378 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



about eyes. Ycjuiig birds have little or no ashy on the head and no black on 

 the thi'oat, thus nearly resembling the Oporornin ayi'/ix. Length, 5^-5^; wing 

 and tail, each about 2^. 



Hab. — Eastern North America to the Plains, breeding from the mountain- 

 ous portions of Pennsylvania, New England and New York, and Noithern 

 Michigan northward. Central America and northern South Amei'ica in winter. 



Nest, on or near the ground, built of leaves and weed stalks, and lined with 

 fine V)lack rootlets. 



Eggs, three; "light Hesh eoloi-, uiiifoindy speckled with fine ljr(nvn specks." 



Very little is yet known of the nest and eggs of the Mourning 

 War])ler. The aljove description is given by John Burroughs of a 

 nest found by hiui in New York 8tate, which is farther south than 

 these birds usually spend the summer. 



8ome years ago, while waiting for the train at a way station on 

 the Kincardine branch of the Grand Trunk Railway, I strolled into 

 the neighboring woods to pass the time. Sitting on a prostrate log 

 on the sunny side of a ravine, birds of many kinds fluttered about, 

 and a pair of Mourning Warblers soon attracted my attention by 

 the displeasure and anxiety they manifested at being disturbed. I 

 changed my position, and the female moved cautiously towards the 

 place I had left. A few minutes more and I certainly should have 

 seen the nest, but the engine whistle sounded, and being some 

 distance from the station I had to leave. Next day, as the train 

 slowly passed the place, the male was again observed singing on his 

 former perch. 



Any one who has given attention to the movements of the bii'ds 

 for a number of years, must have been surprised at the persistent 

 regularity with which certain species appear at particular j)laces at 

 a given time, especially in spring. 



For many years after I commenced collecting birds, I considered 

 the Mourning Warbler only a straggler in this part of Ontario, 

 having met with it on but two occasions. More recently, I have 

 carefully studied the topographical aspect of the neighborhood with 

 special reference to the habits of the bii'ds, and have calculated 

 where certain species should be found at certain dates. One result 

 of this was, that on two visits made to a particular place in May, 

 1885, K. C. McTlwraith obtained nine Mourning Warblers in a very 

 short time. In the spring of 1886 they were again observed at the 

 same place, but were not molested. The name Mourning does not 

 refer to the manners of the V)ird, for it sings with much spii'it and 

 is quite lively in its movements, but was suggested by the ashy tips 



