SONG-BIRDS. Warblers 



a tangle of cedars, before which are the kennels where the 

 dogs are chained at night. Early one morning they set up 

 a chorus of grieved and disappointed howls, and, on going 

 to find the cause, I found them tugging at their chains and 

 casting longing glances toward the cedars. I listened a 

 moment, and there came a succession of whistles, like their 

 master's call, and I found that a Chat was working off his 

 spirits in this way. A few days later, in going up the lane 

 road with a very slow horse, I heard the same whistle from 

 the bushes, and it was not imagination alone that gave these 

 syllables to the chattering : " Whew ! whew ! whew ! Hi ! 

 get a whip. Chuc-a-chuck, chuck. Whew ! Hi ! " Then 

 the Chat flashed into the open, just to show that it was 

 really he himself, and was gone. 



Hooded Warbler : Sylvania mitrata. 



Length : 5-5.25 inches. 



Male : Slack hood, chin, and upper breast. Yellow face, lower breast, 

 and under parts. Above rich olive ; white spots on outer tail 

 feathers. Bill black, feet light. 



Female : Similar, but with the cowl restricted or lacking. 



Song : " Che-we-eo-tsip, tsip, che-we-eo ! " 



Season : May to September. A rare summer resident here, according 

 to Mr. Averill. 



Breeds : Through its United States range. 



Nest : In bushes in damp woods, of bark strips, skeleton leaves, cat- 

 kins, and grasses, woven with spider webs. 



Eggs : 4, white, with reddish brown speckles. 



Range : Eastern United States, west to the Plains, north and east to 

 Michigan, southern New York, and southern New England; 

 in winter, West Indies, eastern Mexico, and Central America. 



In general appearance like the Yellow-throat, save that 

 the black on the head forms a complete hood (except for the 

 yellow face) meeting under the chin like a cape. This 

 jaunty little bird looks as if he had assumed his black cowl 

 for masquerading purposes only, and might be expected to 

 throw it off at any moment. Quite plentiful in some parts 

 of this state; it has been known to nest near Bridgeport, 

 i 113 



