ORNITHOLOGIST 



— AND- 



OOLOGIST. 



fl.oo per 

 Annum. 



PUBLISHED BV FRANK. B. WEBSTER. 



Established, March, 1875. 



Single Copj- 

 10 cents. 



Vol. XIV. 



BOSTON, MASS., APRIL, i88g. 



No. 4. 



Nesting of the Connecticut W^arbler. 



This handsome and active species {Oporornis 

 agilis), though not abundant anywhere, is yet 

 pretty widely distributed over the Province of 

 Ontario during the summer months. At 

 least I have noticed it in the different sections 

 where I have resided, especially where it finds 

 the particular places that it loves to make its 

 summer home and nesting site. 



This is generally on the margins of damp, 

 woody lands, or second growth timbered 

 tracts, where there is low, thick underwood, 

 raspberry vines, tangled brush, and fallen 

 trees. It also appears to have a partiality for 

 ravines, sides of small hills, and tlie margins 

 of creeks, where there is deep concealment. 

 Amidst the thick foliage of such places one 

 kind of the long notes of the male bird may 

 often be heard, while the little performer 

 itself is invisible. At other times he will rise to 

 a considerable elevation, and after a pleasing 

 musical serenade, in which he appears to take 

 much pleasure and pride, he descends rapidly 

 into the leafy underwood near which it is 

 probable his partner has her nesting place. 



Another peculiar haunt of this species is 

 partly cleared fields between woods, and 

 where roads are made through patches of 

 forest, but it does not often appear in the open 

 field or near human habitations, nor is it found 

 deep in the woods either of hard or soft wood 

 lands, though as the forest is fast disappear- 

 ing, it will doubtless also change its abiding 

 places. 



In the early settlement of Canada, the little 

 clearing in the backwoods surrounding the 

 pioneers shanty, where tall weeds, sprouts 

 and vines grew luxuriantly around the stumps, 

 and along the fences, this warbler found 

 many a congenial home and nesting place near 

 the cabin of the settler, or wigwam of the 

 Indian, but with the better cultivation of the 

 farm, and the more extensive destruction of 



the original forest, all has become changed, 

 and with these changes the life-histories of 

 many of our wild birds, including the species 

 under review. And in this connection I would 

 remark that it and the Mourning Warbler 

 {Geothhjpix Philadelphia) frequent mvich the 

 same localities, although in their nesting they 

 differ much. 



In its general habits the Connecticut Warbler 

 is shy and retired, and but few of the species 

 are ever seen in company, and but seldom do 

 they leave the shelter of the woods for the 

 deep foliage of their haunts, although occas- 

 ionally the farmer, who has an eye and ear to 

 appreciate the sights and sounds of nature, 

 may, at any time of the day, see or hear an 

 individual on the margin of the woods, or 

 along the vine-clad fences, near where it makes 

 its summer home. Should the nesting place 

 be invaded the female gives vent to her dis- 

 pleasure in a series of sharjily uttered notes, 

 which usually brings her mate upon the scene 

 to offer his sympathy and assistance, and the 

 scolding is kept up until the intruder leaves 

 the vicinity. Sometimes, however, the male 

 seems too distant, or otherwise engaged, to 

 pay any attention to the alarm notes of the 

 female, and she is left alone to battle as best 

 slie can with the cause of her discomfort. 

 When, however, the young are in the nest, or 

 are unable to seek their own safety by flight, 

 should one of them utter a note of distress, 

 the male as well as the mother are soon upon 

 the scene, mingling his notes witli hers, and 

 equally exercising his arts to drive or draw 

 away the disturber, and no creature can show- 

 more affection to its young, or solicitude for 

 their safety than this species of the Warblers. 



The scolding note of this bird more resem- 

 bles the word "vitch" than the "chip "-like 

 note of the other species of warblers, and by 

 this means it may more readily be distin- 

 guished, though its person may be out of 

 view amid the deep foliage; while the song 



Copyright, 1889, by Frank B. Webster. 



