BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER 

 (Mniotilta varia) 



Length, aljiait 414 inches. Easil\' known by 

 its streaked Ijlaek and white plumage. 



Range : Eastern North America. PSrecds 

 from central Mackenzie, southern Keewatin, 

 northci-n Ontario, Newfoundland, No\a Scotia, 

 and New Lirtmswick to eastern Texas, Louisi- 

 ana, central Alabama, and northern Georgia, 

 west to South Dakota; winters in Florida and 

 from Colinia and Kuevo Leon to Colomliia, 

 Ecuador, and \'cneznela. 



A warljlcr in furni and general make-up, a 

 creeper Ij)- profession and practice, this readily 

 identilied species, in its striped suit of black 

 and while, may be observed in any bit of east- 

 ern WMddland. llcrc it flits from tree to tree 

 or climljs cucr the triml:s and branches, scan- 

 ning e\X'ry crack and cranny for the insects 

 that constitute its chief food. Though not a 

 lover of open cotmtry, it freciuently visits the 

 orchard, wdiere it performs its part in the task 

 of keeping insect life within due bounds. It 

 nesls on (be ground and bides its domicile so 

 skillfull)' tliat it is not often found. None of 

 the warblers are noted as songsters, but the 

 black and wdiite creeper, as I like best to call 

 it, emits a scries of thin wiry notes which we 

 may call a snng b}' courtesv onh'. In scramb- 

 ling over the trunks of trees it tinds and de- 

 votirs many long-horned beetles, the parents of 

 the destructive root-ljorers ; it also bnds weev- 

 ils, ants, and siiiilers. 



YELLOW WARBLER (Dendroica Eestiva 



and races) 



Length, liule mure than 5 inches. Mostly 

 yellow, breast and lielly streaked with reddisli 

 brown. 



Range : North America, breeding generally 

 throughout its range south to California, New 

 Afcxico, I\fissouri, and northern South Caro- 

 lina; winters in Central and South America. 



The "yellow bird," or wild canary, as it is 

 sometimes called, is one of the commonest of 

 the warbler tribe and ranges over a vast extent 

 of territor}-, being found here and there from 

 ocean to ocean. Unlike some of its relatives, 

 it prefers open thickets, especially of willows, 

 to thick woodland, and often builds its pretty 

 nest by the roadside or in garden shridjbery. 

 Though nnt an expert musician, the yellow 

 warbler sings early and often, and in zeal 

 makes up what it lacks in quality of voice. 

 Because its nest is easily fotmd by the initiated, 

 this warbler is often victimized by the infa- 

 mous cowbird. and is forced to bring up one, 

 or even two, young cowbirds in place of its 

 own rightful progcnx-. It is pleasant to be able 

 to record the fact that sometimes the clever 

 warbler knows enough — how it knows it is an- 

 other mailer — to evade the unwelcome respon- 

 sibilities thus thrust upon it, and builds a plat- 

 form over the alien egg, and then continues its 

 domestic affairs as originally planned, indeed, 

 cases are on record wdien two cowbirds' eggs 

 liave been fotmd in a nest, each covered up by 

 a separate layer of nest material. 



(See Biol. Surv. J'.ull. 17, p. 20 ct scq.; also 

 Bull. 29.) 



AUDUBON'S WARBLER (Dendroica 



auduboni) 



j 



Length, about 5 inches. Aluch like the yel- 

 low-rump, but W'lth \cllo\v crown and throat 

 patch. 



Range : Breeds from central British Colinn- 

 bia, Alberta, and S(.iuthwestcrn Saskatchewan 

 to our southp'n border, east lo South Dakota 

 and Nebraska; winters from Caljfnrnia and 

 Texas south to Guatemala. 



No member of the wood warbler faiml_\" is 

 more characteristic of the group than this 

 beautiful bird.' In voice, coloration, and habits 

 it is almost the counterpart of the yellcnv-rump 

 i.>f the Easterp States, fur which indeed it 

 might easily be mistaken were it not for its 

 yellow throat, 'the corresponding area in the 

 yellow-rump, being wdiitc. It stumners in the 

 mountains and shows off to advantage against 

 the dark foUage of the pines. It seems to have 

 little fear of man and in winter frecjuents 

 orchards, garde'ns, and dooryards. Wherever 

 it may be, it keeps up an incessant hunt for its 

 insect fciod. m the pin"snit (if winch, hk'c many 

 others of its famil_\", it soniclimes essa}"S the 

 role of flycatcher, being very expert and nimble 

 on the wdng. ' This warbler also devours large 

 numbers of ants, flies, scale and plant lice, and 

 no.xious bu.gs. 



(See Biol Surv. Bull. 30, pp. -13-46. ) 



REDSTART (Setophaga ruticilla) 



Length, nearly 5' j inches. To lie distin- 

 guished from other warblers by its coloration 

 and its motions. (See below.) 



Range: Breeds from central British Coluni- 

 l:ia and eastern Canada to Washington. Utah, 

 Colorado, Oklahoma, and North Carolina ; win- 

 ters in the West Indies and from Mexico to 

 Ecuador. 



Its beatify of form and plumage and its 

 graceful motions place this dainty bird at the 

 head of our list of wood warblers — a fjlace of 

 distinction indeed. The bird appears to be the 

 incarnation of animated motion and fairly 

 dances its way through the forest. Spanish 

 imagination has coined a suggestive and fitting 

 name for the redstart, caiidclila. the little 

 "torch-bearer." The full appropriateness of 

 the name appears as the graceful creature flits 

 through the greenery, displaying the salmon- 

 colored body and the bright wing and tail 

 patches. The redstart is not imknowm in some 

 parts of the West, liut it is essentially a bird 

 of the Eastern States, "where it is a common 

 inhabitant of open woodland districts. While 

 it liuilds a rather neat and compact structure 

 of strips of bark, plant fibers, and the like, 

 filacing it in a sapling not far from the ground, 

 the nest is not the thing of beaul\' one might 

 be led to expect from such a f:Liry-like crea- 

 ture. Ornamental as the redstart is, it pos- 

 sesses other claims on our gratitude, for it is 

 a most active and untiring hunter of insects, 

 such as spittle insects, tree-hoppers, and leaf- 

 hoppers, and both orchard and forest trees are 

 benefited liy the unceasing warfare it wages. 



(See Biol. Sur\'. Bull 17. p. 20 ct scq.) 



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