our fly-catcher-warbler, is well named. 

 For indeed the brilliancy of its plumage 

 is calculated to make us start. Its upper 

 parts, throat, and breast are shining- 

 black, the middle of the tail-feathers is a 

 rich orange-salmon, the wide outer band 

 being black. The same orange-red lines 

 the flanks and relieves the dark wing. 

 The belly is white, faintly tinged with 

 salmon. Dr. Wheaton wrote : ''They are 

 decidedly birds of the forest, and during 

 the breeding season are seldom seen ex- 

 cept in rather extensive or retired woods. 

 As its structure indicates, it is par excel- 

 lence the fly-catcher of the family. As it 

 hops from limb to limb, opening and 

 closing its tail, or flies from its perch with 

 clicking bill to secure its insect food, its 

 emphatic and beautiful colors render it a 

 very attractive sight." The Redstart is 

 not such a recluse as Dr. Wheaton 

 thought, being found also in city parks 

 and near the farm. Its song is almost 

 identical with the yellow warbler's, and 

 since the song of both birds is subject to 

 much variation, it is extremely difficult 

 to distinguish between them. But there 

 is one main difference: the yellow w^ar- 

 bler's song generally slides up at the end, 

 like an unexpected interrogation point, 

 but the Redstart seldom, does any more 

 than slide down. And if we could accu- 

 rately time their songs, I think we could 

 find the yellow warbler's somewhat 

 faster. 



GROUP III. 



The Palm Warbler (Dendroica p alma- 

 rum). In the spring this bird answers 

 to the following description of Dr. War- 

 ren : "Above brownish-olive ; back nar- 

 rowly streaked with dusky; rump and 

 i-'pper tail coverts yellowish-olive ; top of 

 head, chestnut; tips of middle and 

 greater wing-coverts paler than sur- 

 rounding parts, but not forming distinct 

 bars; superciliary stripe dull whitish or 

 yellowish ; under parts dull whitish and 

 vellowish ; breast and sides streaked with 

 grayish-brown or pale reddish-brown ; 

 wings and tail-feathers dusky brown." 

 In the fall tlie above plumage is more sub- 

 dued. The Palm Warbler is not a wood 

 warbler. Dr. Chapman says: 'Tlis 

 tastes l)ring liim to fields and roadsides, 



where he lives on or near the ground, but 

 is ever actice and much on the move.. * 

 "^ * He has the same nervous peculiar- 

 ity which, irrespective of family, seems 

 to affect some birds, and, as though life 

 were a matter of beating time, never 

 ceases tO' wag his tail. His fine chip is 

 recognizable after one has become famil- 

 iar with it, while his song is described as 

 a simple trill." No other warbler has 

 such an affinity for fence-posts. It flies 

 from past to post apparently not anxious 

 to get away from you, but just keeps at a 

 respectful distance. In this it quite re- 

 sembles the bluebird, in early spring, and 

 the vesper sparrows. 



The Blackpoll Warbler (Dendroica 

 striata) is rare in the spring and abun- 

 dant in the fall. Its fall plumage is very 

 unlike the spring and is dull yellow 

 below, faintly streaked with brown ; its 

 belly is white ; its head and back olive- 

 green and the wing bars are light sul- 

 phur in color. Dr. Warren says "it has 

 a rather sharp lisping and a somewhat 

 squeaky note." In the fall it frequents 

 the whole country, and from the middle 

 of September to the middle of October 

 I found it the most abundant species, 

 inhabiting woods, orchards and parks. 



The Tennessee Warbler (Helmintho- 

 phila peregrina) is at no time very com- 

 mon. Mr. W^alter briefly describes it 

 thus : "Rump and back bright olive- 

 green ; head and neck grayish ; dull white 

 below, faint white line over the eye." Dr. 

 Wheaton gives this description : "Rare 

 and irregular migrant in spring, abundant 

 and regular in the fall. The Tennessee 

 Warbler, so named by Wilson from the 

 place where he discovered it, as was also 

 the Nashville warbler, appears in spring 

 about the middle of May, and frequents 

 woodlands and orchards. At this time I 

 have heard them sing a singularly sharp, 

 rather 'squeaky warble, less loud and 

 more varied than the song of the orange- 

 crowned warbler. They return early m 

 September and remain during that month 

 and part of October. At this time they 

 frequent sparse woodlands on the banks 

 of streams and high weeds in upland 

 woods. Usually they are associated with 

 the Nashville warbler and green black- 

 ca]) flycatcher." 



Norman O. Foerster. 



