Part 45

HERMIT WARBLER. 669. Dendroica occidentalis. 5 inches.

Range.—Western North America, from British Columbia to southern California, Texas and Arizona. These are to be found in the high, mountainous regions among the coniferous trees, where they build their nests on the outer limbs of tall pines, almost impossible to find. Their nests are made of grass, and the needles from the pine, and not much of a nest as compared with some of this same family. They lay four white eggs, spotted and wreathed with shades of brown (.68 × .52).

GRINNELL WATER THRUSH. 675a. Seiurus noveboracensis. 5½ inches.

Range.—From Alaska to Mexico, breeding in the northern portions. They are a quiet bird, solitary in habits, nesting in stumps near the ground or among roots of fallen trees. Four white eggs, spotted and blotched with brown and lilac (.80 × .60).

MACGILLIVRAY WARBLER. 680. Oporornis tolmiei. 5½ inches.

Range.—Western North America, from British Columbia to southern California, breeding throughout its range. They are common warblers of the Pacific coast, to be found on or near the ground in thick shrubbery, where they build their nests within a few feet of the ground. This is made of grasses and shreds of vines, and lined with finer grasses and hair. Four eggs are laid, white, spotted and quite heavily marked with shades of brown (.72 × .52).

WESTERN YELLOW-THROAT. 681a. Geothlypis trichas occidentalis. 5¼ inches.

Range.—Western North America, from British Columbia south to Arizona, but not near the Pacific coast. It is one of the seven or eight forms of the Maryland Yellow-throat, the greatest difference in them being in the locality in which they are found. They place their nest in a clump of grass, well concealed, laying usually four white eggs, with few spots of brown (.70 × .50).

PACIFIC YELLOW-THROAT. 681c. Geothlypis trichas arizela. 5¼ inches.

Range.—The Pacific coast. Habits, nest and eggs same as above.

LONG-TAILED CHAT. 683a. Icteria virens longicauda. 7½ inches.

Range.—Western United States, breeding from British Columbia to Mexico. They are an attractive bird both in looks and habits. They are great singers, but nature seemed to give them no special song of their own, and they make good attempts to mimic the song of any bird in their locality, and keep continually at it. They like the bramble and vine-covered hillsides, where it is hard to obtain a sight of the bird. They build their nests in the thickest of such places a few feet from the ground, made up of shreds of vines, leaves and twigs, lined with grass. Four white eggs, spotted with fine dots of shades of brown (.90 × .70).

PILEOLATED WARBLER. 685a. Wilsonia pusilla pileolata. 5 inches.

Range.—Western North America, breeding in Oregon, Washington and California to Mexican borders. These little birds, with their deep yellow under parts and breast, and little cap of jet black, are quite common about many of the orchards and gardens when the trees are in full blossom, taking insects that abound at that time. They nest in moist grounds in a slight depression or in low bushes, made of fibers and grass.

REDSTART 687. Setophaga ruticilla. 5½ inches.

Range.—North America, found more commonly east of the Rockies, but less common in Oregon, California and to Arizona. These birds are always the most conspicuous when in flight, at that time showing off to the best advantage their bright orange markings on the wings and tail of the males, and the bright yellow of the females. They build a neat, cup-shaped nest of plant fibers and down, which is placed in the crotch of small trees, in which they lay four white eggs, spotted with different shades of chestnut and black (.65 × .50). They are very active, and constantly flying from place to place, taking insects while on the wing, which constitute their food.

PAINTED REDSTART. 688. Setophaga picta. 5½ inches.

Range.—New Mexico and Arizona. These have much the same habits as the above, except that they build their homes in cavities of rocks or on the ground in swampy places.

RED-FACED WARBLER. 690. Cardellina rubrifrons. 5¼ inches.

Range.—Arizona and New Mexico.

ALASKAN YELLOW TAIL. 696. Budytes flavus alascensis. 6½ inches.

Range.—Alaska and Bering Sea in summer, where they are fairly common on the islands and coast. They nest on the ground, under or beside stones and in bunches of grass; it is made of roots and grasses, lined with moss and animal fur. They lay from four to six white eggs, thickly covered with spots of brown (.75 × .55).

PIPIT, OR TITLARK. 697. Anthus rubescens. 6½ inches.

Range.—It breeds on the high mountains of Colorado, California, Alaska, north to the Arctic Zone. During migration they may be found over most of the United States in quite large flocks. Their nests are placed on the ground in tufts of grass, and are made of fine grass and moss, lined with feathers and hair. Four to six eggs are grayish, heavily blotched with brown (.75 × .55).

SPRAGUE PIPIT. 700. Anthus spraguei. 6½ inches.

Range.—Breeds from Manitoba to Montana and Dakota, and west to the Rockies. Habits, nest and eggs are similar to preceding.

Family MIMIDÆ.—SAGE THRASHER. 702. Oreoscoptes montanus. 8½ inches.

Range.—From Lower California and Mexico on the plains to Montana. This is an abundant bird in the sage regions of the plains throughout its range, and are frequently called the Mockingbird, on account of the varied song which they give from the top of some sagebrush or cactus, in which they nest. Four eggs, greenish, spotted with brown (.60 × .55).