THE INVITATION. 211 



poll warbler breeding in Labrador, and congratulates 

 himself on being the first white man who had ever 

 seen its nest. When these warblers pass north in 

 May, they seem to go singly or in pairs, and their 

 black caps and striped coats show conspicuously. 

 When they return in September they are in troops or 

 loose flocks, are of a uniform dull drab or brindlish 

 color, and are very fat. They scour the tree -tops for 

 a few days, almost eluding the eye by their quick move- 

 ments, and are gone. 



According to my own observation, the number of 

 species of warblers which one living, in the middle 

 districts sees, on their return in the fall, is very small 

 compared with the number he may observe migrating 

 North in the spring. 



The yellow-rumped warblers are the most notice- 

 able of all in the autumn. They come about the 

 streets and garden, and seem especially drawn to dry, 

 leafless trees. They dart spitefully about, uttering a 

 sharp chirp. In Washington I have seen them in the 

 outskirts all winter. 



Audubon figures and describes over forty different 

 warblers. More recent writers have divided and 

 subdivided the group very much, giving new names 

 to new classifications. But this part is of interest and 

 value only to the professional ornithologist. 



The finest songster among the Sylvia, according to 

 my notions, is the black-throated greenback. Its song 

 is sweet and clear, but brief. 



