554 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



(Swain). Kennebec; seen at Winslow in 1901 under conditions that sug- 

 gested it was breeding, (Swain, J. M. 0. S. 1901, p. 29). Oxford; occurs at 

 Upton, (Brewster, B. N. 0. C. 3, p. 61). Sagadahoc ; not uncommon migrant, 

 (Spinney). Somerset; seen near Hartland under conditions that suggested 

 it was breeding, (Swain, 1. c). Washington ; very rare, Boardman). 



May sixteenth seems to be the earliest date the species has 

 been reported in the State in spring, while records for about 

 May twenty-fourth, thirtieth and thirty-first rather predomi- 

 nate. Fall records seem lacking but a date when it was last 

 seen at Cambridge, Massachusetts, September thirtieth, will 

 help to supply the approximate time of departure from Maine. 

 The species is unknown to me and what is here written is a 

 compilation of the not too abundant notes of others. Minot 

 states that it frequents the haunts of the Maryland Yellow- 

 throat, and is also seen examining the foliage of tall trees 

 sometimes. He states they find their summer homes in copses 

 and thickets in open spots, finding their food in piles of brush, 

 on the ground, etc. Their song he states is a warbled liquid 

 song, likened to that of the House Wren, Water Thrush and 

 Maryland Yellow-throat, and is generally delivered from a 

 high perch. In Warbler Songs, p. 45, we find the following: 

 The song heard most frequently is " tee te-o te-ote-o we-se," 

 while another variation is " true true true true too." The 

 calls are said to be a " chip and a tsip." In Birds of Connec- 

 ticut, p. 24, the males are said to have a very characteristic 

 habit of perching at frequent intervals during the day on some 

 branch, generally a dead one, commonly ten or fifteen feet 

 from the ground, and singing for half an hour at a time, 

 (Merriam). 



About the most complete account of the nesting and other 

 habits of this species available is an article by Mr. J. Merton 

 Swain which was originally printed in The Journal of the 

 Maine Ornithological Society for March, 1905, pp. 14-18, and 

 which is here produced. Mr. Swain writes: — 



" The Mourning Warbler seems to be one of the least known 

 of this interesting family that breed in our State. The records 



