96 FIVE DAYS ON MOUNT MANSFIELD. 



and most desolate places, they manifest a 

 particular fondness for the immediate vicin- 

 ity of houses, delighting especially to fly 

 about the gutters of the roof and against the 

 window panes. Here, at the Summit 

 House, they were constantly to be seen hawk- 

 ing back and forth against the side of the 

 building, as barn swallows are given to doing 

 in the streets of cities. The rude structure 

 was doubly serviceable, to me a shelter, 

 and to the birds a fly-trap. I have never ob- 

 served any other warbler thus making free 

 with human habitations. 



This yellow-rump, or myrtle bird, is one 

 of the thrifty members of his great family, 

 and next to the black-poll is the most numer- 

 ous representative of his tribe in Massachu- 

 setts during the spring and fall migrations ; 

 a beautiful little creature, with a character- 

 istic flight and call, and for a song a pretty 

 trill suggestive of the snow-bird's. Within 

 two or three years he has been added to the 

 summer fauna of Massachusetts, and as a 

 son of the Bay State I rejoice in his presence 

 and heartily bid him welcome. We shall 

 never have too many of such citizens. I es- 

 teem him, also, as the only one of his deli- 



