16 Gbe Warbler 



the oaks and magnolias. They search every branch, every leaf, everv crev- 

 ice in the bark. Appearing early in September they are present for a day 

 or two, reappearing at intervals of a few weeks almost throughout the 

 the winter. They are great rovers but they do not seem to migrate. 



The Tufted Titmouse, the Carolina Chickadee and the Carolina Wren 

 breed in the garden but they are rather quiet birds during the nesting time. 

 At present they are quite noisy, but they are never as conspicuous as I 

 found them in Texas. Formerly the flying squirrels occupied the nesting 

 boxes I had put up for these birds, but since I have waged a constant war 

 against these nest robbers, the three birds have become quite abundant. 

 They are to be regarded as constant residents of my garden. Early in Oc- 

 tober the northern House Wren appears and remains throughout the winter, 

 singing almost incessantly on bright days. 



The Catbird arrived this year Sept. 17. It is at present so abundant 

 that I often observe four or five in the poke-berry bush near the veranda, 

 and its characteristic notes are almost constantly heard from early dawn 

 until the night falls. It rarely leaves for its northern breeding range be- 

 fore Mav 9 — very late indeed. This certainly indicates that its summer 

 home cannot be very far distant. It is always in full song when it moves 

 northward. The Brown Thrasher is very common from Oct. 5 to late in 

 April and a few remain to breed. They are exceedingly shy during the 

 nesting time. 



Mockingbirds were never so abundant in my garden (which covers with 

 the adjoining piece of woodland about seven acres) than they are at present, 

 and they never sang so diligently and so beautifully. Especially the young 

 males are incessantly singing in the garden and orange grove — mostly their 

 own notes with scarcely an imitated tone in the performance. Thev begin 

 at first late in August in a more subdued way in pouring forth their notes. 

 A few weeks later the notes become louder, fuller, more varied and contin- 

 uous. During our beautiful moonlit nights the song resounds from all sides. 

 As early as the day dawns they commence and thev rarely stop when the 

 twilight falls. When occupied among my caladiums, alocasias and other 

 aroids I hear at least four or five sing in the adjoining orange grove and 

 several in the garden. They never fight at this season of the year. In 

 spring the males are so jealous that they do not tolerate another one in their 

 chosen haunts. There is no doubt that they sing here much more frequent- 

 ly and continually in the autumn days "when all nature is in its glory " 

 than in the vernal season. I often count 8 to 10 in the poke-berry bush 

 near the house where they enjoy the juicy berries in company of Catbirds, 

 Thiashers and Red-cockaded Woodpeckers. 



The Blue Jays, though very beautiful, are a nuisance in the garden. 

 There are numbers of them in the grounds, and they are a terror to all the 



