THE HOODED WARBLER. 



you hear him you decide that Nature, in a fit of humor, intended him for 

 a feathered clown; but when you see him, and observe his serious air. his 

 intent gaze, and his nervous movements, you conclude that, after all, he is 



not in fun, but that with him 

 "life is real, life is earnest." 

 He is either whistling to keep 

 his courage up, or else his agi- 

 tation is so great that he must 

 give expression to it. 



One of his quaintest per- 

 formances is to dart out into 

 the air with a loud cry, hold his 

 flapping wings far above him, 

 and let his body and legs dan- 

 gle loosely while he swings 

 down again into the tangle- 

 wood. The nests of the Chats 

 are bulky affairs, and are built 

 in the bushes. A few strands 

 of grapevine were woven into 

 almost every nest I have ever 

 found, and I have discovered 

 scores of them not only in 

 Ohio, but also in many other 

 States. 



ORTH SCOLDING ABOUT. LEANDER S. KEYSER. 



No. 85. 



HOODED WARBLER. 



A. O. U. No. 084. Wilsonia mitrata (Gmel.). 



Description. — Adult male: A golden mask, including forehead and cheeks, 

 superimposed on a black hood, which covers the head and neck all around and 

 reaches the fore-breast ; back, etc. bright olive-green ; wines and tail fuscous with 

 olive-green edgings ; the two outer pairs of tail feathers white on the inner webs 

 for exposed length; remaining: under parts, including lining of wing, bright 

 yellow, abruptly contrasting with the black of hood ; bill and rictal bristles black ; 

 feet pale. Adult female: Black hood much less distinct or wanting, — showing 

 only traces of black on nape, etc. ; outlines of golden mask sometimes indistinguish- 

 able below, partially veiled by olive-green skirtings above: under parts impure 

 yellow. Immature male: Like adult male, hut the black feathers of hood with 



