210 NOKTir AMKRK'AX HIRDS. 



A true WarbltT in most of its jittrilmtos, this \nn\ luia many of tlie luibits of 

 Titmice. Like these it lVe(|uents the tups of tiie tiiUer trees, feeilin<^ on the 

 small winged inst'cts anil cateijiillars that ah<»und among tiie young leaves 

 and blossoms. It has no s«»ng, in-o}>eily so called, its notea u»"^j feeble and 

 few, and can be heard only a shdit distance. 



The song of this species is said by Mr. Trippe, of Onmge, X. Y., to 

 be a somewhat sharp ami lisping, yet (piite varied and pleasing, .series of 

 notes. 



Mr. Audnl)on sj)eaks of this sjiecies as breeding in Louisiana, but his 

 descri]»tion of the nest dittei's so entirely from such as are met with in Mas- 

 sachusetts as to suggest doubts as to the coiTeetness of the identification. 

 He describes them as Hitting over (himp places, the edges of ]x)nds and 

 streams, and pursuing their prey with great activity. They resort to the 

 woods as soon as the foliage api)eai-s on the forest trees, and glean among the 

 leaves for the smaller winged insects. 



The nests of this Warbler, so far as has fallen under my observation, have 

 always been made of long gniy lichens still attached to the trees on which 

 they grow. With great skill do these tiny architects gather up, fasten 

 together, and interweave, one with the other, the hanging ends and longer 

 branches. By an elabonite intertwining of these long fibres they form the 

 principal part, sometimes the whole, of their nests. These structures are at 

 once simple, beautiful, ingenious, and skilfully wrought. When first made, 

 they are somewhat rude and unfinished, but as their family are gathered, 

 the eggs dejK)sited, incubated, and hatched, a change has been going on. Lit- 

 tle by little has the male bird busied himself, when not procuring foo<l for 

 his mate, in imi)roving, strengthening, and enlarging the nest. These same 

 acts of improvement upon the original nests are noticed with llumming- 

 Birds, Vireos, and a few other birds. 



The nests are sometimes constructed on the sides of trunks of trees, when 

 covered with the long gray lichens, but are more freipiently found hanging 

 from branches usually not more than six or eight feet from the ground. 

 Thus surrounded by long hanging mos.ses in clumps not distinguishable from 

 the nests themselves, they would not Ixj readily recognized were it not that 

 those familiar with the habits of the bird may be readily guided to the spot 

 by the artless movements of the unsuspecting parents. 



These birds are confiding, easily approached, and rarely exhibit any signs of 

 alarm. Even when their nest is disturbed they make but little complaint, and 

 do not manifest any very great signs of emotion. When built against a trunk 

 these nests consist only of an interweaving of the moss above and below a 

 very small oi)ening, within whicdi a small cup-shaped Hooring has been made 

 of the same material, and usually caimot be removed without destroying all 

 semblance of a nest. When jxjnsile they are imperfectly circular in shape, 

 with an entrance on one side, and rarely with any lining. Occasionally they 

 are models of synnnetrv and beauty. 



