68 THE CLERK OF THE WOODS 



departure. May joy go with them. This 

 morning, for the first time in several weeks, 

 a pine warbler was trilling. Song sparrows 

 have grown numerous within a few days, but 

 are almost entirely silent. One fellow sang 

 his regular song not his confused autum- 

 nal warble on the 19th. I had not heard 

 it before since the month opened. 



No blackpoll warblers showed themselves 

 with me till the 18th, though I had word of 

 their presence elsewhere a few days earlier. 

 On that day I saw three ; yesterday and to- 

 day have shown but one bird each. The 

 movement is barely begun. 



I should like to know how common it is 

 for blackpolls to sing on their southward 

 migration. Eleven years ago, in September, 

 1889, they came very early, or I had the 

 good fortune to see them very early, and 

 on the 4th and 5th of the month a few were 

 " in full song," so my notes record, " quite 

 as long and full as in May." I had never 

 heard them sing before in autumn, nor have 

 I ever had that pleasure since. Neither 

 have I ever again seen them so early. Prob- 

 ably the two things the song and the 



