The Birds' Calendar 



had hereabouts. But there is one that is quite 

 abundant in all our woods, and sure to attract 

 attention by his brilliant black and scarlet col- 

 ors, fearless and lively manner, and vigorous but 

 simple song. Anyone familiar with the woods 

 in summer will recognize in this the fiery little 

 redstart — a name corrupted from redstert, mean- 

 ing red tail, this portion of the plumage being 

 doubly noticeable from the amount of reddish 

 yellow upon it, and from the bird's habit of 

 keeping it partly spread as it moves from limb 

 to limb. The wings and sides of the breast also 

 have a dash of flame color, intensified by the 

 otherwise lustrous black of the male, whereas 

 the female — well, she looks as anyone would be 

 supposed to look, arrayed in goods warranted 

 not to wash. If the male redstart is a fiery coal, 

 the female is a trail of ashes in his wake. Its 

 musical proficiency is summed up in a single 

 but often reiterated note, strong and vibrant, 

 not so sweet as that of the summer yellow bird, 

 but more decisive. The tone is fitly embodied 

 in the flaming plumage of the male, for it cuts 

 the ear like fire. This bird has the unusual 

 habit of often flying from trunk to trunk, and 

 clinging to the bark, which I have seen no other 

 warbler do except the pine-creeper. As it hops 



