SYLVKJOLID.K -THE WAUHLKIJS. 315 



It is said to he one of thu liveliest of its trilie, iui(i to Ih; ulninst euiistiintly 

 in inotiun. It is roml of sceliuled places, and is e([iially eoiuiuon in the tliiek 

 canebrakcs, both of the hij^h and the low lands, and in tiie tani;led under- 

 growth of impenetralde swani])s. It has a peculiarly j^'racu'ful manner of 

 closing and opening its liroad tail, tiiat at once distinguishes it from every 

 other bird, as it gamliols from tree to tree, now in sight, and now hid from 

 the eye, but ever witiiin hearing. 



Mr. Audubon adds that its call-note so closely resembles that of the 

 Sjtiza ririn that it re(|uire3 a pmctised ear to distinguish them. Jjut its song 

 is very diH'erent. This consists of three notes, and is loud, lively, and pleas- 

 ing. This song is said to be made of sounds resembling the syllables inrf, 

 nrct, nrctee. E.xtremely vocal in the early spring, it Ijccomes nearly silent 

 as soon as its brood is hatched. It resumes its song when its mate is again 

 sitting on her eggs, as they have more than one brdnd in a season. 



They are described as expert flycatchers, i'uU of activity and spirit, flying 

 swiftly after their insect prey, and catching the greater part on the wing. 

 Their flight is low, gliding, and often ]ir()tracted. 



]\Ir. Bachman narrates a striking instance of its courage and conjugal devo- 

 tion. While a pair of these Warblers wei-e constructing a nest, a Sharp- 

 shinned Hawk ])ounced upon and bore ofl' the female. Tlie male followed 

 close after the Hawk, (lying within a few inches and darting at him in all 

 directions, and so continued until quite out of sight. 



Wilson states that it builds a very neat and compact nest, generally in the 

 fork of a small bush. It is formed of moss and flaxen filires of jdants, and 

 lined with hair or feathers. The eggs, five in number, he describes as of a 

 grayish-white, with red spots at the larger end. He noticed its arrival at 

 Savannah as early as the 2()lh of March. Mr. Audubon adds that these 

 nests are always placed in low situations, a few feet from the ground. 



The late Dr. (Jerhardt, of Varnell's Station, Georgia, informed me, by let- 

 ter, that the Hooded Warbler deposits her eggs about the middle of May, 

 laying four. The nest is not unlike that of the Spiza ri/anai, but is larger. 

 It is constructed of dry leaves and coarse grass on the outside, and within 

 of dry pine-needles, interwoven with long yellow grasses and sometimes with 

 horsehair. They are built, for the most part, in the neighborhood of brooks 

 and creeks, in oak bushes, four or five feet from the ground. The female 

 sits so closely, and is so tearless, that Dr. Gerhardt states he has sometimes 

 nearly caught her in his hand. 



In another letter Dr. Oerhardt describes a nest of this species as measur- 

 ing three inches in height, three in external diameter, and an inch and a 

 ([uarter in the depth of its cavity. Externally it was built of dry leaves and 

 coarse grasses, lined inside with hor.sehair, fine leaves of j)ine, and dry slender 

 grasses. It was constructed on a small oak growing in low bottom-land, and 

 was three feet from tiie ground. The complement of eggs is four. 



Mr. liidgway states that this s})ecies is a common summer resident in the 



