is 〃rare bit of bird melody。〃 〃Mounting by easy flight to the top of the tallest tree；〃 says the author of 〃Wake…Robin；〃 〃the ovenbird launches into the air with a sort of suspended； hovering flight； like certain of the finches； and bursts into a perfect ecstasy of song clear； ringing； copious； rivalling the goldfinch's in vivacity and the linnet's in melody。〃
WORM…EATING WARBLER （Helmintherus vermivorus） Wood Warbler family
Length 5。50 inches。 Less than an inch shorter than the English sparrow。 Male and Female Greenish olive above。 Head yellowish brown； With two black stripes through crown to the nape； also black Lines from the eyes to neck。 Under parts buffy and white。 Range Eastern parts of United States。 Nests as far north as southern Illinois and southern Connecticut。 Winters in the Gulf States and southward。 Migrations May。 September。 Summer resident。
In the Delaware Valley and along the same parallel； this inconspicuous warbler is abundant； but north of New Jersey it is rare enough to give an excitement to the day on which you discover it。 No doubt it is commoner than we suppose； for its coloring blends so admirably with its habitats that it is probably very often overlooked。 Its call…note； a common chirp； has nothing distinguishing about it； and all ornithologists confess to having been often misled by its song into thinking it came from the chipping sparrow。 It closely resembles that of the pine warbler also。 If it were as nervously active as most warblers； we should more often discover it； but it is quite as deliberate as a vireo； and in the painstaking way in which it often circles around a tree while searching for spiders and other insects that infest the trunks； it reminds us of the brown creeper。 Sunny slopes and hillsides covered with thick undergrowth are its preferred foraging and nesting haunts。 It is often seen hopping directly on the dry ground； where it places its nest； and it never mounts far above it。 The well…drained； sunny situation for the home is chosen with the wisdom of a sanitary expert。
ACADIAN FLYCATCHER （Empidonax virescens） Flycatcher family
Called also： SMALL GREEN…CRESTED FLYCATCHER； SMALL PEWEE
Length 5。75 to 6 inches。 A trifle smaller than the English sparrow。 Male Dull olive above。 Two conspicuous yellowish wing…bars。 Throat white； shading into pale yellow on breast。 Light gray or white underneath。 Upper part of bill black； lower mandible flesh…color。 White eye…ring。 Female Greener above and more yellow below。 Range From Canada to Mexico； Central America； and West Indies。 Most common in south temperate latitudes。 Winters in southerly limit of range。 Migrations April。 September。 Summer resident。
When all our northern landscape takes on the exquisite； soft green； gray； and yellow tints of early spring； this little flycatcher； in perfect color…harmony with the woods it darts among； comes out of the south。 It might be a leaf that is being blown about； touched by the sunshine filtering through the trees； and partly shaded by the young foliage casting its first shadows。
Woodlands； through which small streams meander lazily； inviting swarms of insects to their boggy shores； make ideal hunting grounds for the Acadian flycatcher。 It chooses a low rather than a high； conspicuous perch； that other members of its family invariably select； and from such a lookout it may be seen launching into the air after the passing gnat darting downward； then suddenly mounting upward in its aerial hunt； the vigorous clicks of the beak as it closes over its tiny victims testifying to the bird's unerring aim and its hearty appetite。
While perching； a constant tail…twitching is kept up； and a faint； fretful 〃Tshee…kee； tshee…kee〃 escapes the bird when inactively waiting for a dinner to heave in sight。
In the Middle Atlantic States its peeping sound and the clicking of its particolored bill are infrequently heard in the village streets in the autumn； when the shy and solitary birds are enticed from the deep woods by a prospect of a more plentiful diet of insects； attracted by the fruit in orchards and gardens。
Never far from the ground； on two or more parallel branches； the shallow； unsubstantial nest is laid。 Some one has cleverly described it as 〃a tuft of hay caught by the limb from a load driven under it；〃 but this description omits all mention of the quantities of blossoms that must be gathered to line the cradle for the tiny； cream white eggs spotted with brown。
YELLOW…BELLIED FLYCATCHER （Empidonax flaviventris） Flycatcher family
