54



Notes on a few American Warblers.



This little Warbler builds as near the ground as possible, preferring the*

very evil-smelling skunk-cabbage in which to place his nest, certainly

a safe place! He has rather a nice little song, of three or four notes,

which it is said calls “Follow me, follow mee-e.” Late in the summer

I watched one rising, almost lark-like, as it sang. It has also a sharp

call, or warning note.


The Black-throated Grey Warbler [Dendroica nigrescens] is

another of the few that have hardly any yellow feathers. He is nearly

all grey, black and white, with a yellow spot in front of each eye.

He is one of the smaller Warblers, being barely five inches long. He

lives in the forests “ out West,” where we may see him flying about

among the tall trees, where he builds, and sings a pretty little warbling

song.


“ Way down South ” the Louisiana Water Thrush [Seiurus

motacilla], which is really a small Warbler, enchants us with its song.

Its colouring is certainly Thrush-like, -with wee speckled breast. In

the swampy woods near New Orleans, or inland from Pensacola and

thereabouts, its delicious clear, high voice may be heard. This

Warbler nearly always builds its nest in some inaccessible place, over

water, in the low fork of tree, or upturned root. In summer they

come further North, even to the range of the Northern Water Thrush,

which there takes its place.


The Northern Water Thrush [Seiurus noveboracensis] is also a

Wood Warbler. It is a little smaller than the Louisiana Water Thrush,

and its voice is not quite so varied and clear, yet I have listened with

delight to the sweet trills, a sort of series of sharp, clear notes. This

Warbler has also very much the colouring of the common Thrush of

Europe, in fact it looks like a miniature. They build “ far from the

madding crowd ” on the ground. Curiously enough, we heard them

singing in August in the woods near Livingstone, where we watched

two or three of them by a little rocky, mossy stream. I suppose

in that rather high altitude they nest later than on the lower levels.


I have seen and watched ever so many other Warblers, but it

would be tedious to enumerate them all.* Those who are interested

in these small birds will find them well worth study, should they



* [We hope that Lady William Cecil will give us some more records of her

very interesting observations. —Ed.]



