410 GRAY LADY AND THE BIRDS 
pillars, pulling apart webs of the latter and using them 
‘for cordage’ to bind the nest. He is also a destroyer of 
plant-lice and something of a flycatcher as well. 
Maryland Y ellowthroat 
“Here is a merry bird that you cannot miss seeing or 
fail to name if you have eyes and ears. Olive on head and 
back, this bird certainly has a yellow throat, also much 
yellow on tail, wings, and underparts, but if I had the 
naming of it I should call him the ‘ Yellow, Black-masked 
Warbler,’ for he wears a narrow mask of black across his 
face, through which his keen eyes peer provokingly as he 
flits ahead calling for you to follow, “ Followme — follow 
me — follow!’”? When you see the bird, of two points 
you may be sure at once; it is yellow, and it wears a black 
mask, but whether it is yellowest on back, throat, or 
breast will require a second look. 
“This bird is here about the garden and lane from May 
to September, and last June we found its long, bulky nest, 
partly covered like an Indian cradle, in the bushes between 
the garden and orchard, but it usually is so clever at going 
into the bushes and then darting along close to the ground 
to its nest, that we had known of this nest for several 
days before we discovered that it belonged to Black Mask, 
for his wife, who kept the nearest to the nest, wears no 
mask, and we thought her some other kind of Warbler. 
THE MARYLAND YELLOWTHROAT 
While May bedecks the naked trees 
With tassels and embroideries, 
And many blue-eyed violets beam 
Along the edges of the stream, 
