YELLOW WAllHLEH. 65 



any other Canndiaii. Yet lie is not specially gifted, nor hjis he had 

 special advantages. lie is a blaukHinith, and tlie only time he can 

 devote to field-work is in the early nujrningH, in the evenings, and on 

 the few holidays his employment permits. He had little early 

 training, but nature provided him with a keen eye, a good ear, 

 plenty of patience, and untiring energy. His one crowning 

 advantage has been his love of nature ; but a love of nature can bo 

 cultivated, and what Banks has done, any pei'son with average 

 intelligence may accomplish. 



YELLOW WARBLER. 



Of all the warblers that spend the suunner in Canada the j'ellow 

 warbler is the most numerous and should be the best known, for 

 it is distributed over the entire country and frequents all sorts of 

 places. Amid the shrubbery of the garden, in the hedgerows of 

 the park, or among the low bushes in the coppice ; along the dingle 

 side or on the willow branches that fringe the creek ; in open pasture 

 or in woodland, our bird is equally at homo and equally happy. 



In the books until lately this bird hjis been known as ** summer 

 warbler" and "summer yellow-bird," and in some districts the 

 country people add to its synonymy the title of "wild canary." 

 It resembles the canary in color only, and even the yellow of its 

 plumes lack the canary's tint. The yellow warbler wears upon its 

 breast plumes of a rich golden hue — nearer to crome than to canary 

 yellow. The back is tinged with yellowish olive, and the sides are 

 marked with orange stripes. 



The bird is confiding and not shy, and being busy with its own 

 affairs gives little heed to passers-by, thus affording fine opportunities 

 for inspection and study. With an opera glass you can note all its 

 movements, and be enabled to keep a detail journal of its doings. 



During May the flocks begin to arrive, and before the first of 

 June the pairs have finished their quaint and tender courtship, and 

 are settling down to the most serious affair in bird life — the building 

 of a home for the expected brood. There is much chattering and twit- 

 tering, much cooing and demonstration of affection, and then oflFthey 

 go — he and she together — to select a site. Follow them, and if they do 



