WARBLERS. 121 



and do not altogether disappear until the first week of Octo- 

 ber. They do not often catch insects in the air, except in 

 spring, and rarely descend to the ground, except for the sake 

 of taking a bath, which they do so prettily that an apprecia- 

 tive spectator cannot fail to enjoy it as much as the birds 

 themselves. They find their food principally among the 

 branches of the evergreens which they frequent, are con- 

 stantly active whilst in search of it, and never rest in the man- 

 ner of the Pine Warblers, who are much lazier. They gener- 

 ally remain in one spot for several minutes, and then fly to 

 another at quite a distance, 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 listen- 

 ing to their drowsy notes, which (without poetical exaggera- 

 tion) seem to invite one, on a warm day, to lie dowu 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. 



d. The ordinary notes of the " Black-throated Greens '* 

 are numerous, being a tsip^ a chich^ which is sometimes soft 

 and sometimes loud, a cheeky 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 wee-see-wee-see-wee-see (in which 

 the middle notes are the highest) and wee-see-wee-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, rarely, 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 family, on account, I think, of their pleasing, familiar, 



