THE RETURN OF THE NATIVES. 87 



the American redstart belong, the rictal bristles are 

 nearly the length of the biU, enabling these birds 

 to sweep into their nets with admirable dexterity 

 gnats and other small fry upon which they feed. 

 The family of goat suckers, to which belong the 

 whip-poor-wills, night-hawks and bull-bats, offers 

 a striking example of the way in which these rictal 

 bristles are developed ; some species having not 

 only very long ones but lateral filaments attached 

 to them, thus forming a perfect net, to entrap the 

 twilight and night-flying moths. 



A lively note is heard in the edge of a birch 

 thicket. For a long time I have been interested to 

 know from what kind of throat it proceeds. It 

 strikes on my ear at the most unexpected seasons, 

 and in entirely different localities. What a pecul- 

 iar song it is ! Whew ! whew ! whew ! It chirrups 

 at first in a clear, delicate, sweet whistle, long 

 drawn out, and then de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de-de, 

 uttered faster and more indistinct at the close. 

 Presently the bird is seen darting into a clump of 

 cat-briers in which it is playing a game of hide-and- 

 seek. After awhile it flies boldly out of the tan- 

 gled mass, but, seeing its interviewer close by, 

 rustles quickly back. Stooping to look up through 

 the brambles to obtain a good view of the stranger, 



