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its crested head and its wing feathers with horny tips like red sealing 
wax. These birds, as well as the Purple Finch which is also 
sometimes seen at this time of the year, remain to breed. Among 
our other winter birds are the little Brown Creeper, which may 
be often seen in the streets soberly and industriously running up 
the trees in search of food, an occasional Downy Woodpecker, 
the smallest of its family to be found here, which sometimes dis¬ 
turbs the stillness of this season with its sharp rapping, the Snow 
Bird and several Sparrows besides the English Sparrow which 
also seems able to survive the cold. 
About this time in March, we may expect the arrival of the 
Blue Birds and Red-winged Blackbirds, soon followed by the 
Robins and several species of Sparrow, though Robins have been 
seen this year in February and may very likely be found even 
* 
during the coldest weather in December and January in the thick 
growth of trees and bushes among the Paradise rocks back of the 
Second beach. The rest of the migratory birds soon follow, the 
greater number arriving at different times in April and May—the 
males of many species arriving before the females. 
Among our migrants, the family of Sylvicolidcz or Warblers 
contains many interesting species differing very remarkably from 
each other in their abundance, extent of migrations and habits ; 
of the genus Dendroeca , of which we have in New England 
more species than of any other, there are three which I know 
visit us, and several others may probably be found. One is the 
very abundant little Yellow Warbler, which is to be seen in the 
town wherever there are shade trees, and which has rather a 
monotonous, piercing, not very pleasant song. It is a small bird, 
entirely of a deep yellow color, with a few faint brownish streaks 
upon it,—not to be confounded with the common Yellow Bird or 
American Goldfinch, a larger bird, with plumage of a lighter 
shade of yellow, which may be at once distinguished by the black 
of the wings and tail and which is often seen eating the seed of 
the thistle, while the Yellow Warbler is insectivorous and 
frequents the tree tops. The other two Warblers I referred to, 
are the Golden-crowned and the Black Poll Warbler : the latter 
is always the last of the spring migrants to arrive. 
Among the Sylvicolidcc , which breed here, I learn from Mr. 
LaFarge, are the Maryland Yellow-throat, a pretty Warbler, 
