The Black-throated Gray Warbler 



Reefs of trees disclose themselves beneath the retreating billows. Dis- 

 tant shoals of "culture" emerge. The ocean is sucked up by old Sol's 

 impetuous beams. Sullen wraiths of mist are chased off the landscape 

 hilariously. Day is at hand. And day discloses the soberest chap, 

 nigrescens, all tricked out in black and white and Quaker gray. There 

 is a bird called the Black-and-white Warbler, and it has been known 

 to visit California. By way of distinction, I propose a new name for 



our native son, viz., 

 Black-and-white-and- 

 Russian-gray-with-just- 

 a-saucy-dot-of-yellow- 

 in - front - of - the - eye 

 Warbler. That'll fix 

 him. Or at least he will 

 come to mind if you call 

 him that. 



The Black-throated 

 Gray Warbler is singu- 

 larly deliberate in move- 

 ment. He does not fear 

 exposure, but neither 

 does he court attention 

 by fidgeting. Besides, 

 what's the hurry any- 

 how? We've got all day 

 to it. There is time for 

 a bug, and time for a 

 song, and time, mayhap, 

 for a tender passage with 

 a dear little lady, not so 

 black and not so white 

 and not so saucy with 

 her yellow. 



However inconspic- 

 uous the migrations in a 

 given locality — and they 

 are usually inconspicu- 

 ous in California — the 

 Black-throated Gray 

 Warbler is an assured 

 factor in the spring bird 

 movement. Travelling, 



Taken in San Jacinto Mountains 



NEST IN OAK SAPLING 



Photo by the A uthor 



482 



