20 The Ottawa Naturalist. [April 



and therefore, it takes more or less patient observation to be able 

 to tell them by their notes. 



Some of our prettiest, but at the same time smallest and most 

 elusive birds are the warblers. On some days the open woods are 

 full of them. They are abundant and pretty, yet most people 

 never see them, even if they are at home in their orchards, because 

 they are so small and restless, always moving- about. Most of 

 them are so beautifully and conspicuously marked, that if a per- 

 son once knows when and where to look for them he can readily 

 become acquainted with them But it takes much patience and 

 stretching and twisting of necks to accomplish it. Therefore, I 

 soon after undertaking it came to the conclusion that it would be 

 advantageous to be able to recognize a warbler by its song or 

 rather lisping — tor that is in many cases all, despite their name 

 as a class — that their musical efforts amount to. And to aid 

 nature and bird lovers to learn to know and identify warblers is 

 the raison d'etre of this article. 



When I heard a warbler song I did not know, I followed up 

 its owner until I positively identified him, then I tried what 

 syllables would reproduce the impression best, and these I jotted 

 down in my note book on the spot. These first impressions some- 

 times have to be corrected later on, often the first is as good as 

 the last. This I would advise everybody to do who would learn 

 to know the birds by their song. 



The following list is loosely arranged according to the time 

 of appearance of the different species at Ottawa, and to the degree 

 of frequency in which they are generally seen. 



Black and White Creeping Warbler, Mniotilta varia. To 

 be seen in open woods of deciduous trees, creeping around limbs 

 and trunk of trees, not high up ; color as implied by name. Song 

 insignificant, a repetition of the syllable sweet. One I heard 

 sang : Sivitta, sxvifta, sivitt. One writer gives its song, Weachy, 

 iveachy, weachy, twee, twee, tzvee, ttveet. 



Yellow Warbler, Dendroica aestiva. This common war- 

 bler is entirely yellow, the male having nirrow reddish stripes on 

 the lower side, which are apparent only at a near view. This is 

 a bird not so much of the woods as of the open, frequenting trees 

 n fields, along fences and even in cities, where it also nests. Its 



