THE WARBLERS ARE COMING 271 



After the advent of the myrtle warblers, 

 on April 18, eleven days elapsed with no 

 new arrivals, so far as I discovered, except 

 a few chipping sparrows, first seen on the 

 23d! The weather was doing its worst. 

 Then, on the 29th, I saw three yellow palm 

 warblers. They were singing, as they 

 usually are at this season singing and 

 wagging their tails, and incidentally putting 

 me in mind of Florida, where in winter 

 they are seen of every one. It is noticeable 

 that these three earliest of the warblers all 

 have, by way of song, a brief trill. Very 

 much alike the three efforts are, yet clearly 

 enough distinguished, if one hears them 

 often enough. The best and least of them 

 is the myrtle's, I being judge. 



The yellow palm warbler ought to be a 

 Southerner of the Southerners, one would 

 say, from his tropical appellation ; but the 

 truth is that he makes his home from Nova 

 Scotia northward, and visits the land of 

 palms only in the cold season. He is a 

 low-keeping bird (for a warbler), much on 

 the ground, very bright hi color, and well 

 marked by a red crown, from which he is 



