THE MOURNING WARBLER. ^\ 



identified, mostly in New England, thus fully differentiating 

 it as a species. Its notes and habits in general are very 

 similar to those of its near relatives. 



THE MOURNING WARBLER. 



Seating myself at another point in the vicinity, under the 

 shade of a silky dogwood in full bloom, I study the song 

 of the Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis Philadelphia]. This 

 song, which varies considerably with different individuals, 

 may generally be denoted by the syllables, free, free, free, 

 fruh, fruh the first three being loud and clear, and the 

 last two, in a lower tone, and so much softer and shorter 

 that a moderate distance, or a slight breeze in the opposite 

 direction, may prevent one from hearing them. Having 

 every opportunity for the study of this song for the 

 Mourning Warbler is a common summer resident in thickets 

 and open places of the woods here I find little or no re- 

 semblance between it and the melody of the Water-thrush. 



While I sit watching, the male leaves his place of song 

 in the clump of spice-bushes, and, dropping into the top of 

 some tall cinnamon ferns, meets the female. Well aware 

 how great a desideratum is the nest of this bird, and that it 

 builds on the ground, I begin search on hands and knees 

 with much enthusiasm. I work hard for several hours, till 

 the entire surface for many square rods around has been 

 carefully examined, but find no nest. 



Mr. Burroughs reports a nest found "in a bunch of ferns, 

 and about six inches from the ground. It was quite a mas- 

 sive nest, composed entirely of the stalks and leaves of dry 

 grass, with an inner lining of fine, dark-brown roots. The 

 eggs, three in number, were of light flesh color, uniformly 

 specked with fine brown specks. The cavity of the nest 

 was so deep that the back of the sitting bird sank below 



