Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-09-21

gray fibers Of plants swingled by the rain and
wind, the brown chat of ferns, and tn #
down of the thistle are III Jst priced by these
little architects. The
Chestnut-sided warbler, ID. PennsyI-
vanica, nd,
is common bird and readily distinguished
from its name. Frequenting shrubbery and
semi-swamp lands, it is not so often observed
as its abundance would warrant.
A nest found in Burlington on the 18th of
June contained three eggs They are white
with wreath Of purpllsh markings on the
crown. Here is nest from another locality
built in fork OF the plant leather wood
that shrub which Botany says used to be
considered good for the tools back. There
is nothing very substantial about this. From
the style Of architecture you might infer the
| artist had studied with the indigo bird. At
any rate one must have copied the other for
they dwell close together. Grass stems and
STRIPS of bark are the essentials, with little
hOrse-hair for variety's sake. Birch bark and
| the crinkled blades of whltened grasses
| adorn the exterior, and the whole is stayed
with cob-Se silk in several places. But the
cow-blackbird has been here betimes again
and left her unwelcome gift
| Among the smaller birds few if any are
more conspicuous in the spring woodlands
than the
| Redstart, (SetOphagn rutlcilla, Sw.l,
the jet-black OF whose plumage contrasts
strongly with the orange-red, as In the oroe.
AS he darts nervousy about ransacking the
foliage for insects, you may readily note the
dark, glossy head, the white breast and flame .
color of the wings and tail Ills song and
lively tsit-stst,: are hardly in keeping
with such bright feathers but as birds 90, it
is about what you might expect. Yet AS a
nest builder this little warbler excels many II
noted singer. Like the chestnut sided
they haunt the I'm Ter shrubbery of wood
lands, though they occasionally select the
apple orchards, and pitch their abodes in
the crotch of small trees not far from the
ground. This nest from a sapling maple is
la good example of their housekeeping. 1t is
early in June, the It'll, and there are four
newly laid eggs. The locality is the steep
side of bushy amphilheatrc, where a crop
OF young trees and bramblcs have succeeded
the older growth. Iunder on the plain be-
low dashes brook over its rocky ted. This
is favorite resort for such birds, for within
stones throw are several nests OF the Penn
sytrdntca and the indgo-fnch. The nest is
tolerably compact, cup-shaped composed Of
grass and fine strips of grapevine bark. The
rim and exterior, particularly the exposed
side, are secured and ornamented with
stucco-work OF vegetable down aud spiders
silk. The
Maryland Yellow throat, (GeothIypis|
trichas, Cab,
is one of the many birds which is very
abundant and yet but little known. OF
about the size and make Of the wren their
coat is of soft olive-green turning to yellow
on the breast. and very noticeable band OF
OF jet black on the sides Of the face, dstn-
, cuisines the male
Like many of the sparrows they are
groundiings, fiequentin. scruOby pastures
where they are constantly seen peering upI
from amid the brake and burberry, darling
in their cover and out again, playing at hide
and seek, and sauting you with their
pleasant little refrain, chickopy clickopy,-
click, cheeky, provided their retreat is secure,
) but draw near the nest aud they will order
you off in dry, sharp mouosylables.
The nest is sunk at the bottom Of a grass
tussock, aud the sitting bird Can crawl
through the grass like mouse and will rarelyI
: rise directly from her charge. Yet hid secure
! ~ as 1t is down in the sward, the cow-birdI
finds it, for he has dropped an egg in the
nest we have here. The earth makes good
setting and we are not surprised il the|
ground-builders, use little material in them
, dwellings. Indeed it is policy for them to
make as little show as possible, for building
conspicuous nest would be equivalent t
hanging out the sign for the skunk anc
weasel. A little dry grass, some pine needles
and hair suffice this bird, and her finely dot
ted white eggs are well screened by the can
opy OF grass above.