Extracts from Diary of Otto Widmann 75 



willow-covered islands, and the modest blue-winged yel- 

 low Warbler in the scrubby growth of the hillside. Its 

 cousin, the Tennessee Warbler, one of the latest of north- 

 ern migrants, an indefatigable musician, though of low 

 ability, betrayed its loitering in the tree tops many times 

 every day. The Parula Warbler, though probably not 

 rare in the trees of the river bottoms, escaped notice with 

 the exception of one singing male. The Yellow Warbler 

 is by far the most common of its tribe and, being in the 

 height of its mating period, was one of the birds oftenest 

 seen and heard during these days. Lingering far behind 

 its brothers and sisters, the majority of whom had by 

 this time reached their northern breeding ground, was a 

 solitary Yellow-rumi>ed or Myrtle Warbler. Cerulean 

 Warblers, rightful citizens of all southern woodlands, 

 were rather common, and not sparing with their sprightly 

 musical efforts, therefore much oftener heard than seen. 

 The Black-poll Warbler is of all its relatives the last to 

 leave the state on its vernal travel from South America 

 to the coniferous wood of the North and quite a few were 

 detected among the Tennessee and other Warblers popu- 

 lating the lately verdured oaks and hickories with which 

 these hills are mostly covered. 



Down in the elms and sycamores along the banks of 

 the river rang out from time to time the clear and pecu- 

 liar songs of the Sycamore Warbler, indicating where the 

 pair had settled for the siunmer. An entirely different 

 locality is chosen for that purpose by the Prairie 

 Warbler, wliich betakes itself to the second growth of the 

 hillside. The ringing song of the Oven Bird is one of the 

 ordinary soimds of the region, while the small-billed 

 Waterthrush, repeatedly startled from the water's edge, 

 must be classed among the guests, present only for a 

 shoi-t term of rest and shelter from a winter home in 

 South America to breeding grounds in Canada. 



Small differences in size and coloration distinguish the 

 northern small-billed, from the Louisiana Waterthrush, 



