548 HISTORY OF THE 



wing with two broad, white bauds; chin, throat and breast yellow; chest more 

 or less tinged with orange brown, this often bordered anteriorly by a blackish 

 band across the lower throat; rest of lower parts white; the sides tinged with 

 bluish gray and reddish brown. Adult female: Similar to the male but paler; 

 all colors less pronounced. Young, in first autumn: Upper parts in general 

 tinged with olive green; yellow of lower parts paler. Young: Yellow of lower 

 parts replaced by light grayish, the chin tinged with yellow; above, dull gray- 

 ish, more olive on back; the wings and tail much as in adult female, but duller 

 grayish. (Ridgway.) 



Stretch of 

 Length. wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 4.55 7.20 2.25 1.80 .65 .40 



Female... 4.20 6.75 2.05 1.60 .65 .38 



Iris dark brown; bill upper black, under pale yellow; legs, 

 feet and claws pale brown; bottoms of feet yellowish. 



The natural haunts of this graceful little Warbler are within the 

 timbered lands along the streams and borders of swamps, where 

 it delights to forage in the topmost branches of the trees, skip- 

 ping from branch to branch, darting off to catch a passing in- 

 sect, peeping into the crevices of the bark from the under side 

 of the limbs, or swaying from the ends of leafy twigs, with the 

 ease and freedom of the Chickadee. When the fruit trees are 

 in blossom, it visits the gardens and orchards, and rids the buds 

 and blossoms of many a pest. It is thought by some to also 

 feed upon the pollen and other soft parts of blossoms, but I 

 have so far failed, upon dissection, to find a trace of anything 

 but insect life. 



Their call note sounds much like "Cheep," and when scold- 

 ing or alarmed it is uttered in a chattering manner. Their song 

 is a feeble effort, that can only be heard a short distance; a 

 rather sharp, lisping, twittering trill. 



For their nesting places, they select low or swampy lands, 

 where the pendulous mosses grow. Dr. Brewer, in "North 

 American Land Birds," gives the following minute description 

 of their nests and eggs: 



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

 observation, have always been made of long gray 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 long branches. By 



