170 



THE PRAIRIE WARBLER. 



berry thickets, from the tips of oak sapHngs, or from the foliage of surrounding 

 forest trees. His time was about equaUy divided between singing and bug- 

 catching, and altho he might remain in a single clump for five minutes at 

 a time, the bird did not keep the same position for two consecutive sec- 

 onds. Even dur- 

 ing song he would 

 twist and writhe 

 like an Italian 

 prima donna, pro- 

 ducing quite as 

 much motion as 

 music. 



The song of the 

 Prairie Warbler is 

 a little the most 

 remarkable pro- 

 duction in the 

 Mniotiltan reper- 

 toire. It is a suc- 

 cession of mel- 

 1 o w whistling- 

 creaks, each note 

 pitched higher 

 than the preced- 

 ing, and each 

 gaining somewhat 

 in intensity until 

 the next to the last 

 one is reached . 

 The bird runs a 

 weird chromatic 

 scale upon a fairy 

 oboe, with an effect 

 which Dr. Coue? 

 describes as "like 

 a mouse complain- 

 ing of a tooth- 

 ache." 



The bird seen at Sugar Grove was entirely destitute of the "brick-red 

 spots upon the middle of the back," usually recommended as a recognition 

 mark, and certain other marks were less distinct than normally in the adult 

 male. It was probal)ly a male of the second summer which had not yet at- 

 tained adult plumage. 



Fhoto 

 by the 

 Author. 



A nilJ,T01' I'.VSTUKJi. 

 wmCRi; THE I'KAiRii; wardli^r may nest. 



