2go Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin 



Birds of the Forest Undergrowth. The undergrowth of the 

 forest is attractive to many birds that neither live much on the 

 ground nor range up to the tops of the trees. This undergrowth 

 consists partly of young trees of the same species as those forming 

 the main forest, and partly of smaller trees and shrubs (figure 84). 



The species of small trees and shrubs found in both types of for- 

 est are witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), flowering dogwood 

 (Cornus florid a), hornbeam {Carpinus caroliniana) , and the rasp- 

 berries and blackberries (Rubus). In the maple and beech forest, 

 hobblebush {Viburnum alni folium) , maple-leaved viburnum (V. 

 acerifolium), shad bush (Amelanchier canadensis), striped marj.e 

 {Acer pennsylvanicum) and moosewood {A. spicatum) are char- 

 acteristic. In the oak and ciiestnut forest, sassafras {Sassafras 

 varii 'folium), which seldom reaches tree size here, bush honey- 

 suckle {Dicrvilla lonicera), silky dogwood {Cornus Amoiuum), 

 beaked hazel (Corylus rosirata). wild currant (Ribes), poison 

 ivy {Rhus Toxicodendron), sweet fern {Comptonia percgrina). 

 thimbleberry {Rubus odoratus) and mountain laurel (Kalmia lati- 

 folia) are found. 



Black-throated Blue Warbler. Dendroica ccerulescens ccerulcs- 

 cens (Gmel.) 



Nearly all of the Warblers are strikingly colored birds, and while 

 the male Black-throated Blue is not as brilliant as some other mem- 

 bers of the family, none presents a neater appearance, or a daintier 

 contrast of pleasing colors. He is grayish blue above, somewhat 

 darker than the Parula or Cerulean, and enlivened by a spot of 

 white on the edge of the wing and other spots on the outer tail 

 feathers. The throat and sides of the breast are black and the 

 under parts pure white. The female is less like her mate than in 

 the case of most other warblers. She is plain dull greenish above 

 and yellowish white beneath, with only a small white spot on the 

 edge of the wing to suggest her relationship. 



This is one of the common forest birds of the Park, well dis- 

 tributed through the maple and beech forest and occasionally found 

 also in the oak and chestnut. It lives in the low bushes and small 

 trees forming the undergrowth of the forest and for that reason is 

 more likely to be easily seen than any other forest warbler ; but it 

 is really a little less common as revealed by its song, than the 

 Black-throated Green and Magnolia. 



The song of the Black-throated Blue is short, slow in time, and 

 delivered in a peculiarly husky voice. There are usually but four 

 notes, the first three even in pitch and the last drawling slowly up- 

 ward. It may be written " shree-shree-shree-shree-ee-eje." 



The nest is a cup-like structure, built of bark, leaves and fibres, 

 and placed in a bush or small tree only a few feet from the ground. 

 In most places it is said to prefer such evergreen species as moun- 

 tain laurel and rhododendron, but since both these shrubs are de- 

 cidedlv scarce and local in the Park this cannot be the case here. 



