OF NEW ENGLAND. 119 



greens whicli they frequent, are constantlj' active -whilst in 

 search of it, and never rest in the manner of the Pine War- 

 blers, who are much lazier. They generally remain in one 

 spot for several minutes, and then % to another at quite a dis- 

 tance, seldom staying long in one group of trees. Though 

 active, they are not restless, as many of their kindred are, but 

 rather are comparatively deliberate in their motions. There is 

 to me a fascination in watching these birds, as they move 

 among the tree-tops, and a charm in listening to their drowsy 

 notes, which (without poetical exaggeration) seem to invite 

 one, on a warm day, to lie down and slumber on the pine- 

 needles that are strewn over the ground — though to persons 

 too practically minded, the mosquitoes at that season permit 

 no such repose. 



((Z). The ordinary notes of the "Black-throated Greens" 

 are numerous, being a tsip, a chick, which is sometimes soft 

 and sometimes loud, a check, a chuck, which is used chiefly as 

 a note of alarm, and a sharp chink, which is generally indica- 

 tive of distress. Their song has several variations, of which 

 the two most often heard are ivee-see-tvee-see-wee-see (in which 

 the middle notes are the highest) and ivee-see-tvee-see-see (in 

 which the second note is higher than the rest, the second coup- 

 let uttered in a lively way, and the other notes drawled out in 

 a manner peculiar to this species). To these simple chants a 

 few terminal notes are not Infrequently added, which some- 

 times consist of a repetition, and, rarel}', resemble those of the 

 "Black-throated Blue's" music. These songs are very char- 

 acteristic ; and, if one has once heard them, he cannot often 

 confound them with those of other birds. 



The "Black-throated Greens" are, to me, with perhaps the 

 exception of the Pine Warblers, the most attractive members 

 of their famil}^, on account, I think, of their pleasing, familiar, 

 and oft-repeated songs, which are heard from the time of their 

 arrival nearly throughout the summer, which form so fitting an 

 accompaniment to the whisperings of the pines, and to which 

 I am never weary of listening. Another reason, however, is 

 that they show a fondness for the pines as great as my own. 