Length 5 to 5。6 inches。 About an inch smaller than the English sparrow。 Male Rather dark； but true olive…green above。 Throat and breast yellowish olive； shading into pale yellow underneath； including wing linings and under tail coverts。 Wings have yellowish bars。 Whitish ring around eye。 Upper part of bill black； under part whitish or flesh…colored。 Female Smaller； with brighter yellow under parts and more decidedly yellow wing…bars。 Range North America； from Labrador to Panama； and westward from the Atlantic to the plains。 Winters in Central America。 Migrations May。 September。 Summer resident。 More commonly a migrant only。
This is the most yellow of the small flycatchers and the only Eastern species with a yellow instead of a white throat。 Without hearing its call…note； 〃pse…ek…pse…ek；〃 which it abruptly sneezes rather than utters； it is quite impossible； as it darts among the trees； to tell it from the Acadian flycatcher； with which even Audubon confounded it。 Both these little birds choose the same sort of retreats well…timbered woods near a stream that attracts myriads of insects to its spongy shores and both are rather shy and solitary。 The yellow…bellied species has a far more northerly range； however； than its Southern relative or even the small green…crested flycatcher。 It is rare in the Middle States； not common even in New England； except in the migrations； but from the Canada border northward its soft； plaintive whistle； which is its love…song； may be heard in every forest where it nests。 All the flycatchers seem to make a noise with so much struggle； such convulsive jerkings of head and tail； and flutterings of the wings that； considering the scanty success of their musical attempts； it is surprising they try to lift their voices at all when the effort almost literally lifts them off their feet。
While this little flycatcher is no less erratic than its Acadian cousin； its nest is never slovenly。 One couple had their home in a wild…grape bower in Pennsylvania； a Virginia creeper in New Jersey supported another cradle that was fully twenty feet above the ground； but in Labrador； where the bird has its chosen breeding grounds； the bulky nest is said to be invariably placed either in the moss by the brookside or in some old stump； should the locality be too swampy。
BLACK…THROATED GREEN WARBLER （Dendroica virens） Wood Warbler family
Length 5 inches。 Over an inch smaller than the English sparrow。 Male Back and crown of head bright yellowish olive…green。 Forehead； band over eye； cheeks； and sides of neck rich yellow。 Throat； upper breast； and stripe along sides black。 Underneath yellowish white。 Wings and tail brownish olive； the former with two white bars； the latter with much white in outer quills。 In autumn； plumage resembling the female's。 Female Similar； chin yellowish； throat and breast dusky； the black being mixed with yellowish。 Range Eastern North America； from Hudson Bay to Central America and Mexico。 Nests north of Illinois and New York。 Winters in tropics。 Migrations May。 October。 Common summer resident north of New Jersey。
There can be little difficulty in naming a bird so brilliantly and distinctly marked as this green； gold； and black warbler； that lifts up a few pure； sweet； tender notes； loud enough to attract attention when he visits the garden。 〃See…see； see…saw；〃 he sings； but there is a tone of anxiety betrayed in the simple； sylvan strain that always seems as if the bird needed reassuring； possibly due to the rising inflection； like an interrogative； of the last notes。
However abundant about our homes during the migrations； this warbler； true to the family instinct； retreats to the woods to nest not always so far away as Canada； the nesting ground of most warblers； for in many Northern States the bird is commonly found throughout the summer。 Doubtless it prefers tall evergreen trees for its mossy； grassy nest； but it is not always particular； so that the tree be a tall one with a convenient fork in an upper branch。
Early in September increased numbers emerge from the woods； the plumage of the male being less brilliant than when we saw it last； as if the family cares of the summer had proved too taxing。 For nearly a month longer they hunt incessantly； with much flitting about the leaves and twigs at the ends of branches in the shrubbery and evergreens； for the tiny insects that the warblers must devour by the million during their all too brief visit。
BIRDS CONSPICUOUSLY YELLOW AND ORANGE
Yellow…throated Vireo American Goldfinch Evening Grosbeak Blue…winged Warbler Canadian Warbler Hooded Warbler Ke