248 BULLETIN 203, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



to rest the head is drawn in and the plumage ruffled up making the outline 

 more nearly globular, while the wings are dropped slightly so that their tips 

 are a little below the base of the tail. 



Francis H. Allen has sent me the following notes on the behavior of 

 this species : "Aug. 27, 1915, Mt. Sunapee, N. H. On the summit of 

 the mountain an immature myrtle warbler, very tame, flitted and 

 hopped about on the ground, over moss and rocks, and in bushes and 

 trees, feeding industriously on small insects. It seemed to pay no 

 attention to my companion and me, and at one time hopped between us 

 when we stood about 6 feet apart, and came within 2 feet of my out- 

 stretched hand as I held a crumb out towards it. I followed it about 

 a little and found it quite fearless, except when I made a sudden move- 

 ment. The bird could fly well and seemed perfectly well able to take 

 care of itself. 



"July 5, 1931, Mt. Whiteface, N. H. One or more were seen flying 

 up fifty or a hundred feet above the tops of the low spruces and darting 

 about up there after insects — doubtless the black flies which were 

 abundant on the summit. 



"Oct. 25, 1941, Plymouth, Mass. A sizable flock were feeding 

 actively, flying back and forth across the narrow Eel River, feeding 

 among foliage, catching flies and eating bayberries. One came within 

 6 feet of me and calmly ate bayberry after bayberry." 



Voice. — Aretas A. Saunders contributes the following account of 

 the songs: "The songs of the myrtle warbler show some differences 

 from those heard from birds on migration or on the breeding grounds. 

 The song in general is a series of short, rapid notes in a rather color- 

 less' simple, but musical quality. The number of notes, in my 41 

 records, varies from 7 to 21 and averages about 12. The songs heard 

 on migration, however, average 11 while those on the breeding grounds 

 average 14. 



"The songs heard on migration are quite indefinite in form; the 

 pitch rises and falls irregularly, and no two songs are much alike. 

 An individual bird may sing many variations, each song it sings often 

 being a little different from the others. The notes, however, are all 

 about the same length and loudness, accented notes that stand out from 

 the others being rare. This song shows indications of a somewhat 

 primitive character. 



"The song on the breeding grounds is somewhat more definite ; the 

 notes are often joined in 2-note phrases, the first note of each phrase 

 higher in pitch than the second and each phrase successively higher, 

 so that the song trends upward in pitch. This is true of 10 of my 13 

 records of the song on the breeding grounds in the Adirondacks. 

 The other 3 have a slight downward trend. In addition to the more 

 regular form, these songs have a somewhat brighter, livelier, and 

 more musical sound than those heard on migration. 



