OF THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 271 



Hab. Eastern United States to the Plains, north to Fort Simpson, 

 south in winter to Central America and the West Indies, 



Nest, on the ground ; built of bark fibre, grass and leaves, lined with 

 plant down or hair. 



Eggs, 4 to 6 ; creamy-white, spotted and sprinkled with reddish-brown. 



This dainty little bird, formerly known as the Black and 

 White Creeper, has now been named the Black and White 

 Warbler, but as it is much more given to creeping than to warbl- 

 ing, it is likely that with the ordinary observer it will retain its 

 former name as long as it retains its creeping habit. It 

 arrives in Southern Ontario during the last days of April, and 

 even before the leaves are expanded its neat, decided attire 

 of black and white is observed in striking contrast to the dull 

 colored bark of the trees, around which it goes creeping with 

 wonderful celerity in search of its favorite insect food. It becomes 

 very common during the first half of May, after which the num- 

 bers again decrease, many having passed farther north, and 

 only a few remaining to spend the summer and raise their 

 young in Southern Ontario. The note of the male is sharp and 

 penetrating, resembling the sound made in sharpening a fine saw. 



The Black and White Warbler is a typical representative of 

 the family of Wood- Warblers, which is remarkable for the num- 

 ber of its members, as well as for the richness and variety of 

 their dress. There is, perhaps, no group of small birds which 

 so much interests the collector, or furnishes so many attractive 

 specimens to his cabinet, as the one we have just been 

 considering. 



Some of the members of this family are so rare that the 

 "capture of one is the event of a life time. To get any of them 

 in perfect plumage they must be collected during the spring 

 migration, and that season is so short and uncertain that if a 

 chance is missed in May another may not occur for a year. 



Game birds are followed by sportsmen with much enthusiasm 

 and varying success, though Ruffed Grouse, Woodcock, and 

 Quail are now so scarce in the more settled parts of the country 

 that it is hardly worth while searching for them. 



