Identifier: birdsnature151904chic (find matches)
Title: Birds and nature
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors:
Subjects: Birds Natural history
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : A.W. Mumford, Publisher
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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otes of an unknown song uttered closeat hand. Instanly seating myself on afallen tree, I awaited its repetition. Thewoods about me were quite dry and com-paratively deserted by birds, but alongthe neighboring creek many vireos,thrushes and swamp warblers were pro-ducing such a babel of sounds that Ifeared the voice of my unknown song-ster might escape me. After the lapse ofa few minutes, however, a bird emergedfrom a thicket within a few yards of me,where he had been industriously scratch-ing amongst the fallen leaves, flew intoa small sapling and gave utterance to aloud, ringing, and very beautiful song.Seen in the dim light of the woods, hebore a decided resemblance to the Louisi-ana water thrush, and his song mightalmost have passed for an exceptionalperformance by that bird. I at once sus-pected his tnie identity, and in a few sec-onds held in my hand the lifeless body ofa male Swainsons Warbler. Continu-ing, Mr. Brown relates that he was im-pressed by the absorbed manner in which
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CHI. ACAO. SCIENCES. 643 SWAINSONS WARBLER.(Helinaia swainsonii).Aboat Life-size. > COPYRIGHT 1904, BY W, MUMFORD, CHICAGO i this bird sings. Sitting quietly upon alimb of some small tree, he suddenlythrows back his head and pours forth hisnotes with the utmost fervor and aban-don. During his intervals of silence heremains motionless, with plumage ruf-fled, as if completely lost in musical rev-erie. In 1884, Mr. William Brewster visitedSouth Carolina in search of SwainsonsWarbler and determined to explore thewoods and swamps with all possiblecare and thoroughness. This was hissecond attempt, for during the preceding-year he had made an unsuccessfulattempt. Both seasons he was assistedby Mr. Arthur T. Wayne and made theCity of Charleston his headquarters. Thework of the second year was rewarded,and Mr. Brewster carried home with himnine specimens or nearly as many ashad been previously collected since thediscovery of the species, in 1832. Thisresult was certainly gratifying, butgrea

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