OPORORNIS AGILIS : CONNECTICUT WARBLER. l6l 



Notwithstanding the abundance of this bird at times 

 in the fall, in southern New England, it is usually a 

 rare migrant, especially in spring, and its breeding 

 resorts, as well as the nest and eggs, are unknown. 

 There is something to be discovered, respecting its 

 migrations, which makes it so excessively rare in 

 spring, compared with its numbers in autumn ; also 

 respecting its breeding range, the bird being a well- 

 known migrant through Connecticut and Massachu- 

 setts, yet without New England record beyond these 

 States. The facts, when known, will doubtless be 

 mutually explanatory. It seems probable that this, 

 like some other species, takes different routes in going 

 to and from its breeding-grounds. While it is unsafe 

 to theorize in such cases, we may conjecture that the 

 distribution and migrations agree to some extent with 

 those of the Mourning Warbler, Gcothlypis Philadel- 

 phia, which is a rare bird in most localities in the 

 Atlantic States, but very abundant in Minnesota and 

 along the eastern border of Dakota, in the breeding 

 season. The Connecticut Warbler is chiefly seen with 

 us in September and early in October, during which 

 periods great numbers have been taken in Massa- 

 chusetts some years. It is a quiet bird, of retiring 

 disposition, liable to pass unnoticed unless specially 

 sought for — the more so, because it frequents prefer- 

 ably low, swampy places, and keeps near the ground. 

 Few persons have ever heard the song of this retiring 

 and fugitive bird. It is described as pleasant, though 

 a little harsh, and somewhat resembling that of the 

 Maryland Yellow-throat ; being forcibly delivered in 

 a clear ringing tone. 

 II 



