SONG-BIRDS. "Warblers 



This Warbler — only distinguishable by slightly supe- 

 rior size and a more evenly yellow breast from the Yellow 

 Eedpoll of the Interior and Western States — is a lover of 

 cool, brisk weather, and is almost the first of its tribe to 

 pass upward to its northern breeding-grounds. It spends a 

 few early April days in the leafless roadside bushes, often 

 appearing when the first hepaticas are in bloom, and leav- 

 ing before the shadbush blossoms, and, though it feeds on 

 the ground, it has the habit of making little sallies into the 

 air like the Redstart and the Flycatchers. 



It does not return in autumn until warm weather is a 

 thing of the past, and is not at all abashed if a hard frost, 

 or even a flurry of snow, overtakes it, seeming to partake of 

 the nature of the Yellow-rumped Warbler, who is the winter 

 companion of Chickadees and Kinglets. 



Prairie Warbler: Dendroica discolor o 



Length: 4.75-5 inches. 



Male and Female : Colours much broken up. Upper parts olive-greeq 

 or yellow, chestnut-red streaks across back between the wings. 

 Under parts beautiful yellow ; also yellow streak running from 

 nostril back of eye, and two yellow wing bands. Sides of neck 

 and body streaked with black ; also black line through eye. 

 Inner webs of outer tail feathers white. Female paler, and 

 chestnut bars obscured. 



Song : " Wee-wee-chee-chee-chee-chee 1 " 



Season : Common May migrant ; also probably breeds here. 



Breeds : Through its United States range. 



Nest : In small trees or low brush, scrub pines, etc. Cedar and grape- 

 vine bark, feathers and fern down, elaborate and beautiful. 



^ggs : 4, greenish white, wreathed on larger end with various browns. 



Bange : Eastern United States to the Plains, north to Michigan and 

 southern New England ; winters in southern Florida and the 

 West Indies. 



The diminutive Prairie Warbler, which may be known by 

 the reddish streaks across its back, has a decidedly southerly 

 range. It is quite abundant all through the Middle and 

 Southern States, and fairly common along the Massachu- 

 setts seaboard — Massachusetts seems to be its usual north- 



105 



