58 THE BIRDS ABOUT Us. 



others, who find just as abundant a supply of food, 

 if we may judge from their actions. It sometimes 

 happens that we will see no other warblers for several 

 days, but as May approaches the Black-throated 

 Green Warblers make their appearance : these have 

 a louder and rather pleasing song. But by the first 

 of May (I am writing of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 

 and vicinity) all that are coming have generally ar- 

 rived, and a merry time then there is in the tree-tops. 

 They are all very lively, and some of them decked out 

 almost like clowns. They are yellow and black, and 

 such make a splendid show ; they are blue, black, and 

 white, and these are as conspicuous as the bloom on 

 the fruit-trees. There is one with an orange front 

 that glows like a flame, and one, dearer than all the 

 rest, of rich yellow with faint dashes of red. I say 

 dearer than the rest, because a sweet singer, and has 

 the good taste to remain in this favored part of the 

 world all summer long. 



"This is a very common summer species, and appears almost 

 always actively employed among the leaves and blossoms of the wil- 

 lows, snow-ball shrub, and poplars, searching after small green cat- 

 erpillars, which are its principal food. It has a few shrill notes, 

 uttered with emphasis, but not deserving the name of song. It ar- 

 rives in Pennsylvania about the beginning of May, and departs again 

 for the south about the middle of September. It is a very sprightly, 

 unsuspicious, and familiar little bird ; is often seen in and about gar- 

 dens, among the blossoms of fruit-trees and shrubberies ; and, on 

 account of its color, is very noticeable. Its nest is built with great 

 neatness, generally in the triangular fork of a small shrub, near, or 

 among, brier-bushes. Outwardly it is composed of flax or tow, in 

 thick circular layers, strongly twisted round the twigs that rise through 

 its sides, and lined within with hair and the soft downy substance 

 from the stalks of fern. The eggs are four or five, of a dull white, 



