MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT (Geothlypis 

 trichas and variety). 



Length, about 5^ inches. Mostly green above, 

 yellow below. Distinguished from other warblers 

 by broad black band across forehead, bordered 

 narrowly with white. 



Range: Breeds from southern Canada to southern 

 California, Texas and Florida; winters from the 

 southern United States to Costa Rica. 



This little warbler is common throughout the 

 eastern and southern states, frequenting thickets 

 and low bushes on swampy ground. He is not a tree 

 lover, but spends most of his time on or very near the 

 ground, where he hunts assiduously for caterpillars, 

 beetles and various other small insects. Among 

 the pests that he devours are the western cucumber 

 beetle and the black olive scale. He has a cheery 

 song of which he is not a bit ashamed and, when one 

 happens to be near the particular thicket a pair of 

 yellow-throats have chosen for their own, one has 

 not long to wait for vocal proof that the male, at 

 least, is at home. The yellow-throat has the bump of 

 curiosity well developed and if you desire a close 

 acquaintance with a pair you have only to "squeak" 

 a few times, when you will have the pleasure of 

 seeing at least one of the couple venture out from 

 the retreat far enough to make sure of the character 

 of the visitor. 



OVEN-BIRD (Seiurus aurocapillus). 



Length, a little over 6 inches. Above mostly 

 olive green; below white, breast and sides streaked 

 with black. 



Range: Breeds from southern Mackenzie, Ontario, 

 southern Labrador and Newfoundland south to 

 Wyoming, Kansas, southern Missouri, Ohio Valley 

 and Virginia; also in mountains of Georgia and 

 South Carolina; winters in southern Florida, south- 

 ern Louisiana, Bahamas, West Indies, and southern 

 Mexico to Colombia. 



The oven-bird is one of our best known birds and 

 one the woodland stroller is sure to get acquainted 

 with, whether he will or no, so common is it and so 

 generally distributed. In moments of ecstacy it has 

 a flight song which has been highly extolled, but 

 this is only for the initiated, its insistent repetition 

 of "teacher, teacher, teacher," as Burroughs happily 

 phases it, is all the bird vouchsafes for the ears of 

 ordinary mortals. Its curious domed-over grass 

 nest is placed on the ground and is not hard to find. 

 The food of the oven-bird does not differ greatly 

 from that of other warblers, notwithstanding the 

 fact that the bird is strictly terrestrial in habits. 

 It consists almost exclusively of insects, including 

 ants, beetles, moths, span worms and other cater- 

 pillars, with a few spiders, millepods and weevils. 



(See Biol. Surv. Bui. 17; also yearbook for 1900, 

 p. 416.) 



YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT (Icteria virens 



and sub-species). 



Length, about 7§ inches. Its size, olive-green 

 upper parts and bright yellow throat, breast, and 

 upper belly distinguish this bird at a glance. 



Range: Breeds from British Columbia, Montana, 

 Wisconsin, Ontario and southern New England 

 south to the Gulf States and Mexico; winters from 

 Mexico to Costa Rica. 



The chat is one of our largest and most notable 

 warblers. It is a frequenter of brushy thickets and 

 swampy new growth and, while not averse to show- 

 ing itself, relies more upon its voice to announce its 

 presence than upon its green and yellow plumage. 

 Not infrequently the chat sings during the night. 

 The song, for song we must call it, is an odd jumble 

 of chucks and whistles which is likely to bring to 

 mind the quip current in the West, "don't shoot the 

 musician; he is doing his best;" in this same chari- 

 table spirit we must accept the song of the chat at 

 the bird's own valuation, which, we may be sure, is 

 not low. Its nest is a rather bulky structure of 

 grasses, leaves and strips of bark and is often so con- 

 spicuously placed in a low bush as to cause one to 

 wonder how it ever escapes the notice of marauders 

 fond of birds' eggs and nestlings. 



The chat does no harm to agricultural interests 

 but on the contrary, like most of the warbler family, 

 lives largely on insects, and among them are many 

 weevils, including the alfalfa weevil, and the boll 

 weevil so destructive to cotton. 



(See Biol. Surv. Bui. 17, p. 18 et seq.; also Cir- 

 cular 64, p. 5.) 



CEDAR WAXWING (Bombycilla cedrorum). 



Length, about 7\ inches. Known from every 

 other American bird, except its larger cousin, the 

 Bohemian waxwing, by its crest, grayish brown 

 upper parts, yellow tail band and sealing wax-like 

 tips to secondaries and, sometimes, to tail feathers. 



Range: Breeds from central British Columbia, 

 Alberta, southern Keewatin, northern Ontario and 

 northwestern Quebec south to southern Oregon, 

 northern New Mexico, Kansas, northern Arkansas, 

 and North Carolina; winters over most of United 

 States and southward to Mexico and Panama. 



In clothing the cedar bird, Mother Nature essayed 

 her very best and reached the limit of quiet elegance. 

 As if aware of the distinction conferred by its smooth 

 delicately tinted plumage, the waxwing has the air of 

 a well-bred aristocrat, and comports itself with a 

 dignity that is very impressive. Why this beautiful 

 creature should be denied a voice is a mystery but, 

 with the exception of the faintest kind of a whistle 

 and a few low notes, seldom heard, the bird is silent. 

 But its beauty and the good it does should insure it 

 careful protection. 



Except during the nesting season, which is very 

 late, the bird is a wanderer, moving about the 

 country in flocks and remaining a shorter or longer 

 time in a given locality according to the abundance 

 of food. The waxwing is a berry eater and its local 

 name of " cherry bird" indicates that it by no means 

 disdains cultivated varieties. Fortunately the bulk 

 of the fruit it takes consists of wild species, especially 

 in winter, when cedar berries are greedily devoured. 

 In the west it includes in its bill of fare mulberries 

 and pepper berries. While insects constitute only a 

 comparatively small percentage of its diet, those 

 eaten include some very destructive species such as 

 scales and the dreaded elm beetle. 



(See Farmers' Bui. 54 (rev.), pp. 38-39.) 



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