1 6 INTRODUCTION. 



During the spring" migration the bushes along the 

 north bank of Rock Creek below the prairie-dog 

 houses are favorite resorts for warblers — active Black 

 and White Creepers, gentle Black-throated Blues, 

 gorgeous orange-throated Blackburnians, and many 

 others, while across the creek, White-eyed Vireos, 

 Chats and Maryland Yellow-throats sing. Piney 

 Branch is another good water-way for Warblers — a 

 beauty of a Black-and-Yellow is associated with one 

 especial patch of bushes. Indeed, sunny undergrowth 

 by water supplies the conditions these little insect 

 eaters most desire. 



Outside the Zoo the narrow wooded strip of land 

 between the Potomac and the canal from High Island 

 up to the Amphitheatre is one of the best Warbler 

 grounds easily reached by the cars. Here one may 

 find among other birds Rough-winged Swallows, 

 Maryland Yellow-throats, Carolina Wrens, Water- 

 Thrushes and Kentucky Warblers. 



In looking for birds that prefer dry fields and 

 thickets there is a delightful old juniper field to visit 

 just west of Chevy Chase circle. Here Thrashers 

 shout out their approval of life, shy Chewinks scratch 

 up the dead leaves under cover of the evergreens, 

 clownish Chats pour out their rapid volleys — loud 

 whistles and mocking laughter — from the thicket, and 

 sweet-voiced Prairie Warblers mount the juniper tops 

 and with leisurely serenity run up their rich scale. 



Among other birdy places that may be reached on 

 the wheel are the wild undergrowth bordering the Sol- 

 diers' Home woods, the road passing Pierce's Mill 

 and Blagden's Mill, and running northward into Rock 



