14 



"Witchity-witchity-witch" sing the- 

 MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT from 

 his retreat in the thicket. And he is a. 

 veritable woodland witcn, in the midst 

 of every fracas that starts in the neigh- 

 borhood, equally happy whether singing 

 or scolding and the Yellow-throat can 

 scold more roundly than any bird I 

 know unless it be the House Wren. 

 They are the watchmen of their haunts; 

 none can approach without their sound- 

 ing the alarm by a loud chattering, rat- 

 tling call. 



They arrive from the south about 

 May first and remain until October. In 

 suitable localities they are one of the 

 most abundant of birds. They nest on 

 or very near the ground, making a com- 

 paratively bulky structure of strips of 

 mrk and grasses. It is usually very 

 well concealed among weeds or young 

 shoots or saplings and is quite difficult 

 to locate without flushing the bird. 

 They are often imposed on by Cowbirds 

 and made to hatch and care for one of 

 their j^oung; sometimes we see them 

 feeding husky young Cowbirds twice 

 as large as themselves. 



ing insects on the wing similar to the manner in which fl}^- 

 catchers feed. Others of this group are Canada Warblers- 

 and Wilson's Warblers. CANADA WARBLERS are very 

 beautiful in appearance and are easily distinguished by the 

 slate colored upper parts^ the bright yellow under parts and 

 the prominent necklace of black spots across the lower 

 throat. During migrations they may occur in underbrush 

 in woods or may visit the shrubbery alDOut our houses. They 

 have a loud, ringing, clearly whistled song that is very dis- 

 tinctive when one becomes familiar with it. They nest in 

 favorable localities throughout New England and New 

 York. Swampy places are i3referred, especially those in 

 which spoonwood or laurel abounds. I have found several 

 nests imbedded in mossy banks only a few inches above 

 water and others under roots of laurel where suitable 

 crevices existed. 



WILSON'S WARBLERS, we know only as migrants. 

 They are very active and we may often see them in orchards 

 flitting about apple or cherry blossoms catching the many 

 insects to be found there. More of tliem may be seen, 

 though, if we hie away to the birches along some body ot" 

 water for thev are verv fond of such localities. 



