A DAINTY WARBLER. 189 



3^ou know, is quite the reverse of the fashion in 

 vogue among folks. 



Not only does history repeat itself, as the old, 

 threadbare adage runs, but ornithological experi- 

 ences do the same. If you meet a bird once, no 

 matter how long you may have been looking for 

 him in vain, you are sure to meet him again, and 

 perhaps very frequently. Such has been my expe- 

 rience with the yellow-rumped warbler, as this bird 

 is often called. Every spring and autumn since 

 my introduction to him long ago, I have had the 

 pleasure of studying him and improving his ac- 

 quaintance. Indeed, he has become one of my 

 most familiar friends. 



What a delightful day was the twenty -eighth of 

 April, 1890, when for an hour I watched four of 

 these attractive birds flitting about in the saplings 

 at the border of a. woodland, and threading the 

 bare branches with their brilliant hues. They 

 seemed almost like living jewels tilting gracefully 

 on the twigs, if one can imagine such a thing. 

 My notes say that the black of their chests was 

 divided into two lobes by the immaculate white 

 ''choker" extending down from the throat. 



This warbler quartette was beautiful to look 

 upon, not only on account of the luster of their 



