BLACK AND YELLOW WARBLER. 
57 
Young male, similar, but the colors beneath are paler. The black of the back is obscured with greenish and 
the top of the head is not as pure slate. 
Adult female resembles the young male, but the top of the head is paler and the patches on the sides of the 
head are also obscured with greenish. 
Young female. The head is obscured with greenish. The back is olivaceous green without any appearance 
of black, the upper tail coverts are greenish, the spots and stripes of the head are obsolete, the streaks beneath are 
barely perceptible and the white on the upper wing coverts is less extended than in the adult. Irides, brown; feet 
and bill black in all stages, excepting in the young female, where the latter is brown, lighter at the base of the lower 
mandible. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
This fine warbler may always be known by the white band on the tail which is always present in all stages. 
Distributed throughout the northern portions of the eastern section of the United States and British Provinces. 
Winters in Mexico, Cuba, and rarely in Florida. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of sixteen specimens from New England.—Length, 4-97 ; stretch, 7*55; wing, 2-35; tail, 
1-90; bill, ‘35; tarsus, ’80. Longest specimen, 510; greatest extent of wings, 7'80; longest wing, 2-75; tail, 1*93; 
bill, '40; tarsus, -90. Shortest specimen, 4-75; smallest extent of wings, 7T2; shortest wing, 2-20; tail, 1-70; bill, 
•34; tarsus, ‘90. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed in low evergreen trees. They are composed of small twigs, weeds and dried grass, not very 
compactly interwoven, lined with fibrous roots and horsehairs. The structures are very neat, but quite shallow. 
Dimensions: external diameter, 3 inches, internal, 2; external depth, 1-75 inches, internal, 1-25. 
Eggs, four in number, oval in form, ashy-white in color, spotted and blotched somewhat irregularly with brown 
and lilac. The larger blotches, however, are inclined to accumulate on the larger end where they sometimes form 
rings. 
HABITS. 
I never experienced more pleasure in finding a bird’s nest that was new to me than when I 
discovered the neat domicile of this fine Warbler. I was searching, in early June, among 
some low firs, which grew on a hillside in Northern Maine, for the nests of the Olive-backed 
Thrush, when I started a female Black and Yellow Warbler from a little tree in which she had 
her home. The pretty little structure was placed in the fork of a limb about five feet from the 
ground, and contained four fresh eggs. The bird was extremely shy, keeping at a distance, 
but did not appear very solicitous, only occasionally uttering a low chirp, and the male 
did not make his appearance. I afterwards found several nests, one or two of which were 
placed near a travelled road within a few feet of passing vehicles. They were always built 
in low evergreen trees, but a few feet from the ground and in such a position as to be 
concealed. The females were all shy, generally darting from the nest and instantly hiding in 
the nearest thicket. I never remember of having seen the males in the immediate vicinity 
of the nest, but constantly heard their peculiarly short songs in the forests, and frequently saw 
them among the trees or flying swiftly through the woods in pursuit of their mates. 
These Warblers are not common in Massachusetts during the migrations, but are oftener 
met with in spring than in autumn. They appear with other Sylvicolidce in May and frequent 
the tops of trees which grow in swampy places. The few which pass in the fall are found 
in similar situations. I have never seen this species in Florida, but Mr. Boardman says that 
he has taken a single specimen at Green Cove Spring, in February. I therefore introduce 
it into the fauna of the state upon his authority. 
BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 
