This is a handsome, little, lively species, more elegant and smaller
than the white-throat, and of a purer colour; its throat being as white
as snow. It generally visits us the beginning or middle of April, and
leaves us again the end of August or beginning of September. Its song is
not so agreeable as most of the other species of warblers; but it is
soft and pretty, and very different from any other. It is also more
valuable by being much more rare; some seasons very few visit us, in
others they are sufficiently plentiful. Its habits are somewhat similar
to those of the white-throat, but it is much more quarrelsome, sometimes
so much so, that it must be taken from the other birds or it will worry
them to death, even if they are double its size.
In confinement it will soon become tame and familiar, and will readily
take to feed on bread and milk, and also on bruised hemp-seed and bread.
One that I bred up from the nest became so attached to its cage, that it
could not be prevailed upon to quit it for any length of time. When the
door of it was set open, it would generally come out quickly, and first
perch on the door, then mount to the top of the cage, thence it would
fly to any other cages that were in the room, and catch any flies that
came within its reach; sometimes it would descend to the floor, or
perch on a table or chair, and would fly up and take a fly out of the
hand, or drink milk out of a spoon if invited: of this it was very fond.
As soon as it was the least frightened, it would fly immediately to its
cage, first on the top, thence to the door, and would enter in exactly
as it came out. I have often hung it out at the window perched on the
top of its cage, with the door open, and it would never attempt to fly
away. Sometimes if a fly should happen to pass near it, it would fly off
and catch it, and return with it to the top of the cage: after remaining
there a considerable time, it would either return into it, or fly in at
the window, and perch on the cages of the other birds. It is rather more
tender than the white-throat.