BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA 
323 
Subfamily POLIOPTILIN-ffi. Gnatcatchers. 
Genus POLIOPTILA Sclater. 
Polioptila cserulea (Linn.). 
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. 
Description. 
Bill long and slender much depressed at base, distinctly notched at end and 
slightly hooked ; bill anterior to the exposed nostrils rapidly narrows, and becomes 
very slender at tip ; the round wings are about equal to tail ; tail graduated, feathers 
with rounded ends. Length about 5 inches ; extent about 6| ; bill and legs black- 
jsh.; eyes dark brown. Above grayish-blue ; crown decidedly blue, rump some- 
what lighter than back ; forehead and line over eye black (absent in female) ; whit- 
ish ring round eye. Lores and under parts pale bluish-white, except chin and me- 
dian line on throat, and abdomen also in some specimens, pure white. First and 
second pairs of tail-feathers black at base then white ; third and fourth black with 
white tips, rest black. 
Habitat. — Middle and southern portions of the United States, from the Atlantic 
to the Pacific, south, in winter, to Guatemala, Cuba and the Bahamas ; rare north 
towarc^ the Great Lakes, southern New Yorkand southern New England, straggling 
north to Massachusetts and Maine. 
The Bltie-gray Gnatcatcher occurs as a summer resident in the south- 
ern parts of Pennsylvania. Arrives here about the last week in April 
and remains until about the middle of September. I have observed 
this bird in the southeastern counties as a rare visitor, in the spring-, 
late summer and autumn. In southwestern Pennsylvania the gnat- 
catcher is reported to be a rather frequent summer resident. Messrs. 
M. Compton, W. T. Warrick and James S. Nease, all report it as being 
rather common during migrations in Washington county, and they also 
mention it as a probable breeder. Dr. T. Z. Hazzard, of Allegheny 
City, informs me it breeds regularly in his locality (Allegheny county). 
The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Mr. H. J. Boddy says, “ is common at one 
place near Lebo, Perry county. I find them breeding there every year ; 
saw a family August 10, on Jack’s mountain.” I found this bird to be 
quite common in February, March and the early part of April in 
Florida. Its food consists entirely of small-winged insects and various 
larvae. “It is an expert insect-catcher, taking its prey on the wing with 
great celerity . All its movements are very rapid, the bird seeming to 
be constantly in motion as if ever in quest of insects, moving from one 
part of the tree to the other, but generally preferring the upper 
branches ” {Hist. N. Am. Birds). Never having had the good fortune 
to find the nest or eggs of this species, I take the following descriptions 
concerning the same from other writers. “ The nest of this species is 
one of the gems of bird architecture. It is a very compact mass of 
soft felted materials, elaborately and artistically ornamented on the out- 
side with gray and glaucous lichens, the deep interior cavity lined with 
softest down and feathers. The shape varies from that of a deep cup 
