OF NEW ENGLAND. 87 



the attention of every passer-by, a simple chick, less often 

 heard, and a chatter, much finer and less harsh ^han that of 

 the Cat-bird, the "Maryland Yellow-throats" have a charac- 

 teristic set of notes, which resemble the syllables wee-chee-chee, 

 repeated several times, with a marked emphasis on the wee. 

 This is varied to wee-chee-chee-wee, which is repeated in the 

 same manner, and again to a song, which is not unlike that of 

 the Yellow Warbler, though sufficiently distinct. 



The "Maryland Yellow-throats" are among our most bene- 

 ficial birds, and cannot in any way do injury to man or his 

 property. Whoever is unfamiliar with them can easily make 

 their acquaintance, and a charming acquaintance it will prove 

 to be. In a certain place, where I took many walks, these 

 birds seemed to be traveling companions, whenever I followed 

 the highways, so constantly did I see them along the road- 

 sides. 



(B) PHILADELPHIA. Mourning Warbler. 



(Quite common (locally) in certain parts of northern New 

 England as a summer-resident, but a very rare migrant through 

 Massachusetts, where none pass the summer, so far as I know.) 



(a). Five inches or more long. Olive above. Beneath, 

 bright yellow. Head, warm (ashy-) gray. Throat black, often 

 waved with gray. 



(b). The eggs and nest correspond closely to those of the 

 Maryland Yellow-throat in every respect, but the former, so far 

 as I know, are never either plain white or coarsely marked. 



(c). The Mourning Warblers are among the birds who are 

 extremely rare in Massachusetts, even during the migrations, 

 though they breed quite commonly in certain parts of northern 

 New England, and also in places much further to the south- 

 ward. During their occasional brief sojourn in this State, in 

 the latter part of May, and still more rarely in September, 

 they usually frequent the haunts of the Maryland Yellow- 

 throats, but are also sometimes seen examining the foliage of 

 tall trees (up the trunks of which, for a little way, I have 

 strong reason to believe that they sometimes scramble). I 



