94 insessor.es. 



pursue a swarm of small flies for a long distance, 

 during which the snapping of its bill may be dis- 

 tinctly heard. In the deep shade of the woods the 

 beauty of its markings shows to great advantage ; the 

 jetty black, which is the predominating color, con- 

 trasting finely with the streaks and bands of orange 

 and vermilion on the sides, wings, and tail. 



This bird and the little Blue-gray " Fly-catcher," 

 difi'er slightly from the greater number of the Wood 

 Warblers in their more fly-catching habits. All are 

 diminutive birds, generally very abundant in the 

 Middle States early in the Spring, but mostly re- 

 tiring to the North during Summer to rear their 

 young. Their principal appearance is in the morn- 

 ing just after sunrise, when every tree seems tenanted 

 with them, all actively engaged in making a morning 

 meal ; this consists of insects and their larvae, of 

 which they devour great quantities. Many of them 

 are expert fly-catchers, nimbly darting after the pass- 

 ing flies, while others are equally dexterous in clam- 

 bering among the branches of the trees, hanging 

 sometimes head downward, and holding on with one 

 foot, and stretching their little necks in all directions 

 in search of a favorite worm. Although these tran- 

 sient visitors are, with some exceptions, nearly desti- 

 tute of song, yet among them are to be found some 

 of our most beautifully plumaged birds. 



The Yellow-poll Warbler, whose shrill notes are 

 heard so constantly, during Spring and Summer, 

 from almost every grove, and not unfrequently from 

 the trees which surround the farm-house, and the 



