The Birds' Calendar 



its more showy cousin, the '* blue yellow-back,** 

 is giving a taste of its vocalization, and a de- 

 licious little warble it is. 



May's panorama is a constantly shifting 

 scene. Each day discloses new-comers, while 

 the earlier ones gradually diminish and silently 

 disappear. In one's experience of warbler-life, 

 perhaps he touches high-water mark when he 

 sees for the first time a perfect specimen of the 

 Blackburnian warbler. To avoid the appear- 

 ance of exaggeration I must refrain from ade- 

 quately expressing the surprise and amazement 

 elicited by this glowing coal of fire. My first 

 view of one in full blaze was on the 6th of the 

 month, as it was running about over the open 

 ground, where it remained a long time only a 

 few feet distant. It might properly be named 

 the conflagration warbler. Called, prosily 

 enough, from its discoverer, Blackburn, the 

 name is saved to poetry by the significant play 

 upon words ; for while a part of the plumage is 

 black as coal, the crown, sides of face, throat, 

 and breast are of a most vivid flame-color — a 

 most astonishing combination of orange, black, 

 and white, and arranged in such abrupt juxta- 

 position that, in seeing it for the first time one 

 will unquestionably pronounce it the most glo- 



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