1861. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



479 



to the Pacific, and south to Guatemala and the 

 West Indies. It arrives in New England early 

 in May, frequenting the shrubbery of the garden 

 and the trees of the orchard while in blossom, feed- 

 ing on the noxious insects that infest them, and, 

 spending the summer with us, generally rears two 

 broods of young in a season. Its nest is neatly 

 constructed in the fork of a bush, of tough fibrous 

 grasses and flax-like substances, softly lined with 

 hair and down from ferns ; the eggs are four or 

 five in number, white, sprinkled with small pale 

 brown spots and specks. Willows and poplars 

 that frequently skirt river banks and the shrub- 

 bery of alluvial meadows, seem to be a favorite 

 resort of this species. I have observed many in 

 such situations, when, at the same time, in a dif- 

 ferent kind of country immediately contiguous, 

 for miles around none were to be met with. The 

 Yellow Warbler is quite unsuspicious, and very 

 sprightly in its natural pursuits ; its song, though 

 short, is uttered with spirit, and quite agreeable. 



The length of this bird is five inches ; extent 

 seven. Head and whole lower parts bright yel- 

 low, with narrow streaks of red on the breast and 

 sides ; rest of the upper parts greenish yellow. 

 The colors of the female are somewhat paler than 

 those of the male. There is a slight difference in 

 the intensity of the colors observable in indi- 

 viduals of the same sex ; "and specimens from 

 the Pacific coast," Professor Baird observes, "ap- 

 pear rather smaller, with less conspicuous streaks 

 than eastern specimens ;" and there seems to be 

 a variety with minute reddish streaks on the head. 

 The Children's Warbler {Si/lvia Ckildreni) of 

 Audubon, of which he saw but a single pair, is 

 considered an immature bird of this species ; and 

 the Rathborn Warbler {St/lvicola Rathhonia) of 

 the same ornithologist, of which he speaks of 

 meeting but a single pair, is also referred to this 

 species by Baird. 



The Blackburnian Wakbler (Sylvicola Blach- 

 burnice, Jardine, Audubon, DeKay ; Dendroica 

 Blackburnice, BAird,) is one of our rarest species, 

 and is justly considered the most beautiful of 

 those delicately colored birds embraced in the 

 group of American Warblers. It is sparingly 

 diffused over the eastern parts of North America, 

 at least, as far north as Canada, wintering in 

 the tropical portions of the continent. It arrives 

 in New England about the middle of May, and is 

 generally observed in thickets or woodlands, sel- 

 dom appearing in cultivated grounds. DeKay 

 mentions that it spends the summer in the State 

 of New York, as it doubtless does in various 

 parts of New England, though I have never yet 

 met with it later than the early part of June. Its 

 numbers are so few it might easily escape detec- 

 tion in the summer, and even at the migratory 

 seasons it is rarely met with. It subsists chiefly 

 upon wingless insects, and its habits, so far as 

 known, are similar to those of the preceding 

 species. 



The length of this warbler is five inches, ex- 

 tent eight and a half inches — according to Wil- 

 son, four and a half inches in length, and seven 

 in extent. Upper parts deep black, with a large 

 patch of white on the middle of each wing ; 

 crown, sides of the head and neck, throat and 

 breast, bright orange red, or fiery orange ; rest of 

 the lower plumage white, with streaks of black 

 on the sides, and a yellowish orange tint on the 



belly and breast. The female is similarly marked, 

 but has the colors fainter. 



Professor Baird refers the Hemloclc Warbler 

 {Sylvicola pamis,) first described by Wilson, and 

 subsequently by Audubon, Nuttall, and others, to 

 this species, considering it as the Blackburnian 

 Warbler in its autumnal dress ; for which there 

 seems hardly sufficient reason ; — but further at- 

 tention will be given to this point in a future 

 number. j. a. a. 



Springfield, July 29, 1861. 



For the New England Farmer. 



betbospective notes. 



Suggested by September — Muck and Com- 

 posts WITH Muck. — The former of these head- 

 ings is that of the leading article of the Farmer 

 (monthly) for September. We have so often ex- 

 perienced advantage from articles in the form of 

 "Calendars of Operations," "Farm Calendars," 

 "Suggestions for the Season," and such like, and 

 have so often found others of our farming brethren 

 who make a practice of resorting to a Calendar of 

 some kind, as a prompter or remembrancer, when 

 laying their plans for the coming month or sea- 

 son, as to be convinced that these helps to the 

 memory under the designation of Calendars, 

 Suggestions for the Season, Sec, must be useful 

 articles to all who plan their work beforehand, 

 and aim to have everything attended to in its 

 proper season. Some of the less systematic of 

 our brethren may undervalue these useful remem- 

 brancers of seasonable work ; but within our in- 

 dividual circle of observation, we have ascertained 

 by inquiry that they have been generally consulted 

 by those who plan their work ahead, and who are 

 at once the most systematic and the most success- 

 ful among our acquaintances. It is our opinion, 

 therefore, that the Editor of the Farmer would do 

 a service to his readers, which would be both val- 

 uable and likely to be duly appreciated by the 

 more intelligent and systematic of them, if he 

 would give to a Calendar for each month, or Sea- 

 sonable Suggestions, a more constant, more ex- 

 tended, and more prominent place than he has 

 lately been in the habit of doing. Though there 

 must be a gi'eat sameness in such articles from 

 year to year, their convenience and utility will 

 fully counterbalance this objection. 



Among the more important of the items "sug- 

 gested by September," is that in which the pres- 

 ent season of the year is recommended as a good 

 time for digging and drawing out muck. We 

 have found September, and not unfrequently, also, 

 the fbllowing month, October, the most conven- 

 ient season of the year, all things considered, for 

 these operations. The marshes and other depos- 

 its of muck are usually dry, or comparatively so, 

 and there is, too, during these months, a degree 

 of comparative leisure, which, combined, render 

 these two months, when the weather is not wet or 

 otherwise exceptional, the most appropriate por- 

 tion of the year. This remembrancer may, there- 

 fore, serve to save some from neglecting this 

 highly important operation until it might be too 

 late. That it is an important piece of work, which 

 should not be neglected by any one who has a 

 deposit of muck upon his farm, no one can doubt 

 who has read the many testimonies in regard to 



