OF NEW ENGLAND. 115 
never known them to stray so far to the northward as Massa- 
chusetts, though, indeed, reported from Nova Scotia. They are 
said to prefer the deep woods, where they inhabit the tree-tops. 
(d). Audubon speaks of their song as ‘‘extremely sweet 
and mellow,” but Mr. Ridgway says that they possess ‘ only 
the most feeble notes” (Dr. Brewer). This is one instance 
among many, and a simple one, of disagreement between two 
authorities (in this case, the former probably being the less 
trustworthy). I have seen no less than six wholly different 
descriptions of the song of one species, the name of which I 
do not now remember, none of which seemed to me reliable or 
satisfactory, and yet they were all written by men whom one 
would naturally regard as good authorities. Moreover, it was 
very evident that not more than one or two were descriptive 
of the same notes, though the bird in question had but one 
song. It is, therefore, certain that some of these authors 
attributed to this bird music that it never uttered. In most 
cases of the kind it is to be remembered that many birds have 
two songs, many variations of one song, or a simple unmusical 
chant, to which a terminal warble is added in May or June. 
(H) ca#ruLescens. Black-throated Blue Warbler. Canada 
Warbler. 
(Generally not very common during their migrations through 
Massachusetts.) 
(a). Five inches or more long. ¢, slaty-blue above, white 
beneath. Sides of head and whole throat, continuously jet- 
black. Wings and tail dark; the former with a large white 
spot on the edge of the wing (at the base of the primaries) and 
no bars. Q, above dull olive-green, blue-tinged. Below, white 
or yellowish. Wing-spot characteristic but sometimes incon- 
spicuous. 
(b). The nest is probably always built near the ground, 
and most often in an evergreen. An egg found by Mr. Bur- 
roughs and described by Dr. Brewer is grayish white, ‘‘ marked 
around the larger end with a wreath, chiefly of a bright umber- 
brown with lighter markings of reddish-brown and obscure 
