BLACK-POLL WAKBLBE 115 



greens, and it is only now and then, when he comes out to 

 the tip of a twig, that his splendid color is visible. If seen, 

 it can never be mistaken or forgotten. The deep orange 

 of the throat and breast is unlike the color of any other 

 small bird, except the Eedstart, where the orange is on 

 the sides of the breast and the throat is black. The female 

 and young may be known by the suggestion of huff in the 

 yellow throat, and by the white wing-patch. 



Blaok-poll Warbler. Bendroica striata 

 5.56 



Ad. $ . — Crown black ; back gray, streaked with black ; wing- 

 bars white ; cheeks white ; under parts white, the sides streaked 

 with black. Ad. 9 . — Upper parts gray, showing black streaks 

 and a greenish tinge in strong light ; wing-bars white ; sides 

 streaked with dull black. Ad. in winter and Im. — Similar to the 

 female, but more yellowish below, and the streaking on the back 

 and under parts very faint. 



Nest, in evergreens, about six feet up. Eggs, white, speckled 

 and blotched at the larger end with brown. 



In most of New England and New York the Black-poll 

 Warbler is a very common migrant in the second half of 

 May, and in September and early 

 October. On the mountains of 

 northern New York and New Eng- 

 land it is a common summer resi- 

 dent, occurring most commonly in 

 the stunted spruces at the edge of 

 the timber line. 



The song of the Black-poll is con- Fig. 16. Black-poll 

 stantly heard from the migrants in 



May ; it is a high thin tsit tsit tsit tsit tsit, of a pene- 

 trating quality, delivered with a crescendo and diminuendo ; 

 the last notes are by some birds run rapidly together with 

 almost a sputtering effect. The alarm-note is a strong chip. 



