350 Vennor on the Wood-warblers 



these little birds when on first alighting they commence with the 

 lower branches, and so course their way upward into the tree, 

 searching every nook and corner as they run along. Every now 

 and again by a gentle warble, he lets us know in what direction 

 he is in. Their habits vary considerably in the different species, 

 but in general they frequent woods, groves, and orchards, and 

 subsist on the small insects found among the leaves and beneath 

 the bark of the trees. Some writers have called the warblers a 

 timid and retiring group, but we should say that what looks to be 

 a timid hiding disposition is nothing more than an eager search 

 after their food, in and out amongst the thick foliage of the trees. 

 Instead of being timid, most of them are known to be of a bold 

 and pugnacious disposition. Some of them are decked in the 

 liveliest colors, while others are arrayed in sombre hues. The 

 warblers in general make but a short stay in the Southern States 

 on their way north to breed, so that little can be studied of their 

 habits in that quarter. Here, however, we have abundant oppor- 

 tunity of watching their movements and manner of breeding. 

 We also have a few warblers that pass us early in spring on their 

 way to grounds further north, most of these breed partially here, 

 but their proper breeding-places, as we have before stated, are far- 

 ther to the north. In general their migratory movements are 

 very quiet, swift, and seldom are observed. 



Many of these birds are indeed charming songsters, but I think 

 we may safely say that the majority have hardly any song ; or at 

 any rate only a few low notes uttered in a monotonous manner. 

 These latter however are by no means to be despised, nor are 

 their notes unpleasant. All the warblers are migratory here. 

 When Spring with her genial breath has warmed into life the 

 hosts of insects which have been dormant during the winter, Pro- 

 vidence has wisely ordered the return of these birds to keep these 

 insects in check ; again in autumn when the insect tribes begin 

 to diminish and no longer require to be kept in check, these use- 

 ful birds speed their way to other climes. 



Some of the flycatchers approach very near to the warblers in 

 their general habits, seeming only to dift'er in shape of bill, that 

 being the same as in the other species of flycatcher. In like man- 

 ner the warblers in some of their species resemble the flycatchers 

 in habits, but also dift'er in form of bill. For this reason there has 

 been and still exists a great deal of difficulty in drawing a definite 

 line between the warblers and flycatchers. Nature seems to 



