nest, c 

 The boy climbed to the nest, and when hccsl^ 

 I saw it he said : " By gosh ; this nest has 

 i been blown down and the old bird hns tied X 

 j it on again with a piece of twine, just as 5 

 good as any one could." But about that 

 time Coe picked up the barrel of a fish , | 

 line reel with some line on it, when he 

 solved the mystery at once. — J. Jj. Goff,^^ 

 Gildersleeve, Corm. ^^Q. VIIl. Oct. 1863. p.^f- 



The Tarvila Warblor {ComjMothli/pis mner- \ j 

 icana) builds and breeds there in great numbers, j | 

 I am sure, as they are encountered on every side 1 

 in that part of the island where the moss covers : 

 the trees and limbs, but the mosquitoes are a '; 

 dreadful drawback in securing their eggs, their -.; 

 nests being found, so far as I am aware, o.nly i 

 by watching the birds. i 



040. )Oy y^. ,sv7. 



