ECONOMIC RELATIONS OF OUR BIRDS. 
501 
31. Helminthophaga celata (Say), Bd. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER. 
Group II. Cla.ss a. 
This sjx'cies, like the last, I believe to be of rare occurrence in Central Wiscon¬ 
sin, Mr, Nelson, however, says that it is common, during its migrations, along 
the lake shore. Possildy this species, in its autunnial dress, which so closely 
imitates that of the next, has been mistaken for that species. 
Food; Insects (Cooper). Insects taken chiefly among the branches of trees, 
and shrubbery, but also upon the wing (Audubon). 
33, Helminthophaga peregrina (Wils.), Cab. TENNESSEE WARBLER. 
Group I. Class b. 
This Warbler is extremely abundant during some of its fall migrations. Dur¬ 
ing September of 1876 the borders of groves literally thronged with these little 
nymphs of the woodland, and hundreds of them might have been easily obtained. 
During September of 1877 they were much less numerous, but common. The 
first arrivals were noted August 15, but the bod}^ of them came along after the 
first of September. Its favorite liaiints, in the fall, are the borders of groves, 
but it is a frequent visitor to orchards and vineyards. It is also to be found in 
willow thickets along the margins of streams, among the foliage of high open 
woods, and in tamarack swamps. I have twice taken it in cornfields bordered 
by groves, and in the stomach of each of these was found a greenish plant louse, 
probably Aphis maidis, Fitch. 
It is very dexterous in its movements, and obtains the greater part of its food 
upon and among the terminal foliage of trees. Titmouse-like, it often swings 
liendant from a leaf wdiile it secures an insect which it has discovered. Small 
insects of various kinds, not especially attractive to larger birds, are destroyed 
by this species in lax'ge numbers; and its slender, acute bill serves it much better 
in picking up these fonns than a heavier, more clumsy one could. There is 
another use, however, to w^hich this Warbler puts its slender, acute bill, and for 
which it is well adapted. It is that of probing ripe grapes, apparently for the 
purjxxse of obtaining the svveet juice. September 8, 1876, I observed one of 
these birds picking at a cluster of ripe Delaware grapes, and upon examination 
it w'as found that two of the berries had been recently pierced with some sharp 
instrument, and that the juice was oozing from the wounds. On inquiring of 
Ml’. Bates, a grape-grower at Whitewater, whether there were any birds which 
troubled seriously his grapes, he hiformed me that there was a little green 
“ Grape-sucker” which troubled him very much some seasons, and that it was 
now at work upon his Delaware and Catawba grapes. I examined his vineyard 
and found that many of his grapes were probed in the manner described above, 
as high as eight berries on some bunches being thus injured. Only the ripe 
grapes appeared to be molested, and the sweet varieties, he says, are i^i'eferred 
to the sour. 
As soon as the berries ai’e wounded they are attacked by ants, bees and flies, 
and soon destroyed. I requested Mr. B.ates to secure one of the “ Grape-suckers*’ 
for me, and the next morning he kindly presented me with a bird of this spe¬ 
cies. Mr. Floyd, of Berlin, infonned me in September, 1873, that there was a 
little green bird w’ith a very sharp bill sucking his grapes, but he was unable to 
obtain a specimen, Mr. Lowe, of Palmyra, enters the same complaint against a 
similar bird. From this evidence I tliink that there can be no doubt that this 
species is injurious to grapes in the manner described. It does by no means 
