328 THE BLACK-AND-YELLOW WARBLER. 



Lakes, through Ohio, Southern IlHnois, down the Missis- 

 sippi Valley, across into Texas, and so on into Mexico and 

 Central America, where they winter. Returning in spring, 

 they pursue a more southern route, keeping along the coast 

 as far as the New England States, where they ascend the 

 Connecticut Valley, generally avoiding Eastern Massachu- 

 setts." Its song, said to begin like that of the Black-poll 

 and end like that of the Redstart, bears to my ear no re- 

 semblance whatever to either, but is a very soft warble, 

 somewhat resembling the syllables tse-chee, tse-chee^ tse-chee, 

 tse-cheCy tse-chee, but far too liquid to admit of exact spelling. 



THE BLACK-AND-YELLOW WARBLER. 



The wild grape, that common and exquisitely graceful 

 ornament of our woods, has completely enshrouded a clump 

 of bushes yonder; and as the leaves are just putting forth, 

 of a reddish tinted texture, and hoary with down, they 

 seem particularly attractive to the passing crowd of War- 

 blers. There comes from its bowery depths a whist- 

 ling warble, very liquid and sweet, and so soft that it can be 

 heard only a few feet distant, whee-cho, ivhee-cho^ whee-cho, 

 whee-chOy whee-cho. After peering cautiously for several 

 minutes, I recognize the quick, flitting movement of the 

 Black-and-yellow Warbler (Dendroeca inaculosa). 



In its northern breeding places its song is a loud, clear 

 whistle, which may be imitated by the syllables chee-to, chee- 

 to, chee-tee-ee, uttered rapidly and ending in the falling 

 inflection. It is interesting to note how faint and imper- 

 fect an attempt at the final and full song on their breeding- 

 grounds is the occasional soft, lisping warble of the 

 Warblers as they pass us in the migrations. Any one thus 

 studying these soft utterances has the merest prelude to the 

 final burst of joy when the bird reaches its summer home. 



