silvery warble, rather light, and, one suspects, since the singer is so far from 

 home, not full-voiced yet. 



The autumnal movement is less hurried than that of spring. x\t this season 

 the birds often gather in flocks of forty or more, and linger for weeks in sunny, 

 half-wooded pastures, or about the orchards. Plere they spend much time in the 

 tall weeds, after the fashion of goldfinches, hunting for insects, indeed, but in lieu 

 of them often accepting seeds. Thus they will occasionally tarry late into No- 

 vember and do not fear the exposure resulting from the falling leaves, since a 

 yellow rump-spot is all that is left them of the garish beauties of spring. 



Yellow-rumped warblers are reported as wintering commonly in southern 

 Indiana, but Rev. W. F. Henninger did not find them in the lower Scioto valley. 

 Dr. Langdon of Cincinnati has records for March 4 and November 29, and it is 

 not improbable that they winter sparingly in the more sheltered spots of the 

 Ohio river counties. They are reported as abundant at that season in Florida, 

 where they subsist on the berries of the myrtle (myrica cerifera) whence the 

 name. 



Little Brother Chickadee 



By William Hale 



Little brother of the wood, 

 Ermine-cloaked, with sable hood, 

 Bravest of brave brothers, thou. 

 Calling to me softly now 

 From the icy hemlock tree, 

 Cheery, chirping chickadee : 

 "Never fear ! 



Spring is here. 

 And the blithest of the year 



For thee and me 



Is yet to be. 

 For man and ciiickadee." 



Fearless free-lance of the fields, 

 Though scant fare the bleak earth yields, 

 Thou art harbinger of spring. 

 And each sweet and beautifying thing. 

 So, wee herald, sing away ; 

 Blessings on thy cheery lay : 

 "Never fear! 



Love is here, 

 And the blithest of the year 



For thoc and nie 



Is yet to be 

 For man and chickadee." 

 47 



