156 Bbewstee on the Prothonotary Warbler. 



ite xvillows, at others, when clinging against the side of an old log 

 or tree-trunk, the yellow head and breast, turned outward to the 

 light, seemed fairly to glow with color, in contrast with the gi-een 

 moss or dusky wood. On cloudy, lowering days I have been sur- 

 prised at the etrect produced by a male flying across an open space 

 close to the dark water. It was as if a sunbeam had glanced 

 athwart the spot, lighting up everything for a moment, and leavmg 

 greater gloom from the contrast after it had disappeared Again 

 and again have I been tempted into shooting one, which I did not 

 really want, but which seemed far brighter than any I had previously 

 taken ; upon picking him up, however, I would find him perhaps na 

 more beautiful than many already preserved. , ^ , . , 



Mating began almost immediately after the amval of the fema es 

 and the " old, old story " was told in many a willow thicket by little 

 golden-breasted lovers. The scene enacted upon such occasions was 

 not strikingly diiferent from that usual among the smaller birds : 

 retiring and somewhat indifferent coyness on the part of the fema e ; 

 violent protestations and demonstrations from the male, who swel ed 

 his plumage, spread his wings and tail, and fairly danced round the 

 object of his affections. Sometimes at this juncture another male 

 appeared, and then a fierce conflict was sure to ensue. The com- 

 batants would struggle together most furiously until the weaker was 

 forced to give way and take to flight. On several occasions I have 

 seen two males, after fighting among the branches for a long tmie, 

 clinch and come fluttering together to the water beneath, where for 

 several minutes the contest continued upon the surface until both 

 were fairly drenched. The males rarely meet in the mating sea- 

 son without fighting, even though no female may be near. Som^ 

 times one of them turns tail at the outset ; and the other at once 

 giving chase, the pursuer and pursued, separated by a few inches 

 only, go darting through the woods, winding, doubling, now career- 

 ing away np among the tree-tops, now down over the --ter, sweep- 

 ing close to the surface until the eye becomes weary with followmg 

 their mad flight. During all this time the female -^fH'^-^l 

 herself with feeding, apparently entirely unconcerned as to the issue. 

 Upon the return of the conqueror her indifference, real or assumed, 

 vanishes, he receives a warm welcome, and matters are soon ar- 

 ranged between them. j- . „„„ 



The usual song of the Prothonotary Warbler sounds at a distance 

 like the call of the Solitary Sandpiper, with a syllable or two added, - 



Brewster on the Prothonotary Warbler. 157 



a simple jseei, Hueet, tweet, tiveet, given on the same key throughout. 

 Often when the notes came from the farther shore of a river or pond 

 we were completely deceived. On more than one occasion, when a 

 good opportunity for comparison was offered by the actual presence of 

 both birds at the same time, we found that at the distance of several 

 hundred yards their notes were absolutely undistinguishable; nearer 

 at hand, however, the resemblance is lost, and a ringing, penetrating 

 quality becomes apparent in the Warbler's song. It now sounds like 

 peet, tsweet, tsweet, tsioeet, or sometimes tweet, tr-siveet, tr-sweet, tr-sioeet. 

 When the bird sings within a few yards the sound is almost startling 

 in its intensity, and the listener feels inclined to stop his ears. The 

 male is a fitful singer^ and is quite as apt to be heard in the hot 

 noontide or on cloudy days, when other birds are silent, as during 

 the cool morning and evening hours. The ordinary note of alarm 

 or distress is a sharp one, so nearly like that of the Large-billed 

 Water Thrush {Siurus motacilki) that the slight difference can only 

 be detected by a critical ear. When the sexes meet a soft tchip of 

 recognition common to nearly all the Warblers is used. In addition 

 to the song above described the male has a different and far sweeter 

 one, which is reserved for select occasions,— -an outpouring of the 

 bird's most tender feelings, intended for the ears of his mate alone, 

 like the rare evening warble of the Oven-Bird {Siurus auricapillus). 

 It is apparently uttered only while on the wing. Although so low and 

 feeble as to be inaudible many rods away, it is very sweet, resem- 

 bling somewhat the song of the Canary, given in an undertone, with 

 trills or " water-notes " interspersed. The flight during its delivery 

 is very different from that at all other times. The bird progresses 

 slowly, with a trembling, fluttering motion, its head raised and tail 

 expanded. This song was heard most frequently after incubation 

 had begun. 



In general activity and restlessness few birds equal the species 

 under consideration. Not a nook or corner of his domain but is 

 repeatedly visited through the day. Now he sings a few times 

 from the top of some tall willow that leans out over the stream, 

 sitting motionless among the yellowish foliage, fully aware, per- 

 haps, of the protection afforded by its harmonizing tints. The next 

 moment he descends to the cool shades beneath, where dark, coffee- 

 colored water, the overflow of the pond or river, stretches back 

 among the trees. Here he loves to hop about on floating drift-wood, 

 wet by the lapping of pulsating wavelets ; now following up some 



