THE WILLOW WARBLER 51 



Willow Warbler for the first time in spring ! 

 There it is once more, just the same as in the many 

 years that have come and gone, trustfully flitting 

 from branch to branch in the still leafless trees, or 

 mayhap amongst the fragrant apple and pear blos- 

 soms in the hoary old orchard, where we have noted 

 its arrival for more seasons than we care to recall. 

 Silently it searches about in quest of food, or every 

 now and then pauses and breaks out into that song 

 which captivates our hearts with its simple sweetness. 

 Day by day we watch its familiar ways, and yet 

 they never bore us ; time and again we can listen to 

 its plaintive call-note, or its witching song, and yet 

 they are ever attractive. By the hour together we 

 frankly confess we can watch the actions of this 

 little Warbler without feeling one jot of weariness. 

 Its ways are so engaging, its appearance so deli- 

 cately trim and neat, as it flits about in Tit-like quest 

 of food. Its exceeding^ trustfulness is one of the 

 secrets of its attractiveness, for at arm's-length it will 

 search the branches for food without the least show 

 of fear. Every now and then the bird will start into 

 the air in chase of an insect, or perhaps flutter at the 

 extremity of a branch to search the very outermost 

 leaves. The call-note of this species is inexpressibly 

 soft and sweet, a double piping cry which no words 

 can describe. 



The Willow Warbler is not only a sweet singer 

 but a most persistent one. There is nothing 



