326 BULLETIN 203, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



has a light lisping sound. This note is followed by another, similar 

 but stronger and more prolonged. Then come three or four short, 

 clear notes quickly given, the song ending with a prolonged rising 

 one that closes sharply. Our interpretation of the song would be 

 zweeo-zweeo-zwee-zwee-zwee-zioeeck. "VVlienever an additional note is 

 given, it is of the intermediate kind. One or two of these notes are, 

 to us, suggestive of some heard in the song of Townsend's warbler. 

 The song is quite rapidly sung in an energetic way, being very distinc- 

 tive and is pleasing. It resembles the song of no other warbler in the 

 region." 



Bowles (1906) says that the song of the hermit warbler "consists 

 of four distinct notes, as a rule, and is described as zeegle-zeegle, 

 zeegle-zeek^ uttered somewhat slowly at first but ending rather 

 sharply." Barlow (1899) states that "though not loud it would pene- 

 trate through the woods quite a distance and very much resembled 

 tsit^ tsit, tsit, tsit, chee chee chee^ the first four syllables being uttered 

 with a gradual and uniform speed, ending quickly with the chee chee 

 chee.^'' Grinnell and Storer (1924) write: 



The song of the male Hermit Warbler, while varying somewhat with dilTerent 

 individuals, is suficiently distinct from that of the other warblers of the region 

 to make possible identification by voice alone. The song is most nearly like that 

 of the Audubon Warbler but usually not so clear or mellow. A male bird ob- 

 served at Chinquapin seemed to say seezle, seezle, seezle, seezle, seek, zeek; 

 just that number of syllables, over and over again. The quality was slightly 

 droning, but not so much so as that of the Black-throated Gray Warbler. 

 Another song, clearer in quality, heard in Yosemite Valley, was written tcr'-ley, 

 ter'-ley, ter'-ley, sic' , sic', thus much more nearly like the song of the Audubon 

 Warbler. Other transscriptions ranged between these two as to timbre. A ren- 

 dering set down at Glacier Point June 16, 1915, was as follows: ser-weez', 

 ser-iveez', ser-tveez', ser', ser'. The marked rhythm throughout, and the stressed 

 terminal syllables, are distinctive features of the Hermit's song. The call note 

 is a moderate chip." 



Writing of warbler songs of early dawn, Dawson (Dawson and 

 Bowles, 1909) indulges in the following flowery praise of the hermit's 

 sing: "There is Audubon with his hastening melody of gladness. 

 There is Black-throated Gray with his still drowsy sonnet of sweet 

 content. Then there is Hermit hidden aloft in the shapeless greenery 

 of the under-dawn — his note is sweetest, gladdest, most seraphic of 

 them all, lilli/, lilly, lilly, lee-oleet. It is almost sacrilege to give it 

 form — besides it is so hopeless. The preparatory notes are like the 

 tinkle of crystal bells, and when our attention is focused, lo ! the won- 

 der happens, the exquisite lilt of the closing phrase, lee-oleety 



Field marks. — The yellow head, the black throat, the dark back, and 

 the white, unmarked under parts will distinguish the male in spring. 

 The head of the female, of young birds, and of fall birds is also more 



