204 THE rACU-lC VELLUW-TIIROAT. 



viiiiiit\ i>i walor. F.ygs: 4. Av. size, .76 x .55 ( 19.3 x 13.5 ). .SVtiJcxi; tirst week 

 in May, first week in June; two broods. 



General Ranj^e. — "Pacific coast district, from Hritisli Cokimhia southward; 

 ItrcoliiiR sdiitluvard to l.os Aiijiilcs Comity. California, an<l eastward to Fort 

 Klaniatli, (>ri-j,'()ii; dnrini,' iiii^'ration to Cajic St. Lucas" (Ridgw.). 



Range in Washinjijton. Snmnicr rcsidcnl in frcsli and salt water marshes 

 west of tlic Cascadi-N. 



.>\i>:ratinns. — S(<riiitj: Tacoma, .April 12, n/55, .April 6, 1906. 



Authorities. — ? Andiihon, ( )rn. i'iog. \'. 1839, 463, jiart (Columbia River). 

 Ci-iilltl\['is tiicluis. Baird. K.p. P;ic. K. K. Surv. i.\. iK^S, 24 1. jiart. (T). C&S. 

 I.'. Ra'. !!. E. 



Specimens. — I'rov. It. E. 



l.\' OL'R younger days some of us were lauglit to be seen and not heard. 

 .\inoiig the Vellow-throats the children are tauglit the (tppositc. .\ bird that 

 can call "Wilch-et-y ! W'itch-et y! Witch-et-y !" in a dr)zen dilTerent places 

 thru the swale and in the nieaiitinie can kee|) out of sight while you are look- 

 ing for him, is a well brought-up Vellow-throat. We were taught to tell the 

 truth, but deceit is drilled into the Vellow-throat chilrlren from the time they 

 leave the egg. .\ human mother insists uikiu your looking at her children, 

 but at the approach of a visitor the Yellow-throat mother sneaks oft' the 

 nest and away thru the bushes for the sole purpose of persuading you the 

 home is in the reeds on the other side of the creek. This may Ije wrong 

 according to our teaching, but it is perfectly right according to the A'ellow- 

 throat's code of morals. 



If you want to see Yellow-throat, \ou must go flown along the swale 

 or visit some damp thicket or swamp. He likes the rushes and the reeds 

 where the Red-winged Blackbird and the Tule Wren live. I once found 

 a Red-wing's nest and a Yellow-throat's home within a few feet of each 

 other. If you want to see this groimd warbler, go to his haunt. He will 

 see you first but lie down quietly among the liushes. Me will likely get 

 curious and ho|) up out of the reefls. You may get just one good look 

 before he darts away into the bushes again. 



The male Vellow-throat always wears plain marks of recognition on 

 his face. He has a black mask extending across his forehead and back on 

 the sides of his head. The female goes without a mask and is clothed in 

 subdued tints of yellow and brown. 



When the Yellow-throat seeks a home, he finds a thick tussock of 

 grass aii<l hides his nest well in the middle. It is my experience that 

 when you want to find his home, it is better not to look for it. If you 

 keep on tramping thru the swamps and swales, some day you will stumble 

 on one when you least ex|)ect it Once I hunted for several days alK>ut 

 a swampy place where I heard the Yellow'-lhroats singing. N'ot a sign 

 of a nest did I find. Whenever I appeared the binU wnr ..n hand as if 



