232 THE INVITATION. 



ing the characteristics of each. By far the greatei 

 number of our land-birds are either warblers, vireos, 

 fly-catchers, thrushes, or finches. 



The warblers are, perhaps, the most puzzling. 

 These are the true Sylvia, the real wood-birds. They 

 are small, very active, but feeble songsters, and, to bo 

 seen, must be sought for. In passing through the 

 woods, most persons have a vague consciousness of 

 slight chirping, semi-musical sounds in the trees over- 

 head. In most cases these sounds proceed from the 

 warblers. Throughout the Middle and Eastern 

 States, half a dozen species or so may be found in al- 

 most every locality, as the redstart, 1 the Maryland 

 yellow-throat, the yellow warbler (not the common 

 goldfinch, with black cap, and black wings and tail), 

 the hooded warbler, the black and white creeping 

 warbler ; or others, according to the locality and the 

 character of the woods. In pine or hemlock woods, 

 one species may predominate ; in maple or oak woods, 

 or in mountainous districts, another. The subdivis- 

 ion of ground warblers, the most common members 

 of which are the Maryland yellow-throat, the Ken- 

 tucky warbler, and the mourning ground warbler, 

 are usually found in low, wet, bushy, or half-open 

 woods, often on, and always near the ground. 



The summer yellow-bird, or yellow warbler, is not 



l I am aware that the redstart is generally classed among the 

 By-catchers, but its song, its form, and its habits are in every re- 

 ipect those of a warbler. Its main fly-catcher mark is its beak, 

 but to the muscicapa proper it presents little or no resemblance tc 

 Uie general observer. 



