JUNE BIRDS. 75 



To the farmer the call of the cuckoo 

 bodes rain, whence he is in some quarters 

 called the rain-crow. 



There are several of our less known 

 warblers which deserve at least a passing 

 notice in these papers. The black and 

 white creeping-warbler (mniotilta varia) is 

 rather common in most of our thick woods, 

 where I often hear it in company with the 

 redstart. Its song is very fine and insect- 

 like, more so, perhaps, than that of any 

 other bird, consisting of a lisping ren- 

 dition of the syllables wheechee, wheechee, 

 wheechee. 



The black-throated green warbler (den- 

 droeca virens) is said generally to be found 

 in pine and hemlock groves, though I am 

 obliged to confess I am as yet unfamiliar 

 with its song. Burroughs and Torrey, 

 however, consider it the best of all the 

 warbler-songs. The latter has turned it 

 into English by the words, Sleep, sleep, 

 pretty one, sleep. 



Another warbler with whose song I am 

 unfamiliar is the elegant blue yellow-back 



