BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
267 
Family MNIOTILTID^E. Wood-Warblers. 
THE WOOD-WARBLERS. 
Nearly forty species and subspecies of this family have been observed during recent 
years in Pennsylvania, either as spring and fall migrants, summer residents or strag¬ 
gling and accidental visitors. Sometimes, though not often, during mild winters—gen¬ 
erally in November or December—solitary Myrtle, Yellow Palm and Pine Warblers, 
particularly the Myrtle, are found in sheltered localities (to the southward) mostly 
in company with some of the sparrow tribe. I have, on two occasions, seen Yellow- 
rumps with Chickadees, and once, late in November, I shot a Pine Warbler in a 
cedar tree where a small flock of Waxwings and two or three Robins were feeding. 
The birds of this group, with a few exceptions, are small—averaging about 5 inches 
in length and 8 inches in extent—neat and trim in build, active, energetic in move- 
; ment, and entertaining in song. They have brown eyes, and their slender, naked 
tarsi, in species, not otherwise particularized in the descriptions, are brownish. The 
usually blackish, and in most species slender, tapering, and awl-like bill will greatly 
aid in recognizing a warbler from members of the following families : Fringillidce 
(bill conical, commissure more or less angulated); Vireonidce (bill distinctly notched 
and hooked); Tanagridce (bill stout, much like a sparrow’s, with lobe and tooth 
near middle of commissure); Hirunclinidce (bill short, broad, flat and gape reaching 
Lto eyes). The Redstart (S. ruticilla ), Hooded (& mitrata ), Canadian (Y. canaden¬ 
sis}, and Wilson’s (& pusilla ) flycatching warblers, have long stiff rictal bristles 
i and wide (at base) bills, slightly notched and somewhat hooked like the Tyrannidce. 
This flycatcher-like bill is most perfect in the Redstart ; but the similarity of bills 
in these birds need give the beginner no concern as the showy dress of these warb¬ 
lers is greatly different from that of the Tyrannidce. Less than a dozen species of 
this family are generally dispersed throughout the state during the summer season, 
but in some localities, particularly in the timbered and higher mountain ranges, 
other species reside and rear their young, often in such secluded places, that our 
most enthusiastic, tireless and successful field-naturalists have, in many instances, 
failed to discover the nests. From repeated visits which I have made in June, July 
and the early part of August, to the pine, hemlock and hard wooded forests, or in ex¬ 
tensive laurel thickets, and about the numerous ravines and bushy, swampy places, 
along the sinuous, placid or turbulent streams in our mountainous regions, I am 
quite confident that several species which are commonly recorded as breeding con¬ 
siderably north of the Keystone commonwealth, breed regularly, though sparingly, 
within our limits. 
The following list on the next four pages gives names of species which are posi¬ 
tively known to nest in Pennsylvania, and others that are believed, from evidence 
which is deemed sufficient, to breed occasionally, at least, within our borders. 
One* indicates species whose nests, eggs or young (not fully grown) have been 
taken by the author. 
Two** indicate species which have been seen during the breeding season by the 
author, but the nests, eggs or young have not been taken by him. The other species 
included in the list are mentioned on the authority of different observers, to whom 
credit is given in the column headed “ Remarks.” 
A indicates column to which the bird belongs. 
The fifth column contains a condensed description of nesting materials, which are 
generally used, the sites chosen, etc. 
Descriptions of eggs of all species, and nesting materials and breeding sites of those 
marked (R) have been compiled from Ridgway’s Manual of N. A. Birds. 
