84 SINGING BIRDS. 



These gay, lively, and brilliant strangers, leaving their hi- 

 bernal retreat in South America, appear in New England about 

 the first week in May, and more than a month earlier in Loui- 

 siana, according, to the observations of Audubon. They were 

 not seen, however, in West Florida by the middle of March, 

 although vegetation had then so far advanced that the oaks 

 were in leaf, and the white flowering cornel was in fiiU 

 blossom. 



It is here that they pass the most interesting period of their 

 lives ; and their arrival is hailed as the sure harbinger of 

 approaching summer. Full of life and activity, these fiery 

 sylphs are now seen vaulting and darting incessantly through 

 the lofty boughs of our tallest trees ; appearing and vanishing 

 with restless inquietude, and flashing at quick intervals into 

 sight from amidst the tender waving foliage, they seem like 

 living gems intended to decorate the verdant garment of the 

 new-clad forest. But the gay Baltimore is neither idle nor 

 capricious ; the beautiful small beetles and other active-winged 

 insects on which he now principally feeds are in constant mo- 

 tion, and require perpetual address in their capture. At first 

 the males only arrive, but without appearing in flocks; their 

 mates are yet behind, and their social delight is incomplete. 

 They appear to feel this temporary bereavement, and in shrill 

 and loud notes they fife out their tender plaints in quick suc- 

 cession, as they pry and spring through the shady boughs for 

 their tiny and eluding prey. They also now spend much time 

 in the apple-trees, often sipping honey from the white blossoms, 

 over which they wander with peculiar delight, continually roving 

 amidst the sweet and flowery profusion. The mellow whistled 

 notes which they are heard to trumpet from the high branches 

 of our tallest trees and gigantic elms resemble, at times, 

 ' tshippe-tshayia too too, and sometimes 'tshippee 'tshippee 

 (lispingly), too too (with the two last syllables loud and full). 

 These notes are also varied by some birds so as to resemble 

 Ush 'tsh 'tsheetshoo tshoo tshoo^ also 'tsh ^tsheefd 'tshee/a 'tshee/a 



1 The first three of these notes are derived from the Summer Yellow Bird, 

 though not its most usual tones. 



