316 THE BIRDS 
The yellow face and forehead, and the contrasting 
black throat, make him truly a beautiful bird; no casual 
observer could help but notice these brilliant and pro- 
nounced markings. It does not winter with us, arriving 
about April 18th, soon after the Maryland Yellow-throat 
and Prairie Warblers. Nest building commences early 
in May, and fresh sets may be looked for between the 
13th and up till June 3rd. Later sets have been found, 
though, probably a second setting, caused by the first 
one having been disturbed by Cowbirds or other 
natural causes. There seems to be a great variation of 
material and workmanship used by this species, some 
making very handsome nests adorned with feathers, others 
a slovenly affair without artistic beauty. Nests are gener- 
ally placed in an upright fork of a second-growth bush, 
about three to four feet up, and not far from water. 
They are composed of strips of fine bark and bark fiber, 
spider-webs, bits of dry leaves and grasses, and lined with 
fine grasses. Eges number four, white, sparingly marked 
with fine spots and blotches of reddish-brown, mostly on 
or near the larger end. Size, .70x.50. Their food is 
smiliar to that of the preceding species, and they do much 
good during their short stay with us. They migrate south- 
ward about August 13th. The female sits close during 
incubating time, the male working long distances mean- 
while in search of food. The young leave the nest quite 
early, and are fed continuously by the parents with the 
smaller caterpillars, millers, moths, and minute insects. 
During this period of about a week, until the young are 
able to fly well, the old birds are most tame and solicitous, 
coming within a foot or two of one in their effort to 
attract you away from their offspring. Thev are dis- 
tributed sparingly throughout our section, except 
Canadian zone. 
