THE WARBLERS 65 



than by gorgeousness of attire, although it is quietly 

 beautiful. The four yellow spots on crown, lower back, 

 and sides are its distinguishing marks; and in the autumn 

 these marks have dwindled to only one, that on the lower 

 back or rump. The great difficulty experienced in identi- 

 fying any warbler is in its restless habit of flitting about. 



If we look sharply into every group of myrtle warblers, 

 we are quite likely to discover some of their dainty, fragile 

 cousins that gladly seek the escort of birds so fearless as 

 they. By the last of May all the warblers are gone from 

 the neighborhood except the constant little yellow war- 

 bler, redstart, yellow-throat, oven-bird, and chat. 



In autumn, when the myrtle warblers return after a 

 busy enough summer passed in Canadian nurseries, they 

 chiefly haunt those regions where juniper and bay-berries 

 abound. These latter {Myrica cerifera), or the myrtle 

 wax berries, as they are sometimes called, and which are 

 the bird's favorite food, have given it their name. Where- 

 ever the supply of these berries is sufficient to last through 

 the winter, there it may be found foraging in the scrubby 

 bushes. Sometimes driven by cold and hunger from the 

 fields, this hardiest member of a family that properly be- 

 longs to the tropics seeks shelter and food close to the out- 

 buildings on the farm. 



The Yellow Warbler 



Length — 4.75 to 5.2 inches. More than an inch shorter 



than the English sparrow. 

 Male — ^Upper parts olive-yellow, brightest on the crown; 



under parts bright yellow, streaked with reddish brown. 



Wings and tail dusky olive-brown, edged with yellow. 



