■Warblers SONG-BIRDS. 



rail, or telegraph wire. They also flock in the autumn- 

 ploughed fields, searching out the newly uncovered grubs 

 and larvae. When on the ground they resemble the Water 

 Thrushes and they are continually jerking their tails about, 

 a habit which has give them, together with these Thrushes, 

 the title of Wagtails. 



FAMILY MNIOTILTIDiE : WOOD WARBLERS. 



Black-and-white Creeper: Mniotilta varia. 



Lengtii : About 5 inches. 



3Iale and Female : Above striped black and white. Wliite stripe on 



top of head, bordered by black stripe. White stripe over eye. 



Black cheeks and throat, separated by a black line. Breast 



white in middle, black stripe on sides. Wings and tail black ; 



wings with two white cross-bars and some white edgings, tail 



with white markings on outer quills. Bill and feet black. 



Female paler stripings, less distinct. Strong resemhJaiice to the 



Downy Woodpecker. 

 Song: Feeble and lisping, " Weachy, weachj% weachy, 'twee — 'twee, 



'twee 'tweet." 

 Season : April to late September. 



Breeds : Throughout eastern United States and northward. 

 Nest: Low down, either on a stump or the ground, composed of bark, 



grass, leaves, hair. Very difficult to find. 

 Eggs : 4-5, white, dotted thickly with red and brown. 

 liange : Eastern United States to the Plains, north to Fort Simpson, 



south, in winter, to Central America and the West Indies. 



The Black-and-white Creeper is one of tho most familiar 

 and sociable of the Warblers. Afc first you will doubtless 

 think it a small Woodpecker, as it is seen principally scram- 

 bling around tree trunks searching for the insect food upo« 

 which it, together with the entire family of Warblers, sub- 

 sists. 



During the past four years this Warbler has not varied a 

 week in the dates of his first and last appearance in the 

 garden. He has come to a certain gnarled old apple tree, 

 his favourite resort, twice on May 2, once May 1, and 

 once April 29, and has invariably been last seen, in the 

 same locality, betAveen September 25 and October 2. 



