The OoLOGiST. 



Vou XXVII. No. 5. Albion, N. Y. May 15, 1910. Whole No. 274 



Published Monthly, by R. M. Barnes, Albion, N. Y., and Lacon, Illinois. 



THE WARBLERS 



The North American Warblers (Mniotiltidae) are among the most numerous 

 family of the North American birds, occupying a place in our list beginning with 

 (A. O. U. No. 636) Black & White Warbler and ending with (No. 693) Bell's 

 Warbler, and representing some seventy-nine species and sub-species, all but 

 three of which are stragglers, being properly members of this family and truly 

 Nort ^merican birds. 



They range in size from slightly larger than our largest Humming bird to 

 nearly the size of a Catbird, and include some of our brightest plumaged birds; 

 though as a class they are perhaps as little known to the general public as any 

 other of the larger families of birds. This owing to their diminutive size and 

 more or less secretive habits. Yet few families of birds are of more general 

 service and use to the public. 



Being entirely migratory, they pass northward just at the time the small 

 buds and leaves are opening under the smiles of Spring, and just at the time 

 that the unnumbered multitudes of insects are hatching and scattering in mil- 

 lions over all of the young growth. The food of the warblers is infinitismal 

 and sometimes almost microscopic insects which are found on buds on the 

 younger leaves of the trees, varied with occasional ground loving insects which 

 are eaten by the ground warblers. The amount of good this family of birds 

 does in the protection of the forests is beyond calculation and they should be 

 rigidly protected. 



With this issue we present a number of articles upon some of the rarer mem- 

 bers of this highly interesting family. 



