1672 



THE PERCHING BIRDS 



bird, and on its first arrival may be observed flitting actively about the lower 

 branches of trees and bushes in quest of insect prey. Although in coloration this 

 warbler bears some resemblance to the willow warblers, it does not form a dome to 

 its nest like those birds, nor does it build near the ground. On the contrary, its 

 pretty nest is of dry stems of grass interwoven with moss, wool, and other 

 materials, in some small tree, generally eight or ten feet from the ground. The 

 eggs are brownish pink in ground color, spotted with dark purplish brown. Mr. 

 Seebohm gives the following description of the song of the icterine warbler: " Per- 

 haps on the whole the song of the common tree warbler comes nearest to that of 



ICTERINE WARBLER. 

 (Two-thirds natural size. ) 



the marsh warbler, but often it reminds you strongly of the sedge warblers. At 

 other times you may trace a fancied resemblance to the chirping of the sparrow, the 

 scolding of the whitethroat, or the scream of the swift." The adult male in spring 

 is olive green above, the wings and tail are brown, the under parts are uniformly of 

 a very beautiful and delicate yellow. The female is identical in plumage with her 

 mate, but rather duller. 



Yet another genus {Acrocephalus) of warblers is typically repre- 

 sented by the reed warbler, and is distinguished from all the foregoing 

 by the feathers of the forehead being short and rounded, instead of disintegrated 



Reed Warblers 



