April 



while beneath it is snow-white except for the 

 yellow and brownish band across the breast. 

 This is called the ' ' blue yellow-back," and is one 

 of the smallest of the warbler group. It soon 

 became quite common, especially at a certain 

 spot where the opening buds of the shrubbery 

 proved to be particularly delectable. It was 

 a picture not to be forgotten, as in their rich 

 colors they swayed on the tall, slender branches, 

 and with inimitable grace assumed every va- 

 riety of posture in plucking the fresh leaves. 

 A stuffed specimen of such a creature is an 

 utter caricature of the original. 



If each night, from about the middle of 

 April to the middle of May, one's vision could 

 sweep through the entire range of sky from 

 New England to Mexico, what bird -clouds he 

 would see rolling up from the south, here and 

 there settling to the ground, rising again, and 

 pushing northward. One of the largest ' ' cloud- 

 bursts " of this sort in the Ramble was on 

 the 29th, which was a red-letter day for the 

 ornithologist, transforming the Park into a veri- 

 table aviary. Red-polls, black-and-white creep- 

 ers, and yellow-rumps were swarming among 

 the larches, while in the adjoining trees a 

 sprightly and characteristic song called attention 



129 



