New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-08

varbIers and fnnurnerabIe they must seem u
one who Is Just beginning his studies; indeed.
there seventy species which find their
way into the United States Many are named
I from the distribution OF color upon their plu-
mage-the blue winged yellow. the black throat
ed blue. chestnut sided, bay breasted and black
poll Perhaps the two most beautiful most re-
dectiye OF the bright tropical skies and flowers
the magnolia and blackburnan- The first
CARLY dazzles US with it's blush crown. white
and black face. black and oIiye-green back.
white marked wings and tail. yellow throat and
rump and strongly streaked breast The black
burnian is an exquisite little fellow. marked
with white and black but with the crown. sew
eraI patches the face. the throat and breast
of a rich warm orange that CLOVIS among the
green foliage like living coal OF fire The
black poll warbler Is easy bird TO identify.
but do not expect to recognize il when it returns
from the North next fall Its black crown has
disappeared and in general it looks Ike I very
different bird
At the present time when the dOgyEood bios
SONS are in their full perfection and the
| branches and twigs OF the trees are not yet
hidden. but their outlines only softened by the
young feathery foliage. the tanagers and orioles
| have their day Nesting cares have not yet
made them fearful OF showing their bright
piumage. and the scarlet and orange forms play
among the branches in hundreds.
The fiycatchers and yireos now appear little
hunters OF insects clad in Ieafy green's and
browns. with now and then n touch OF bright
ness-as in the yellow throated vireo or the
orange in the crest Of the kinsbird.
The lesser saadpipers, both spotted and SOL
itary. teete- along the brooks and ponds and
probe the shadows for tiny WORMS. Near the
woody streams the so-caIed water thrushes
fly up before Strange birds these in ap-
pearaHee like thrushes in their teet ering motion
1
belonging TO the same family as the tree loving
wood warblers- \ problem not yet solved by
ornithOlOsists is What was the mode OF life
OF the ancestor of the many warbIers? Did he
cling to and creep along the bark like the black
and white warbler. or feed from ground or
| thicket like the worm eating? Did he snatch
flies the wing like the neclIaced Canadian
warbler. or CLEAN from the brooks edge like
our water thrush: The struggle for existeDc.
has not been absent from the lives of these
lishthearted little fellows. and they have had
10 be iackS-of-IlI- trades in their search for
food
The gnats and other flying insects have indeed
10 take many chances when they slip from their
coeoons and dance up into the warm sunlight
Lucky for their race that there are millions
instead of thousands Of them for now the sickle
winged swifts and great numbers OF tree and
barn swallows spend the Iiyelony day in swoon-
which have risen above the toads' nav upon
land. and beyond the reach of the trouts. lean
over the water.
II would take an article long as this even
To mention the birds which we may observe
during a walk~in May, and with bird book and
glasses we must see for ourselves the boboiinks
IN the broad meadows. the COWbirds and rusty
bldckbirds. and pushing through the lady sim
per marshes We viii surprise the solitary great
blue and the little green herons at their silent
fishing. S-'S'N
No matter how late the spring may be IN.
great migration host will be AT its heiebt &c..
the 10th TO the 10th of the month From
this until June L migrants will be passine- huf
in fewer and fewer numbers. until the boi,ncs
comes 10 rest again. and we may cease fror,
the strenuous ldbOrs of the lllSt few weeks con
hdent that those birds which remain VIII ~.
the builders OF the nests near our homes ybirs
.heS hIloW SO Wen now to hide. Even before
the last day OF May passes we will ssa 49,,
louns oTGs on Their first weak-winged flights
sucu as o.uepIsos anu robins. bur June is the
great month or bird hoWes, Is May belongs 70
the migrants. -