AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 135 



their larger and stronger foster brother. Yellow Warblers are among 

 the most active of the family, being continually on the lookout for every 

 passing insect as well as those that they glean regularly from the leaves 

 and branches. When flitting spiritedly about in the bright sunlight 

 they furnish one of the brightest spectacles in the bird world. Through- 

 out the spring and summer months, their sharp business like chirping 

 "Che-chee-chee-chee" may be heard at all hours of the day, provided 

 that the weather is encouraging. They are also endowed with their 

 share of courage and manage to keep all birds of their size under con- 

 trol until a Least Flycatcher appears on the scene. This pugnacious 

 little fellow has no superior in the ring and always puts his adversary 

 to flight. 



FEBRUARY BIRDS. 



Although February is the shortest month in the year, it seems by far 

 the longest to bird lovers. But among the birds there are, even as 

 early as Februarv, unmistakable signs that they know that spring is 

 coming. 



On February 16th a friend and myself spent the day with the birds 

 and saw many interesting things. When we first went out, the east 

 had scarcely began to brighten. As yet no bird was up; and so we had 

 to content ourselves with walking about and wondering which one 

 would arise first. 



At a little after six we heard the first note; it was a street sparrow 

 singing; and a half an hour later some crows called. Soon after a Blue 

 Jay sang his peculiar song, five Golden-crowned Kinglets flew about us 

 in some low bushes, and our bird neighbors had begun the day in earn- 

 est. As we were watching the kinglets, a Brown Creeper and Chicka- 

 dee joined them and together they started on their daily rounds. As 

 we stood watching them busily at work, we heard a drumming a short 

 distance away, followed by a familiar call, and in a large oak tree we 

 saw three Flickers, chasing each other, calling, and having a good time 

 generally. After we had watched them some time, we went into a 

 grove near by, and were immediately interested in a note which was 

 new to us, although it had something strangely familiar in it. In the 

 middle of the grove, on a tall elm we found a White-breasted Nut-hatch, 

 the one which has been in these same woods since October. He was 

 perched crosswise on the limb, uttering the laughing "Hah-hah-h^h" 

 which is his song. We then left this place and went across Charles 

 river, on which we saw Black Ducks, Herring Gulls and Golden-eye 

 Ducks. After we had crossed the river we visited a picturesque little 



