THE CAPE MAY WARBLER. 



[Dendroica tigrina.) 



LYNDS JONES. 



THERE is hardly another group 

 of birds that yields so satisfac- 

 tory returns for earnest study 

 as the American wood warblers. All 

 shades and patterns of color are theirs, 

 from somber to brilliant, from the plain- 

 est to the most intricate and exquisite 

 pattern. Almost all degrees of vocal 

 ability are found among them, from 

 the simple twitter of the Tennessee to 

 the wild thrilling challenge of the 

 Louisiana water thrush or the ventrilo- 

 quial antics of the yellow-breasted chat. 

 Many bird students, it is true, regard 

 the group as too difficult for any but 

 the professional ornithologist to at- 

 tempt; and that may be true of the fe- 

 males and of the autumnal plumages of 

 the young, but the spring males are a 

 constant inspiration and delight to one 

 who admires variety in beauty. 



It may be objected that the small 

 size of the warblers renders their field 

 study difficult, even if the foliage does 

 not prove a serious hindrance. One 

 must remember, however, that most 

 small birds are not wary and that they 

 may be closely approached, so that, 

 with a good field-glass (and every bird- 

 student should use one) their colors and 

 the pattern of their dress can readily be 

 made out even in the lower tree tops, 

 where many of them feed. Foliage is 

 always in the way, but even that can be 

 circumvented by patience and perse- 

 verance. 



The study of adult males in spring is 

 greatly aided by the fact that each 

 species, with some exceptions, has one 

 or more patches of color peculiar to 

 itself. Thus in the Cape May warbler 

 the ear patches are rufous. Other spe- 

 cies possess rufous colors, but none of 

 them in this place. 



The Cape May warbler belongsamong 

 the less common species, but may be com- 

 mon for a day or two during the height 

 of the migration. It is very fond of or- 



chards where it feeds among the foliage, 

 snatching an insect here, a larva there, 

 and cleaning the bundle of eggs from 

 the leaf over yonder with an untiring 

 energy. They also associate more or 

 less with the other warblers in the 

 woods. They are of great value to the 

 fruit grower. 



This species is found from the At- 

 lantic coast west to the plains and north 

 to Hudson's Bay, passing the winter in 

 the tropics. It breeds from northern 

 New England to Hudson's Bay and 

 probably in northern Minnesota. The 

 nest is built in a low bush in a wooded 

 pasture or open woodland, said to be 

 partially pensile. The nest and eggs 

 are not readily distinguishable from 

 those of several other warblers. The 

 males sing frequently from their perch 

 on the topmost twig of a spruce tree, 

 thus misleading one as to the where- 

 abouts of the female and nest. The 

 song resembles somewhat that of the 

 black and white warbler, but is rather 

 less wiry. It cannot be represented on 

 paper. 



The tongue of this bird is worthy of 

 special notice. It is cleft at the tip, 

 and is provided with somewhat of a 

 fringe. This character is not peculiar 

 to this species, but is found in some 

 honey creepers and in at least one for- 

 eign family of birds, thus suggesting, at 

 least, the relationship of the warblers 

 as a group. It might be asked, what is 

 the significance of this character as 

 regards feeding-habits? Apparently 

 nothing, since the feeding-habits and 

 food do not differ from those of other 

 warblers not having the cleft tongue as 

 greatly as the tongues themselves dif- 

 fer in structure. It is apparently an 

 aberrant character developed some- 

 what at random among groups nearly 

 related, or perhaps a remnant of struc- 

 ture. 



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