SYLVICOLID/E — THE WARBLERS. 315 



It is said to be one of the liveliest of its tribe, and to be almost constantly 

 in motion. It is fond of secluded places, and is equally common in the thick 

 canebrakes, both of the high and the low lands, and in tlie tangled under- 

 growth of impenetrable swamps. It has a peculiarly graceful manner of 

 closing and opening its broad tail, that at once distinguishes it from every 

 other bird, as it gambols from tree to tree, now in sight, and now hid from 

 the eye, but ever within hearing. 



Mr. Audubon adds that its call-note so closely resembles that of the 

 Spiza ciris that it requires a practised ear to distinguish them. But its song- 

 is very different. This consists of three notes, and is loud, lively, and pleas- 

 ing. This song is said to be made of sounds resembling the syllables weet, 

 iveet, iveetee. Extremely vocal in the early spring, it becomes nearly silent 

 as soon as its brood is hatched. It resumes its song when its mate is again 

 sitting on her eggs, as they have more than one brood in a season. 



They are described as expert flycatchers, full of activity and spirit, flying 

 swiftly after their insect prey; and catching the greater part on the wing. 

 Their flight is low, gliding, and often protracted. 



Mr. Bachman narrates a striking instance of its courage and conjugal devo- 

 tion. While a pair of these Warblers were constructing a nest, a Sharp- 

 shinned Hawk pounced upon and bore off the female. The male followed 

 close after the Hawk, flying within a few inches and darting at him in all 

 directions, and so continued until quite out of sight. 



Wilson states that it builds a very neat and compact nest, generally in the 

 fork of a small bush. It is formed of moss and flaxen fibres of plants, and 

 lined with hair or feathers. The eggs, five in number, he describes as of a 

 grayish -white, with red spots at the larger end. He noticed its arrival at 

 Savannah as early as the 20th of March. Mr. Audubon adds that these 

 nests are always placed in low situations, a few feet from the ground. 



The late Dr. Gerhardt, of Varnell's Station, Georgia, informed me, by let- 

 ter, that the Hooded Warbler deposits her eggs about the middle of May, 

 laying four. The nest is not unlike that of the Sjyiza cyanca, but is larger. 

 It is constructed of dry leaves and coarse grass on the outside, and within 

 of dry pine-needles, interwoven with long yellow grasses and sometimes with 

 horsehair. They are built, for the most part, in the neighborhood of brooks 

 and creeks, in oak bushes, four or five feet from the ground. The female 

 sits so closely, and is so fearless, that Dr. Gerhardt states he has sometimes 

 nearly caught her in his hand. 



In another letter Dr. Gerhardt describes a nest of tliis species as measur- 

 ing three inches in height, three in external diameter, and an inch and a 

 quarter in the depth of its cavity. Externally it was built of dry leaves and 

 coarse grasses, lined inside with horsehair, fine leaves of pine, and dry slender 

 grasses. It was constructed on a small oak growing in low bottom-land, and 

 was three feet from the ground. The complement of eggs is four. 



Mr. Piidgway states that tliis species is a common summer resident in the 



