122 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS 



heard both earlier and later in the year. It is apparently a 

 delicately trilled whistle, but really a series of fine notes, as is 

 proved by the fact that the birds open and shut their bills, 

 whilst emitting the sound. It closely resembles one of the 

 Snow-bird's whistles, and also the trill of the Swamp Sparrow. 

 The Pine Warblers have also a chip, and a few weak notes, 

 such as cliip-a-see, and we-cliee-we-cliee-we-cliee, which are not 

 very expressive, and are not often heard. 



(K) PALMARUM. "Red-poll" Warbler. Palm Warbler. "Yel- 

 low Red-poll." 



(A common migrant through Massachusetts.) 



(a). About five inches long. Dull olive above, (obsoletely) 

 streaked. Crown, reddish-crimson (or "chestnut"). Beneath, 

 yellow, inconspicuously streaked on the breast with bright 

 reddish-brown. Tail-feathers with a few white blotches. (De- 

 tails omitted.) 



(6). The nest is said to be placed on the ground, usually in 

 a swampy locality. The eggs of each set are four ( ?) ; average 

 about -70 X "55 of an inch ; and are (creamy) white, with pur- 

 plish, faint lilac, and reddish-brown markings, chiefly at the 

 larger end. 



(c). The Yellow "Red-polls" pass the summer in the North, 

 almost entirely beyond the limits of New England, and the 

 winter in the South, and consequently appear in Massachusetts 

 as migrants only. They are usually common near Boston 

 in the latter part of April, and the first week of May, as 

 well as in the latter part of September, and sometimes the 

 earlier part of October. Their favorite haunts are swamps and 

 their neighborhoods, but they also frequent "scrub," hedge- 

 rows, ploughed lands, gardens, and orchards. They almost 

 invariably gather in loose flocks, and often associate with 

 other warblers, and with various sparrows. They are much 

 more terrestrial in their habits than any of their immediate 

 relations (i. e., the Dendroecce) and always are on or not very 

 far from the ground. They fly quite gracefully, and are nimble 

 when on the ground or when moving from branch to branch in 



