Notes on a few American Warblers. 51


has a mild little song of four or five little “cheeps” constantly varied

in tone.


It is said the Cow-birds often lay their eggs in this Warbler’s

nest, and that the little owner of the nest builds another storey over

the intruding egg, and that nests with as many as three stories have

been found built over three different Cow-birds’ eggs.


I found a Summer Yellow Bird’s nest (near Napanee); it was

most beautifully made of fine grass and thistle-down and fern-down.

It certainly had a sort of rudimentary double floor, but there were

no eggs in it, either its own or Cow-birds’, for whatever there

were had long been hatched and the birds flown, as it was the end

of July.


The Canadian Warbler, or Canadian Flycatcher [Sylvania

canadensis], as it is sometimes called, lives in damp woods, where it

can find plenty of insects. It catches them on the wing, as well as

picking them off plants and trees. Its colouring is grey above with

black streaks on its bead ; its breast is yellow, with a row of black

marks across it, set like a Lord Mayor’s chain of office. Its song is

louder than that of most Warblers, but very sweet and clear.


The Blackburnian, Hemlock Warbler, or Torch Bird [Dendroica

blackburniae], is lovely. His head is bright orange and black ; his

throat and breast are orange, shading into whitish ; his back, tail, and

wings are black and white, and he is altogether as smart a little fellow

as you could wish to see. Fluttering among the dark trees of the

Canadian forests I have watched little couples of Torch Birds, the

brightly-coloured little cock, and his dull-coloured mate, busy with their

family cares and affairs which the little cock bird varies by stopping

now and again to sing a little pleasant warble, unremarkable, but

full of sweetness. Their winter home is in the South, where they

go some time in September.


Another Warbler, rather a rare one too in North America, is

the Prothonotary, or Florida Warbler [Prothonotaria citrea]. He is

bright yellow, grey and olive, with white marks on his tail which show

when he flies. He has rather a long bill for a Warbler. We made

his acquaintance at Eau Galee in Florida, but I never heard his song.

He does not migrate far North, hardly beyond the swampy forests

of the Southern States.



