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the hosts of our smaller insect enemies, and many thousands of broods of cater- 

 pillars are destroyed by them before they have become large enough to do mischief. 



Although but few species of this group spend the summer with us, the service 

 rendered by the Warblers in the aggregate is beyond compute. In the spring vast 

 waves of them sweep across the Province from south to north feeding as they go 

 upon small insects and newly hatched caterpillars, destroying countless thousands 

 of them before they have time to do mischief and thus no doubt preventing many 

 an outbreak which would be disastrous in its results. Again on their return in 

 the autumn, their numbers increased by their young, they drift slowly southward 

 feeding incessantly, and working so thoroughly over every bush and tree that it 

 would seem impossible for an insect to escape. 



Mr. E. H. Forbush says, " In this family we find birds that assume the care 

 of the trees from the ground to the topmost twig. Some walk daintily over the 

 earth searching among the shrubbery and fallen leaves; others cling close to the 

 bark, and search into every crevice for those insignificant insects which collectively 

 form the greatest pests of forest and orchard; others mount into the tree, skip 

 from branch to branch and peer about among the leaves or search the opening buds; 

 others habitually ascend to the tree tops; while still others are in almost constant 

 pursuit of the winged insects that dart about among the branches. 



WARBLERS. 



Description. 



BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER. 



Adult male. No yellow anywhere; upper parts streaked with black and white; 

 ear coverts black ; inner webs of outer tail feathers with white patches ; wing coverts 

 black tipped with white: throat and upper breast black; sides streaked with black 

 and white ; middle of belly white. 



Adult female. Similar, with fewer black streaks; sides washed with 

 brownish. 



Immature. Similar to female but more streaked below. 

 L., 5.30; W., 2.75; T., 3.00. 



Nest, on the ground at 'base of a stump. Eggs, four or five, white, spotted 

 with reddish or dark brown, chiefly in a wreath at larger end. 



PROTHONOTARY WARBLER. 



Adult male. Whole head, neck and under parts rich orange, lighter on the 

 belly; back greenish yellow, changing to bluish gray on the rump; wings and tail 

 ashy; inner webs of all but the middle feathers white, except at the tip. No wing 

 bars. 



Adult female. Similar, but the yellow is paler, the belly with more white. 

 L., 5.50; W., 2.90; T., 1.85. 



Nest, in a hole in a stump. Eggs, four or five, white, thickly and rather 

 heavilv marked and washed with various shades of brown. 



