JOURNAI^ OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 75 



appearance. Above, the centers of the feathers are blackish, edged 

 with drab and yellowish brown ; below, much the same general 

 appearance, but far lighter in coloration and with a pale yellow color 

 on the abdomen ; wings blackish, with two indistinct, whitish bars ; 

 wing feathers edged with drab ; tail blackish, with feathers edged 

 with drab ; bill and feet dusky buff. 



In August, by a complete moult, the first winter plumage is 

 acquired. This is rather duller colored than the corresponding 

 plumage of adult birds, the black markings and feathers of a duller 

 tint and the edgings of the feathers less grey. 



The first nuptial plumage is acquired by a partial moult in early 

 spring and is not quite as brilliant as that of full adult birds. A 

 moult beginning in late July or early August gives the adult winter 

 plumage, which in early spring by partial moult gives the full adult 

 nuptial plumage. Descriptions of the full adult plumages of both 

 sexes can be found in any current manual on birds, so it is needless 

 to give them here. 



The food of the adult birds in spring and summer consists almost 

 entirely of small grubs and larv?e of beetles and lepidopterous insects, 

 eggs of various species of insects, beetles, mosquitoes, and, in fact, 

 almost any insects, their eggs or larvae which are likely to be found 

 during a careful search of the trees frequented by the birds. Many 

 of the adult insects are taken on the wing, the warblers taking short 

 springs and flights into the air for this purpose. The young for the 

 first few days are fed on the softer sorts of insects secured by the 

 parents, and later their fare is like that of the parents in every way. 

 Towards fall considerable vegetable food creeps into their diet, 

 doubtless owing to the scarcity of insects. Berries of the Virginia 

 creeper, dogwood of various species, viburnum berries, seeds of the 

 alder, and doubtless other similar vegetable matter is consumed. I 

 have detailed only such as I have actually seen individuals eating 

 or found in their stomachs. 



The last of August the first migrants from the north begin to 

 appear, and by mid-September the migrating hosts are abundant. 

 They dally with us longer than in the springtime, and it is well 



