WILD LIFE OF ORCHARD AND FIELD 



to the ear. Thus the myrtle-bird, always common 

 in the spring in the North, has such a nondescript 

 prattle that no one can be quite sure of the singer 

 till he sees it. This is the bluish, golden-backed 

 warbler that often assembles in huge flocks along 

 the Gulf coast in early winter. 



The chestnut - sided is another exquisite pas- 

 senger through the May woods, known at a glance, 

 not only by his bright-yellow cap, but by the splash- 

 es of rich chestnut red on his streaked sides. He 

 is an active fellow, working away on his own hook, 

 while most of his rivals associate in loose companies 

 of friends, and he stops now and then to utter clear 

 whistles that remind you of the self-satisfied gar- 

 den gossip of the summer yellow-bird. The chest- 

 nut-sided's voice is more often heard, nevertheless, 

 in an eager "Wichity, wichity, wee - wee- wee -n," 

 finally running up into a thin squeak. 



The shrillest, keenest note of the woods, how- 

 ever, as fine as a cambric needle, as sharp as the 

 rays of light that penetrate the leafy roof and gild 

 the forest carpet, is that of the redstart, seen every- 

 where during May and June, in the forest as well 

 as along the road-side or about house and park. 

 Its shriek " Sree, sree, sree, sreeah" pierces the 

 hot silence of the early summer days from bush and 



