PERCHING BIRDS. 149 
the clear airs, the sweet descents, the natural rising and 
falling, the doubling and redoubling of her voice, might 
well be lifted above earth, and say, Lord, what music 
hast thou provided for the saints in heaven, when thou 
affordest bad men such music on earth!” Mr. Wood re- 
marks of the song of this bird, “It must be borne in 
mind that not only in this bird, but in other singing 
birds, the male is the vocalist, so that Milton’s address 
to the ‘sweet songstress’ is, unfortunately, not quite so 
correct as poetical; a misfortune of frequent occurrence.” 
247. The Warblers are spread over almost the entire 
globe. Audubon reckons forty-four species on the Amer- 
can continent. Their great office seems to be to prevent 
the too great increase of the insects which are found on 
twigs and leaves, in buds and flowers, and in the crevices 
of trees, their bills being well adapted for their capture. 
They are generally migratory birds, going south in the 
autumn, when the insects disappear, and coming north 
again in spring, when their natural prey, awakened to 
activity, come forth from their winter-quarters. 
Questions. —W hat does the order of Insessores include? What 
are the characteristics and habits of birds of this order? Give the 
three groups of Perchers, and their chief characteristics. What is 
the food of the Cone-billed group? What families does it include? 
What birds does the Finch family contain? What are their charac- 
teristics and habits? What is said of the Grosbeaks? Of the Yel- 
low-bird? Of the Sparrows? What other birds are mentioned as 
belonging to this family? What are the characteristics of the Crow 
family? What is said of the Blue Jay? What of the Starling fam- 
ily? What of the Baltimore Oriole? Of the Bower-bird? Of the 
Birds of Paradise? What is said of the Cross-bill family? What 
of the Horn-bill family ? What are the families in the division of 
Dentirostres? What is said of the notched bill as a distinguishing 
characteristic ? What birds form the typical family of this group? 
What are their habits? What is said of the American Shrike? How 
are the Warblers characterized? Mention some of them. What is 
said of the Nightingale? What is said of the distribution of the 
Warblers? What of their office? 
