Birds on the Wing 



other trees of the same kind near by, 

 none were \dsible anywhere else. 



And how hard it was to detect their 

 presence even with a good spy-glass to 

 help! Unless I had been looking for them 

 just in that neighborhood — ha\dng gained 

 some knowledge of their habits in former 

 3^ears — they must certainly have gone 

 undiscovered. One Httle, unmusical chirp 

 gave absolute assurance indeed of their 

 nearness amidst the autumnal silence; but, 

 nevertheless, it took sharp and patient 

 searching of the foliage after that to find 

 them out. 



And this with good reason, too. The 

 God that fashioned the Blue- winged Warb- 

 ler knew quite well that in its long, laborious 

 flight straight as an arrow to the southland 

 guided by the instinct which He gave, it 

 must needs look to these very buttonwood 

 trees in the morning for sustenance; so 

 He arrayed it in color like unto the colors 

 of the trees themselves, that it might rest 

 undiscovered and in peace, and go unmo- 

 lested as it fed. \Mierefore its upper 



[1651 



