AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 117 



CANADIAN WARBLER. 



No. 686. Wilsonia canadensis. Length 5 1-2 in. 



About the tenth of May, there appears in Massachusetts, and states of like 

 latitude west of the Rocky Mountains, a beautiful little warbler with a bright 

 yellow breast, a black patch at the side of the head and a necklace of black 

 spots across the throat. This is the male Canadian Warbler; his mate is 

 duller colored and often with no traces of black on the throat, but either sex 

 can be identified in any plumage by the yellowish white eye ring, uniform 

 bluish gray back, wings and tail, and yellowish underparts. 



They are one of the most active of the warbler family and take great de- 

 ligh in catching insects in the air ; because of this habit they are often known 

 as "Canadian Flycatching Warblers." They usually keep close to the 

 ground and are always met with in the vicinity of water. They are not shy, 

 but are very inquisitive and like to peer out at you from the underbrush. In 

 company with a great many other varieties of warblers you will find these 

 birds darting about among the fragrant apple blossoms in the spring; they 

 catch myriads of insects that are always to be found about these flowers. 

 They are at home among laurel and make a striking picture as they dash 

 about among the beautiful blossoms. 



Their notes are in perfect keeping with their dashing manner, — loud, 

 ringing, gurgling warbles, reminding you of murmuring waters, the song 

 most nearly resembling that of the Water Thrush. They are usually found 

 most abundantly in just such places as you find these latter members of the 

 warbler family, and they also nest in similar places. 



I can always find them nesting in a certain laurel swamp near Worcester, 

 but their nests are hard to find. They are built on the ground under the 

 twisted laurel roots or in the moss at the bases of decayed stumps, often be- 

 ing so embedded in the moss that the eggs can only with difficulty be seen. 

 The birds usually scold vigorously when you are in the vicinity of their 

 homes but they are very careful not to disclose the hiding place of their 

 treasures. If you remain in the vicinity and watch them, the female will 

 finally apparently leave the neighborhood, but will soon come creeping 

 carefully back.along the ground, keeping every possible bit of shelter be- 

 tween her and yourself, until finally she settles upon her nest. It is only by 

 keeping the closest watch upon her movements that you will be able to find 

 the nest and you may consider yourself very fortunate if you do then. Their 

 nests are made of fine rootlets and grasses lined with the finest of black root- 

 lets or horsehair. The eggs are pure white with specks of reddish brown, 

 most numerous about the large end and often forming a conspicuous wreath. 



