186 BIRDS THROUGH AN OPERA-GLASS. 



LXIIL 



BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER; HEMLOCK WARBLER', 

 ORANGE-THROATED WARBLER. 



THE Blackburnian is one of the handsomest 

 and most easily recognized of the warblers. His 

 throat is a rich orange or flame color, so brilliant 

 that it is enough in itself to distinguish him from 

 any of the others. His back is black with yel- 

 lowish markings. His crown is black, but has 

 an orange spot in the centre : and the rest of his 

 head, except near his eye, is the same flaming 

 orange as his throat. His wings have white 

 patches, and his breast is whitish, tinged with yel- 

 low. His sides are streaked with black. The 

 female and young are duller, the black of their 

 backs being mingled with olive ; while their 

 throats are yellow instead of orange. 



Now and then you are fortunate enough to get 

 a near view of this exquisite bird, but he has an 

 exasperating fondness for the highest branches of 

 the tallest trees. You can see there is something 

 up there, but as you throw your head back and 

 strain through your opera-glass, you fancy it is 

 some phantom bird flitting about darkening the 

 leaves. The seconds wear into minutes, but you 

 dare not move. Your glasses don't help you to 

 see through the leaves, but you feel sure that 

 something will appear in a moment, over the edge 



