The Birds’ Calendar 
had hereabouts. But there is one that is quite 
abundant in all our woods, and sure to attract 
attention by his brilliant black and scarlet col- 
ors, fearless and lively manner, and vigorous but 
simple song. Anyone familiar with the woods 
in summer will recognize in this the fiery little 
redstart—a name corrupted from redstert, mean- 
ing red tail, this portion of the plumage being 
doubly noticeable from the amount of reddish 
yellow upon it, and from the bird’s habit of 
keeping it partly spread as it moves from limb 
to limb. The wings and sides of the breast also 
have a dash of flame color, intensified by the 
otherwise lustrous black of the male, whereas 
the female—well, she looks as anyone would be 
supposed to look, arrayed in goods warranted 
not to wash. If the male redstart is a fiery coal, 
the female is a trail of ashes in his wake. Its 
musical proficiency is summed up ina single 
but often reiterated note, strong and vibrant, 
not so sweet as that of the summer yellow bird, 
but more decisive. The tone is fitly embodied 
in the flaming plumage of the male, for it cuts 
the ear like fire. This bird has the unusual 
habit of often flying from trunk to trunk, and 
clinging to the bark, which I have seen no other 
warbler do except the pine-creeper. As it hops 
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