MOURNING WARBLER 525 



markings on its breast, which suggested a symbol of mourning. The 

 name is not happily chosen, however, for as Forbush (1929) says, "this 

 crepe-like marking about the breast is the only thing about the bird 

 that would suggest mourning, for it seems as happy and active as most 

 birds, and its song is a paean of joy." Wilson never saw another speci- 

 men, and Audubon handled very few ; Nuttall was apparently not sure 

 that he even saw a single one. This is not strange, for it is not common 

 in the Eastern States, where it occurs as a late migrant and is not easily 

 detected in the dense shrubbery that it frequents at a time when vegeta- 

 tion is in full leaf. 



Spring. — From its winter home in Central and South America, the 

 mourning warbler enters the United States on a front extending from 

 Florida to Texas ; it is apparently very rare in Florida, where Howell 

 (1932) gives only two spring records. There is probably a heavy 

 migration directly across the Gulf of Mexico, from Yucatan to the Gulf 

 States, for M. A. Frazar (1881) saw "large numbers" flying northward 

 on a line from Yucatan to the mouth of the Mississippi, when his ship 

 was about 30 miles south of the Louisiana coast. It has been reported, 

 by various observers as migrating regularly through eastern Texas, 

 where I have observed it in the passing waves of migrants. Thence it 

 spreads out northeastvv-ard along the Alleghenies, as well as migrating 

 northward through the Mississippi Valley. It is comparatively rare 

 east of the Alleghenies, but decidedly commoner to the west of that 

 range. Milton B. Trautman (1940) says of the spring migration in 

 Ohio: 



In spring the Mourning Warbler inhabited chiefly the dense shrub layer of the 

 remnant swamp forests, and, occasionally, the dense tangles of hilly woodlands. 

 The birds in the upland woods were almost invariably in the wetter sections, such 

 as in the lower third of a ravine. The females and some males were very secretive, 

 remaining in dense shrubbery, except when flying in a skulking manner from one 

 tangle to another, or when scolding for an instant upon some terminal branch in 

 response to much "Screech Owl" whistling. The high-plumaged males, however, 

 seemingly sang each morning, and while singing were most conspicuous. The 

 males usually remained quiet during the early morning warbler chorus. About 

 7 a. m. their sharp, "chip" note could be heard in tangles, and shortly thereafter 

 they appeared singly and in small groups. They perched on small twigs, peered 

 about for a moment, flew upward a few feet, and alighted upon the twigs of small, 

 rather isolated bushes or saplings. There they perched quietly for a few moments 

 before beginning to sing. After singing in loud clear voices several times they 

 hopped upward to the next branches and repeated the song, and then continued 

 alternately to perch higher and sing until the tops of the shrubs or saplings were 

 reached. 



From the fan-shaped migration route the breeding range spreads out 

 from Newfoundland on the east to Alberta on the west, including south- 

 ern Canada and some of the Northern States, and extends southward in 

 the mountains to New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. On its 

 breeding grounds, the mourning warbler shows a preference for old 



