104 BULLETIN OF THE NUTTALL 



carefull}^ studying their habits, I became convinced of the error of my 

 earlier impressions. Their movements are much slower than those 

 of the Mniotilta, and there is less of that crouching, creeping motion. 

 They do, indeed, spend much of their time searching the larger 

 branches for food, but it is much more in the manner of the Pine 

 Warbler, and their motion is rather a hopping than a creeping one. 

 I have never seen them ascend the trees from the roots to the top- 

 most branches, as Audubon relates, but I occasionally observed one 

 clinging against the main trunk for a moment, to seize an insect, 

 as will the 'R\neh\v(\ {Sialia sialis) and many of the Warblers. Their 

 hunting-ground is for the most part, however, among the higher 

 branches, and a considerable part of their time is spent at the ex- 

 tremities of the limbs, searching for food among the pine needles. 

 Their Vjright yellow throats, brought out by contrast with the dark 

 evergreen foliage, give them a certain resemblance to the Black- 

 burnian Warbler (^Dendnxca blacl-burnue). The males are not veiy 

 persistent singers. I rarely heard them during the warm hours 

 of the day, even when pairing was almost their sole occupation. 

 Their song is very pretty ; it may be nearly imitated by the syl- 

 lables Tivsee-twsee-tivsee, twsee-see, the last two rising and terminat- 

 ing abruptly. It most nearly resembles that of the Nashville 

 Warbler {Ilelminthojyhaga ruficapilla), beginning in almost the 

 same waj^, but ending differently, and, indeed, throughout the notes 

 are much sweeter. Both sexes utter a chirp similar to that of other 

 Warblers, but sharper. 



By the middle of April there was a marked decrease in the 

 number of Yellow-throated Warblei's about St. Mary's. This was 

 partly owing to my having shot many for specimens, but not en- 

 tirely to this, for extended researches over new ground convinced 

 me that the greater number had passed on, probably to the north- 

 ward. A few, however, still remained ; perhaps on an average one 

 pair to every hundred acres of pine forest. While collecting near 

 St. Mary's, April 18, I was in the act of shooting a female when I 

 noticed that she was gathering material for building, and, tracing 

 her flight, I was fortunate enough to discover her half-completed 

 nest. Visiting the spot at frequent intervals, I invariably found 

 both birds feeding among the pines in the vicinity, although the 

 nest, as far as I could judge, seemed finished. At length. May 2, 

 a friend, ascending the tree, found the female sitting. She remained 

 on the nest imtil he nearly touched it, although the limb shook 



