THE BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER. 161 
The chief reason for this is one which we deplore otherwise, viz., the con- 
tinued denudation of the forests. It is probably safe to say that in Wilson’s 
day, that is during the opening decade of the last century, eighty-five per 
cent of the area of our state was covered with timber. In such a forest 
even of the great Warbler army, whole regiments might pass year by year 
unnoticed, and many species be held rare which were really abundant. But 
as early as 1885 the forest acreage was estimated at only seventeen per cent 
of the whole. ‘These are the latest statistics available, but the percentage, 
without doubt, has steadily decreased since then. In this respect, then, 
we are favored; for if the birds would forage at all, they must needs avail 
themselves of our restricted wood-lots and swarm through our fenced or- 
chards. We are unmasking hidden beauties, and compelling reluctant fays 
to show themselves. 
The Black-throated Green Warbler, as an individual, is little troubled 
over our ingenious compulsion, for it is not at all unwilling to show itself, 
and has never learned a wholesome fear of man’s presence. It is one of the 
commonest warblers both in spring and fall, and seems in no hurry to get 
on, but there is no recent evidence that it ever fails to make the passage of 
Lake Erie. Confined for the most part to the tops of trees, it not infre- 
quently ventures down to inspect you, hopping daintily from branch to branch, 
and leaning forward to peer at you inquiringly as the distance decreases. 
The song is an odd little affair of lisping squeaky notes, but as innocent 
as the upturned face of a questioning child. Its delicacy defies vocalization 
but Mr. Burroughs has proposed a graphic representation which is quite un- 
forgetable, “ ———-V~ ee 
Family groups of six or seven individuals may be seen early in the fall 
hunting close together, but as the season advances the weakening bonds of 
kinship are lost in the sense of clanship, and this in turn is blended with the 
sense of racial consanguinity, which more or less affects all warblers. Rev 
W. F. Henninger reports a remarkable occurrence which took place near 
South Webster in Scioto County. He says, in substance: On September 28, 
1899, I ran into a company of Warblers which I would place conservatively 
at two thousand individuals. It was like a regular army as it moved up a 
long sloping hillside, and with wonderful rapidity. The wind was blowing 
almost a gale from the north, and the birds allowed themselves to be urged 
before it in the direction of their ultimate retreat, like half-stubborn autumn 
leaves. Ljisping, chipping, whirling, driving, they hurried on and I after 
at full speed, panting, and wishing devoutly for a better chance to identify 
the fleeing forms. Arrived at the top of the hill the army suddenly halted 
and when I arrived breathless I had time to note the arrangement by species 
not rigid indeed, but sufficiently striking to command attention. In the center 
were seen Hooded Warblers and a sprinkling of Chestnut-sides. On either 
