OF NEW ENGLAND. 123 
a bush or tree. Their most noticeable habit, and the one 
which best distinguishes them from the rest of their family, 
is that of flirting their tails, almost exactly as the common 
Pewee does. They do this particularly when on their perches, 
from which they often fly directly to the ground to seize some 
small insect or seed which they have spied in the grass; or 
perhaps on the bare earth, while perched above. 
As I have mentioned the food of this species, perhaps it 
will not be amiss to speak of that of this large family in gen- 
eral, the warblers, and of their usefulness to man. Though 
certain kinds often eat seeds (generally those of the pine or of 
weeds), and others partake of small berries in spring and au- 
tumn, a majority feed exclusively upon insects. These insects 
include the smaller caterpillars, various small winged insects, 
in one case particularly those insects which infest the bark of 
trees, and which the nuthatches do so much to exterminate, 
and, more generally, those which frequent the foliage and blos- 
soms, especially at the time of the spring-migrations. They 
often include, moreover, spiders, but rarely the beetles; in the 
destruction of the latter, larger birds being more efficacious. 
Thus, though many warblers are neutral in regard to the agri- 
cultural, and what are often considered the most important, 
interests of man, none, so far as I know, do him any injury, 
whereas many greatly benefit him in the preservation of our 
orchard-trees, our shade-trees, our evergreens, and even our 
shrubbery and garden-plants. Though not, I trust, altogether 
useless, the above remarks seem almost unnecessary, as very 
fortunately the warblers have never, I believe, been perse- 
cuted. 
(d). The ordinary notes of the Yellow ‘‘ Red-polls” are a 
chip, which sometimes is closely repeated several times, and a 
chuck, which is less loud than that of the Snow-birds, but much 
more mellow. They have also in spring a few expressive twit- 
ters, a few rather weak musical notes, and their true song-note, 
which is a whistled trill, less, sweet and smooth than that of 
the Pine Warbler. It is possible that in their summer-homes 
these birds produce a fuller,song, but I have no evidence of 
