76 THE RETURN OF THE NATIVES. 



the topmost branch, from which, after reaching it, 

 he suddenly flutters downward through the leaves, 

 like a wounded bird, to begin another tour of 

 inspection. 



The general observer and, sometimes, the orni- 

 thologist is apt to confound one kind of bird with 

 another in this family of wood-warblers, on account 

 of the similarity of color and marking ; especially 

 is this the case with the females of many species. 

 There are quite a number of these little lady birds 

 of different genera even, that are dressed in olive, 

 green and yeUow, and unless one notes carefully 

 the minute characteristics, such as the form of the 

 bin, the shape of the tail, the length of the wing, 

 etc., he will often be led astray. For example : how 

 much the female Maryland yellow-throat resembles 

 the female of the black-throated blue warbler that 

 has just now arrived, and is feeding among the 

 willows. The sexes in the genus Dendroica are 

 usually of the same marking, the males, however, 

 being of a brighter color, as though Nature had 

 given them higher rank ; but in this species ( Caeru- 

 lescens) there is a striking exception to the general 

 rule ; the male is very different. He has a gray- 

 ish-blue back and crown, the sides of his head and 

 his breast are of the deepest black, in contrast to 



