1064 Report of State Geologist. 



The dates at wliich they were last seen in spring are Brookville, 

 May 11, 1882; Richmond, May 19, 1897; Carroll County, May 24, 

 1883; Lafayette, May 21, 1892; Lake County, May 30, 1894. Their 

 breeding ground begins not far north of us, and from the time the last 

 ones leave until the first fall migrants appear, with their faces turned 

 the other way, is but a few weeks less than three months. They 

 may even be found breeding in this State, as they are reported to 

 have bred in Kalamazoo County, Mich. (Cook, B. of M., p. 133). They 

 begin to arrive from the north after the middle of August — Chicago, 

 August 21, 1886; Cincinnati, August 30, 1877; Vermillion County, 

 Ind., August 19, 1897 (Barnett); and through the next month or six 

 weeks are to be found frequenting the same kinds of woods they did 

 in spring. Usually all have passed by October 1, but they are some- 

 times to be found after the middle of that month (Brookville, October 

 14, 1889; Cincinnati, October 18, 1879). They are the first of the 

 migrating Warblers to arrive in numbers in the fall, and although the 

 brilliant colors of the spring have been replaced by plainer hues, they 

 may be recognized. At that season, they are usually much more 

 numerous than they are in spring. x\s they return in the fall, they 

 are silent, having lost the song they sang the preceding spring. Mr. 

 Minot likens that song to the syllables wee-see-wee-see, tsee, tsee, tsee, . 

 tsee, tsee, tsee, tsee, the latter notes ascending in the scale until the last 

 one becomes shrill and fine. In summer he says it sings, wee-see-wee- 

 see-wee-see (wee-see-ick). Their food consists of beetles, caterpillars, 

 ants, bugs, crane flies, ichneumon flies, and other insects (King, Geol. 

 of Wis., I., p. 504). They pass southward to their winter quarters, 

 where great numbers of the brighter birds fall victims of the plumage 

 gatherer. They are found in this northern land again, but not freely 

 flitting among the greening trees, now showing their beautiful throats, 

 then singing their queer little songs, but as articles of adornment, 

 with other native" birds. Their appearance upon the apparel of our 

 women serves as a continual reminder of what a fearful offering of 

 life the great Goddess of Fashion yearly demands at our hands. Upon 

 her altars are sacrificed annually an innumerable host of man's good 

 friends, the insect eating birds. 



