344 The Redstart 



mating season begins to come over them. Then, following the general 

 lines of the migration-routes by which they went south, they turn their 

 wing-beats back toward the northern United States and Canada. 



Here are some of the dates when Redstarts have been known to 

 reach different points along the Atlantic seaboard during their spring 

 migration : Southern Florida, April 3 ; Atlanta, Georgia, April 6 ; Engle- 

 wood, New Jersey, April 26 ; Portland, Connecticut, May 3 ; Durham, 

 New Hampshire, May 10; Nova Scotia, May 21. From this it would 

 appear that it takes about six weeks for the birds to journey from south- 

 ern Florida to their summer home in southern Canada. 

 rave - Q course t h e y cou \^ ma ke this trip much more 



Routes .,,... * , , -f, 



quickly if it was necessary, but they follow the open- 

 ing of the spring and the consequent reappearance of insect-life. 



Somewhat similar facts have been recorded of the coming of the Red- 

 starts that pass up the Mississippi Valley, as are indicated by the follow- 

 ing data of the first appearance at different localities along the inland 

 route : New Orleans, Louisiana, April 5 ; St. Louis, Missouri, April 

 17; Oberlin, Ohio, April 27; Lake Forest, Illinois, May 3; Columbia 

 Falls, Montana, May 20. 



As the Redstart is a beautiful, attractive, and exceedingly useful bird, 

 it is perfectly apparent that the legislatures of the various States, as well 

 as Congress, have been wise in enacting laws for their protection. In 

 virtually every State where the bird is found the Audubon Law has 

 been written on the statute books. No one should ever kill a Redstart. 



The Painted Redstart (Setophaga picta) is a closely related species, 

 which is mainly Mexican in its habitat, but appears north of the Mexican 

 border in southern Arizona and New Mexico. It has a gaudy beauty 

 lustrous black, with a large white patch on the wings, white edging on 

 the tail, and the middle of the breast and abdomen rose-red. It occu- 

 pies the valleys and canyons among the foot-hills of mountains, where a 



sparse growth of oaks seems to favor its habits. "Their 

 a ' E motions," H. W. Henshaw writes of these birds, "are 



almost an exact reflection of those of the common Red- 

 start, which they so much resemble in form." 



Mr. Henshaw was unable to find the nest of this southwestern 

 Redstart; but it is now known to be placed on the ground, usually con- 

 cealed under some overhanging stone or stump amid shrubbery, and 

 preferably in a stream-bank. The nests are made of finely shredded mate- 

 rials and lined with hair. The eggs are white, dotted with reddish brown. 



Classification and Distribution 



The Redstart belongs to the Order Passeres and Family Mniotiltidee. Its 

 scientific name is Setophaga ruticilla. It breeds in the Northern States and in 

 southern Canada east of the plains; and winters in the West Indies and central 

 America. 



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