The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-06-21
OUR YOUNG FOLKS COLUMN.
Something About the Rare and Seldom
Seen Forest Birds.
THE MOST MUSICAL WARBLERS
Birds OF Bright and Varied PIumngc-Thoir
Singing Powers-The Superiority OF
tho Male over the Female.

Beginning the latter part Of April and end
| ing about the middle of May, from tho bud
| ding of fruit trees until the woods are IN leaf,
| the orchards. the thickets and the forests are
frightened by the presence Of the warblers-
the gayest, prettiest and most interesting
! group of birds to be found in our country.
The naturalists that have giyn scientific
names to our birds have called the warblers
tho sylvcolnae. well-chosen name. for 1t
means the family Of grove-dwellers, or innab-
itants Of the forests They are small birds.
mono being more than six inches IN entire
| length. Nearly all are shorter than peewt,
being about the size Of song-sparrow or a
| canary bird.
OF the warblers proper there are about fifty
| species in the United States thirty-hve OF
which are found in the Atlantic States. They
! are all migrants or birds OF passage, journey
ing north IN spring TO build their nests and
rear their young and returning south at the
end Of summer. Il he greater number go tar
| north. many spending the summer IN British
America, even as far up as Hudson bay:
Many 60 no farther than the New England
States, New York. Northern Pennsylvania or
the forests of Michigan. A few species are
content to spend the summer about Phlladel-
phla, and among these we may name the
black and white creeper. the Maryland yellow
throat, the blue-eyed yellow warbler and the
redstart
But some Of my young readers may ask:
Why is it we know 80 little about the WARP
lers. Where do they keep themselves,
The answer TO this last question explains
the whole matter The warblers are birds OF
the forest and the less frequented paths OF
men. They sometimes cross the woodman
pain. dartng IN and out among the trees
above his head or 10 the thickets around
him. The farmer often sees them among the
blOssOunug trees of his orchard. but neither
woOdman nor farmer gives them second
thought. The little fellows are here to-day
and away tomorrow. and are soon forgotten.
No one but the naturalist, the student or
birds and bird-life. cares enough tor them 10
give them names.
knew an old English gentlemen (and there
are many like him who clas7ed all these
smaller birds under one. general name whiGh
he had learned when boy III England. tie
called them "dlckie birds" and never seemed
10 IMAGINE that any one had taken the trou.
bic TO find distinct names for them IL any or
my young friends of the Eight . CLOCK CtuD
shall learn 70 love the study or birds they VIII
come 10 know all of our fifty warolers, and
they will find that the rarest are often the
most beautiful.
Il has been no easy task 10 find common
names for them ALL Instead Of the short
names given TO our larger and more familiar
birds. such as tho robin, the bIue-brd, the
flicker and the crow. We have such titles as
tho black-winged yellow warbler, the black
throated blue warbler. the black-throated
green warbler. the chestnut-slded warbler and
many others equally long and cumbersome.
A few. however. which are better known than
the rest. have shorter names, such AS the red
start. the water thrush, the Oyen-blrd and the
yelOw-thrOat.
The longer names that we have lust men
toned would lead ono TO suppose that many
Of the wQrhlers are birds of bright and varied
pumape and that Gndeed, Is the fact. Some
are really handsome little follows. with eie-
CANT markings. and displaying many shades
Of color. glossy black. pure white added tO
finest tints of yellow. orange. blue and olyo
green The blue yellow-b back IL Of fine ultra
marine blue. with a patch Of golden bronze
between the shoulders. The Blackburnlan
warbler is black and white. with fine scarlet
or flame-color suausing tho throat and breast
The cerulean warbler is azure blue, with black
streaks and white wing bars. The plumoge
of the chestnut side isacombnatlon OF yellow,
black. white and chestnut red. Tho hooded
warbler has a velvetv black crown throat and
neck. enclosing pure yellow patch over the
eve and forehead; while the rcd5tart is glossy
black and fiery orange.
B1t we have said nothing about the sing
inc powers of these birds. and their very
name. "warhlers.' shows that there IS little
to be- said They are by no means brilliant
s0ngsters and cannot compare even with the
bluebird. the robin OF the peeWit. Yet many !
of them have soft. sweet notes, and quick |
ear can detect their gentle cadences as they
fit through our spring woods on their north |
ward w9y.
As with an other birds, it is the males that !
do most OF the singing Even among our do !
nestle fowls the teathered tenants of our
barn-yards it il the rooster that crows, the |
turkey-cock that "gObbles,' and the pea /
cock that screams
For me the warbiers have q special interest
because they are shy and strange ont OF the
way and hard 10 get acquainted with. We
soon know all about the c0mmOner birds that
hy near our homes. hop about our lawns,
nest in our orchards and help themselves
boldly 70 our strawberries and cherries But
here are birds that even hunters and wood
men cannot name, creatures OF gayest
p.umage and most graceful FORM lingering
with rs but n few bright days, and flashing
across our path rs if tempting Us TO know
them better.
think of the warbers as do Of the rarer
and shyer spring flowers which hide IN out
of the way hooks IN the woods and by the
brooksides, and reward Us by their lowell
ness when least expected. Philadelphia
Times