YELLOW WARBLER 307 



tilting their tails like veritable ' tip-iips.' Part of 

 the tribe, after thoroughly confusing our brains, 

 fly north to nest in coniferous forests ; but a few- 

 settle down and build in our parks, gardens, and 

 shrubbery, where we can study them at our lei- 

 sure throughout the summer. 



In the matter of food they are more consistent, 

 for they are all insect-eaters ; destroying ants, 

 flies, caterpillars, larvae, plant-lice, cankerworms, 

 and May-flies. 



Yellow Warbler : Dendroica cestiva. 

 (See Fig:. 191, p. 347.) 



Male, upper parts greenish yellow ; under parts yellow, streaked 

 with reddish brown. Female and young, duller, and usually 

 unstreaked. Length, about 5 inches. 



Geographic Distribution. — North America, except south- 

 western states, where a closely allied race occurs ; breeds 

 northward to the arctic regions ; winters as far south as north- 

 ern South America. 



This little bird is closely associated in my mind 

 with the first spring days in Central Park when 

 the trees are veiled in varied shades of tender 

 green, richly clustered lavender wistaria drapes 

 the walls and arbors, and the great pleasure 

 ground is pervaded with spring happiness. Then, 

 as you rest on the benches, enjoying the soft air, 

 fragrant with the breath of freshly mown grass, 

 idly watching the happy children bravely riding 

 the donkeys up and down the paths, or resting 

 your eyes on the bench where the workman is tak- 



