'S91.] Brewster on Bdc/tiimn's W'arb/cr. 



153 



were obtained at the expense of much patient 'star Lj^azinjj;-' accom- 

 panied 1)y inevitable straininjj^ of tlie neck muscles; while far too 

 often, des[)ite our utmost care, the victim Ihially selected would 

 prove to bean unfortunate Parula. 



Of course it is only the male l^achman's Warbler which can be 

 confounded with the Parula, for the female — setting aside occa- 

 sional individuals which have black on the throat — is most like 

 he Orange-crowned Warbler. Indeed it resembles the latter 

 species so very closely, not only in general coloiing but in form 

 and movement also, that it wt)uld require a remarkably keen and 

 practised eye to distinguish one from the other at a greater distance 

 than a few paces. Both sexes of Bachman's VVarl)ler habitually 

 carry the feathers of the crown a little raised, giving the head a 

 flutiy appearance. 



A few shots tired into a flock such as that just descril)ed would 

 usually alarm and scatter its members or start them in rajiid 

 motion through the woods, but one of our party made the curious 

 and very liseful discovery that they could be quieted and brought 

 together again by an imitation of the whistle of the Tufted Tit- 

 mouse. Apparently this bird was recognized as a guide or leader 

 of the throng, a fact possibly due to its loud and persistent voice. 



At times, especially on frosty mornings, or when there was a cold 

 north wind, most of the small birds (including the Parulas) inhab- 

 iting this region, descended from the tree tops into low bushes, 

 especially those growing out over the water on the sunny side of 

 the river; but with a single exception — that of the bird shot b}- 

 Mr. Chapman, March 12 — no Bachman's Warblers were evef 

 seen in such situations. On these, as well as certain other occa- 

 sions, however, they frequented to some extent small maples, 

 magnolias, 01 hackberry trees on the river banks and on dry ridges 

 in the swamps, coming down occasionally to within twentv or 

 thirty feet of the ground but almost never lower. Once I found 

 two males together, but not in company with any other birds, in 

 oak scrub, on the crest of a sandy blutL They kept as high as 

 the trees permitted and appeared restless and ill at ease, as if the 

 place were not to their liking, which was doubtless the case. 

 Most of the specimens collected on the 23rd were taken on rather 

 high ground bordering the river, in a tract of open woods 

 where the trees were chiefly deciduous oaks the leaves of which, 

 just beginning to unfold, had that delicate salmon-pink tint seen 

 in our northern oaks at the corresponding season. Within an area 



