100 
NATURE STUDY. 
siderable time in singing to her. It was surprising to hear the 
varieties of his pretty little melody. One would think from 
the yellow-throat’s song and movements that he never kept still. 
But sometimes he would sit perfectly still singing his little song 
and sunning himself. After the babies came both parents were 
kept busy, and time seemed only too short before the nest was 
empty and the little family gone. 
While walking through some pines a bird flew out from under 
my feet. Expecting to find a nest I stooped and looked care¬ 
fully around. Within six inches of my foot was the nest of an 
oven bird. There were four eggs in the cozy little oven. What 
a fuss the madam made ! Her mate came flying in haste to join 
her in trying to distract my attention. I marked the place; 
then went away. The next day I carefully drew near the nest 
and sat down. The dear little lady watched me from her open 
door, but stayed on the nest. The male was singing near. A 
few days later I happened to be in time to see the newly-hatched 
birdlings taking a meal. Such homely little bunches of bones. 
I visited them nearly every day for a week. The mother would 
come directly to the nest with food, not seeming to mind my 
presence. After the birds left the nest they all seemed to 
disappear. 
In looking for warblers, as all other birds, location has a good 
deal to do with one’s success. One clump of pines is the home 
of the pine warblers ; another of redstarts. While a deep tall 
pine woods is sure to be inhabited by black-throated greens, etc. 
The Wilson’s or black cap warbler is in its habits so like 
the Maryland yellow-throat that although a look will show 
one the difference in coloring and marking, it might easily be 
overlooked and called a Maryland yellow throat. The yel¬ 
lowbreasted chat is the largest and most versatile of the warb¬ 
lers, and is quite rare here. He has so many calls, one is con¬ 
fused on hearing him and imagines there are at least a half 
dozen birds. Approach e^er so quietly, and perhaps you will 
see him turning somersaults, or stretching his neck, looking in 
all directions as he hovers over some weed or berry bush. As 
