bird neighbors-第30章

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uspended　by　the　upper　end　of　the　two　sides；　on　the　circular　bend　of　a　prickly　vine；　a　species　of　smilax；　that　generally　grows　in　low　thickets。　Outwardly　it　is　constructed　of　various　light　materials；　bits　of　rotten　wood；　fibres　of　dry　stalks；　of　weeds；　pieces　of　paper　（commonly　newspapers；　an　article　almost　always　found　about　its　nest；　so　that　some　of　my　friends　have　given　it　the　name　of　the　politician）；　all　these　materials　are　interwoven　with　the　silk　of　the　caterpillars；　and　the　inside　is　lined　with　fine；　dry　grass　and　hair。〃


WARBLING　VIREO　（Vireo　gilvus）　Vireo　or　Greenlet　family

Length　　5。5　to　6　inches。　A　little　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Ashy　olive…green　above；　with　head　and　neck　　　ash…colored。　Dusky　line　over　the　eye。　Underneath　whitish；　　　faintly　washed　with　dull　yellow；　deepest　on　sides；　no　bars　on　　　wings。　Range　　North　America；　from　Hudson　Bay　to　Mexico。　Migrations　　May。　Late　September　or　early　October。　Summer　　　resident。

This　musical　little　bird　shows　a　curious　preference　for　rows　of　trees　in　the　village　street　or　by　the　roadside；　where　he　can　be　sure　of　an　audience　to　listen　to　his　rich；　continuous　warble。　There　is　a　mellowness　about　his　voice；　which　rises　loud；　but　not　altogether　cheerfully；　above　the　bird　chorus；　as　if　he　were　a　gifted　but　slightly　disgruntled　contralto。　Too　inconspicuously　dressed；　and　usually　too　high　in　the　tree…top　to　be　identified　without　opera…glasses；　we　may　easily　mistake　him　by　his　voice　for　one　of　the　warbler　family；　which　is　very　closely　allied　to　the　vireos。　Indeed；　this　warbling　vireo　seems　to　be　the　connecting　link　between　them。

Morning　and　afternoon；　but　almost　never　in　the　evening；　we　may　hear　him　rippling　out　song　after　song　as　he　feeds　on　insects　and　berries　about　the　garden。　But　this　familiarity　lasts　only　until　nesting　time；　for　off　he　goes　with　his　little　mate　to　some　unfrequented　lane　near　a　wood　until　their　family　is　reared；　when；　with　a　perceptibly　happier　strain　in　his　voice；　he　once　more　haunts　our　garden　and　row　of　elms　before　taking　the　southern　journey。


OVENBIRD　（Seiurus　aurocapillus）　Wood　Warbler　family

Called　also：　GOLDEN…CROWNED　THRUSH；　THE　TEACHER；　WOOD　WAGTAIL；　　　GOLDEN…CROWNED　WAGTAIL；　GOLDEN…CROWNED　ACCENTOR

Length　　6　to　6。15　inches。　Just　a　shade　smaller　than　the　English　　　sparrow。　Male　and　Female　　Upper　parts　olive；　with　an　orange…brown　crown；　　　bordered　by　black　lines　that　converge　toward　the　bill。　Under　　　parts　white；　breast　spotted　and　streaked　on　the　sides。　White　　　eye…ring。　Range　　United　States；　to　Pacific　slope。　Migrations　　May。　October。　Common　summer　resident。

Early　in　May　you　may　have　the　good　fortune　to　see　this　little　bird　of　the　woods　strutting　in　and　out　of　the　garden　shrubbery　with　a　certain　mock　dignity；　like　a　child　wearing　its　father's　boots。　Few　birds　can　walk　without　appearing　more　or　less　ridiculous；　and　however　gracefully　and　prettily　it　steps；　this　amusing　little　wagtail　is　no　exception。　When　seen　at　all　　which　is　not　often；　for　it　is　shy　　it　is　usually　on　the　ground；　not　far　from　the　shrubbery　or　a　woodland　thicket；　under　which　it　will　quickly　dodge　out　of　sight　at　the　merest　suspicion　of　a　footstep。　To　most　people　the　bird　is　only　a　voice　calling；　〃TEACHER　TEACHER。　TEACHER；　TEACHER；　TEACHER！〃　as　Mr。　Burroughs　has　interpreted　the　notes　that　go　off　in　pairs　like　a　series　of　little　explosions；　softly　at　first；　then　louder　and　louder　and　more　shrill　until　the　bird　that　you　at　first　thought　far　away　seems　to　be　shrieking　his　penetrating　crescendo　into　your　very　ears。　But　you　may　look　until　you　are　tired　before　you　find　him　in　the　high；　dry　wood；　never　near　water。

In　the　driest　parts　of　the　wood；　here　the　ground　is　thickly　carpeted　with　dead　leaves；　you　may　some　day　notice　a　little　bunch　of　them；　that　look　as　if　a　plant；　in　pushing　its　way　up　through　the　ground；　had　raised　the　leaves；　rootlets；　and　twigs　a　trifle。

Examine　the　spot　more　carefully；　and　on　one　side　you　find　an　opening；　and　within　the　ball　of　earth；　softly　lined　with　grass；　lie　four　or　five　cream…white；　speckled　eggs。　It　is　only　by　a　happy　accident　that　this　nest　of　the　ovenbird　is　discovered。　The　concealment　could　not　be　better。　It　is　this　peculiarity　of　nest　construction　　in　shape　like　a　Dutch　oven　　that　has　given　the　bird　what　DeKay　considers　its　〃trivial　name。〃　Not　far　from　the　nest　the　parent　birds　scratch　about　in　the　leaves　like　diminutive　barnyard　fowls；　for　the　grubs　and　insects　hiding　under　them。　But　at　the　first　suspicion　of　an　intruder　their　alarm　becomes　pitiful。　Panic…stricken；　they　become　fairly　limp　with　fear；　and　drooping　her　wings　and　tail；　the　mother…bird　drags　herself　hither　and　thither　over　the　ground。

As　utterly　bewildered　as　his　mate；　the　male　darts；　flies；　and　tumbles　about　through　the　low　branches；　jerking　and　wagging　his　tail　in　nervous　spasms　until　you　have　beaten　a　double…quick　retreat。

In　nesting　time；　at　evening；　a　very　few　have　heard　the　〃luxurious　nuptial　song〃　of　the　ovenbird；　but　it　is　a　song　to　haunt　the　memory　forever　afterward。　Burroughs　appears　to　be　the　first　writer　to　record　this　〃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　jerk