64 HOW TO STUDY BIRDS 



sounded, so does one the " conk-a-ree-e " of the red- 

 winged blackbird or the rollicking medley of the bob- 

 olink. They are distinct and inimitable, and in hear- 

 ing them one knows, not only that it is in correct 

 form, but also that it is sung by the author. 



If one is looking up some particular bird or birds, 

 acquaintance with the bird's song or notes is of won- 

 derful assistance. To cite an instance I was out 

 with a friend in early June to investigate blue-winged 

 warblers, hoping to discover an individual of the 

 hybrid forms of the Brewster's or Lawrence's warb- 

 lers, and then to attempt to trace out the nest, so as 

 to learn something of their little-known relationships. 

 We went to some typical country for the blue-wing 



the edge of woods bordering scrubby fields 

 and listened for songs. The usual song is a drawling 

 lisp of two notes, very characteristic, " ee-e, zee-e," 



the " easy " song, I sometimes call it. 



Almost upon arrival we heard one sing, and traced 

 it out in the thick foliage. It was a typical blue- 

 wing, so we left it and went on farther, heard an- 

 other, and traced it out with the same results. This 

 we repeated about eight or ten times, when the singer 

 proved, to our joy, to be a male Lawrence's warbler. 

 Knowing that the nest was doubtless not far from 

 where the bird continued to sing, we put in two hour's 

 hard work beating and examining the weeds and low 

 bushes, part of the time on hands and knees, and then 

 flushed the female from the nest on the ground under 

 some sprouts and debris. It contained four eggs of 



