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, " \f ". 



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 rajpidity. 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. Lisping, 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 



