104 
BULLETIN OF THE NUTTALL 
carefully studying their habits, I became convinced of the error of my 
earlier impressions. Their movements are much slower than those 
of the Mniotilta, and there is less of that crouching, creeping motion. 
They do, indeed, spend much of their time searching the larger 
branches for food, but it is much more in the manner of the Pine 
Warbler, and their motion is rather a hopping than a creeping one. 
I have never seen them ascend the trees from the roots to the top- 
most branches, as Audubon relates, but I occasionally observed one 
clinging against the main trunk for a moment, to seize an insect, 
as will the Bluebird {Sialia sialis) and many of the Warblers. Their 
hunting-ground is for the most part, however, among the higher 
branches, and a considerable part of their time is spent at the ex- 
tremities of the limbs, searching for food among the pine needles. 
Their bright yellow throats, brought out by contrast with the dark 
evergreen foliage, give them a certain resemblance to the Black- 
burnian Warbler [Dendroeca hlackburni(je). The males are not very 
persistent singers. I rarely heard them^ during the warm hours 
of the day, even when pairing was almost their sole occupation. 
Their song is very pretty ; it may be nearly imitated by the syl- 
lables Tivsee-twsee-twsee, twsee-see, the last two rising and terminat- 
ing abruptly. It most nearly resembles that of the Nashville 
Warbler [Helminthophaga rnjicapilla), beginning in almost the 
same way, but ending differently, and, indeed, throughout the notes 
are much sweeter. Both sexes utter a chirp similar to that of other 
Warblers, but sharper. 
By the middle of April there was a marked decrease in the 
number of Yellow-throated Warblers about St. Mary’s. This was 
partly owing to my having shot many for specimens, but not en- 
tirely to this, for extended researches over new ground convinced 
me that the greater number had passed on, probably to the north- 
ward. A few, however, still remained ; perhaps on an average one 
pair to every hundred acres of pine forest. While collecting near 
St. Mary’s, April 18, I was in the act of shooting a female when I 
noticed that she was gathering material for building, and, tracing 
her flight, I was fortunate enough to discover her half-completed 
nest. Visiting the spot at frequent intervals, I invariably found 
both birds feeding among the pines in the vicinity, although the 
nest, as far as I could judge, seemed finished. At length. May 2, 
a friend, ascending the tree, found the female sitting. She remained 
on the nest until he nearly touched it, although the limb shook 
