334 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



of June he becomes nearly silent ; and late in the Fall he gives us a 

 few farewell and melancholy repetitions, that recal past imagery, and 

 make the decayed and withered face of nature appear still more 

 melancholy. 



Warbling Flycatcher. This sweet little warbler arrives in Penn- 

 sylvania about the middle of April, and inhabits the thick foliage of 

 orchards and high trees ; its voice is soft, tender and soothing, and its 

 notes flow in an easy, continued strain that is extremely pleasing. It 

 is often heard among the weeping willows and lombardy poplars 

 of our cities ; is rarely observed in the woods, but seems particularly 

 attached to the society of man. 



Blue-bird. The pleasing manners and sociable disposition of this 

 little bird entitle him to particular notice. As one of the first mes- 

 sengers of spring, bringing the charming tidings to our very doors, 

 he bears his own recommendation always along with him, and meets 

 with a hearty welcome from every body. The usual spring and sum- 

 mer song of the Blue-bird is a soft, agreeable and oft-repeated warble, 

 uttered with open, quivering wings, and is extremely pleasing, In 

 his motions and general character he has great resemblance to the 

 Robin Red-breast of Britain ; and had he the brown olive of that 

 bird, instead of his own blue, he could scarcely be distinguished from 

 him. Like him he is known to almost every child ; and shews as 

 much confidence in man, by associating with him in summer, as the 

 other by his familiarity in winter. His society is courted by the 

 inhabitants of the city and country, and few neglect to provide for 

 him a snug little dwelling. For this favour he more than repays 

 them by the cheerfulness of his song, and the multitude of injurious 

 insects which he daily destroys. In the month of October, his song 

 changes to a single plaintive note, as he passes over the many- 

 coloured woods ; and its melancholy air recals to our minds the 

 approaching decay of the face of nature. Even after the trees are 

 stript of their leaves, he still lingers over his native fields, as if loth 

 to leave them. About the middle or end of November, few or none of 

 these birds are seen ; but with every return of mild and open weather, 

 we hear their plaintive note amidst the fields, or in the air, seeming 

 to deplore the devastations of Winter. Indeed the Blue-bird appears 

 scarcely ever totally to forsake us ; but to follow fair weather through 

 all its journeyings till the return of spring. 



House Wren. This 'well known and familiar bird arrives in Pennsyl- 

 vania about the middle of April ; and about the eighth of May it 

 begins to build its nest, sometimes in the wooden cornice under the 

 eaves, or in a hollow cherry-tree ; but most commonly in small boxes, 

 in or near the garden, to which it is extremely partial, for the great 

 number of caterpillars and other larvae which are there found. The 

 immense number of insects which this social little bird removes from 

 the garden and fruit trees, ought to endear him to every cultivator, 

 even if he had nothing else to recommend him ; but his notes, loud, 

 sprightly, tremulous, and repeated every few seconds with great 

 animation, are extremely agreeable. The eggs of this species are 

 from six to nine in number, of a red purplish flesh colour. They 

 generally raise two broods in a season : the first about the beginning 

 of June, the second in July. 



Winter Wren. This species, in some respects, resembles the 

 foregoing, and is by the generality of common observers supposed to 

 be the same, but it is quite a different bird. It visits us from the 



