82 BULLETIN 203, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



liant kinds, a few finches, honeycreepers, and wintering Baltimore 

 orioles. But the Tennessee warblers soon formed the habit of visiting 

 the table and sharing the food with the bigger resident birds. 



Some seemed to linger in the vicinity much of the day, making fre- 

 quent visits to the board and each time eating liberal portions of 

 banana or the somewhat harder ripe plantain. They were intolerant 

 of each other, and one individual would not let a second alight on the 

 board until it had finished its own meal, although there was plenty of 

 room and plenty of food for all. I have noticed also that the Tennes- 

 see warblers chase each other as they forage among the trees in 

 wintering flocks. I cannot recall ever having seen any other wood 

 warbler eat banana. 



"Last November 14 a Tennessee warbler behaved most surprisingly. 

 The grass in the yard had grown very long, and I had it cut with a 

 machette. Late in the afternoon, after the usual rain, a lone Tennessee 

 warbler flew down on the fallen grass and began to hop over it, catch- 

 ing small insects. 



"It also entered the uncut grass, about a foot high, and disappeared 

 momentarily amidst it. Twice driven up by passing people, each 

 time it promptly returned to the grass. Its third visit to the cut 

 grass was longest. While I stood quietly watching, it hopped delib- 

 erately about, much in the manner of a house wren, and gathered an 

 abundant harvest from the fallen herbage. Once it found a cater- 

 pillar about an inch long, which it carefully bruised in its mandibles 

 before swallowing it. The warbler was amazingly bold, and hopped 

 over the grass within a yard of my feet, and allowed me to follow 

 closely as it moved away. Early the following morning, and again 

 at the close of the day, the warbler foraged over the lawn in the same 

 fashion. In the evening, it continued to creep slowly over the mown 

 grass and after all other birds had disappeared into their roosts, and 

 the light was becoming too dim to see it clearly." 



Behavior. — Much of the behavior of the Tennessee warbler has been 

 mentioned above, and there is little more to be said. It is a very close 

 sitter on its nest, when incubating, and has been caught there by throw- 

 ing a hat or a net over it; but, when flushed, it is rather shy about 

 returning to it, usually making its demonstrations of protest by flitting 

 about at a safe distance and nervously uttering a sharp chip. 



The Prebles (1908) witnessed a rather remarkable flight behavior at 

 Fort Resolution, Mackenzie : 



During the forenoon of June 25, an extremely windy day, we observed a re- 

 markable movement of these warblers. They came from the northward, flying 

 over the point of land on which the fort is built in loose flocks of from 10 to 20 

 individuals. After passing the point, they either struck out directly across the 

 bay or skirted the shore, in either case having to face a strong southeast wind. 

 Some paused a few moments among the low bushes on the point, but the slightest 



