BIRDS OF 



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

 with fine black rootlets. 



Eggs, 3 ; " light flesh color uniformly speckled with fine brown specks." 



Very little is yet known of the nest and eggs of the Mourn- 

 ing Warbler. The above description is given by John Burroughs 

 of a nest found by him in New York State, which is farther 

 south than these birds usually spend the summer. 



Some years since, when waiting for the train at a way station 

 on the Kincardine branch of the G. T. R., 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 fluttering about 

 me, a pair of Mourning Warblers soon attracted attention by the 

 displeasure and anxiety they manifested at being disturbed. I 

 changed my position, and the female moved cautiously toward 

 the place I had left. A few minutes more and certainly I 

 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 

 birds for a number of years, must have been surprised at the per- 

 sistent regularity with which certain species appear at particu- 

 lar places at a given time, especially in spring. 



For many years after I commenced collecting birds, I con- 

 sidered the Mouining Warbler only a straggler in this part of 

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

 have carefully studied the topographical aspect of the neighbor- 

 hood with special reference to the habits of the birds, 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. Mcllwraith 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 bird, for it 

 sings with much spirit and is quite lively in its movements, but 

 was suggested by the ashy tips to the black feathers of the 

 throat, resembling the effect produced by wearing crape. 



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