204 THE PACIFIC YELLOW-THROAT. 



vicinity of water. Egys: 4. Av. size, .76 x .53 ( iy,3 .k 13.5). ^'cfwo;;.- lirst week 

 in May, first week in June; two broods. 



General Range. — "Pacific coast district, from Britisli Columbia southward; 

 breeding southward to Los Angeles County, California, and eastward to Fort 

 Klamath. Uregon ; during migration to Cape St. Lucas" (Ridgw.). 



Range in Washington. — Summer resident in fresh and salt water marshes 

 west of the Cascades. 



Migrations. — Spring: Tacoma, April 12, 1905, April 6, 1906. 



Authorities. — ? Audubon. Orn. Biog. V. 1839, 463, part (Columbia River). 

 Gcothlypis trichas. Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX, 1858, 241. part. (T). C&S. 

 L--. Ra. B. E. 



Specimens. — Prov. B. E. 



IN OUR younger days some <.>t us were taught to be seen and not heard. 

 Among the Yellow-throats the children are taught the opposite. A bird that 

 can call "Witch-et-y ! W'itch-et-y! Witch-et-y !" in a dozen different places 

 thru the swale and in the meantime can keep out of sight while _\'ou are look- 

 ing for him, is a well brought-up Yellow-throat. We were taught to tell the 

 truth, but deceit is drilled intri the Yellow-throat children from the time they 

 leave the egg. A human mother insists upon your looking at her children, 

 but at the approach of a visitor the Yellow-throat mother sneaks off the 

 nest and away thru the bushes for the sole purpose of persuading you the 

 home is in the reeds on the other side of the creek. This may be wrong 

 according to our teaching, but it is ])erfectly right according ti> the Yellow- 

 throat's code of morals. 



If you want to see Yellow-throat, you must go down along the swale 

 or visit some clamp thicket or swamp. He likes the rushes and the reeds 

 where the Red-winged Blackbird antl the Tule Wren live. I once found 

 a Red-wing's nest and a Yellow-throat's home within a few feet of each 

 other. If you want to see this ground warbler, go to his haunt. He will 

 see vou first btit lie clown quietlv among the Iiushes. He will likely get 

 curiijus and hop up out of the reeds. You may get just one good look 

 before he darts away into the bushes again. 



The male Yellow-throat always wears plain marks of recognition on 

 his face. He has a black mask extending across his forehead and back on 

 the sides of his head. The female goes without a mask and is clothed in 

 subdued tints of yellow and Ijrown. 



WHien the Yellow-throat seeks a home, he finds a tliick tussock of 

 grass and hides his nest well in the middle. It is my experience that 

 when you want to find his home, it is better not to look for it. If you 

 keep on tramping thru the swamps and swales, some day you will stumble 

 on one when vou least e.xpect it. Once I Inmted for several days about 

 a swampy place where I heard the Yellow-throats singing. Not a sign 

 of a nest did I find. Whenever I appearefl the birds were on hand as if 



