OPORORNIS FORMOSA: KENTUCKY WARBLER. 163 



prettily. Its loud clear song is said to resemble that 

 of the Mourning Warbler with the first two syllables 

 omitted. Mr. Brewster calls it altogether one of the 

 best Sylvicoline performances he has heard. 



[The first and so far the only New England record 

 is that given by Mr. Merriam (Rev. B. Conn., 1877, 

 p. 22), who says that a male was procured by Mr. 

 E. I. Shores, at Suffield, Conn., August i6th, 1876. 

 Mr. Merriam adds: "I am aware that Dr. Coues, in 

 his 'Birds of the Northwest' (p. 73), states that the 

 species occurs f north to the Connecticut Valley,' but on 

 what authority I am unable to surmise. Perhaps the 

 learned Doctor's knowledge of the distribution of birds, 

 and of that something in their hearts which ofttimes 

 causes those inexplicable peregrinations, together with 

 his marvelous power of intuition, told him that it did 

 occur in the Connecticut Valley, and had long been 

 waiting to be discovered by Mr. Shores. Indeed, 

 nearly ten years ago, Dr. Coues prophesied that ' the 

 occurrence of this species as a rare- or casual summer 

 visitor in southern New England is confidently to be 

 anticipated,' and it is an old saying, that probabilities 

 become facts if only given time enough." I am much 

 obliged to my respected young friend for this neat 

 compliment, and quite agree with him, as far as mod- 

 esty allows me to do so. " My prophetic soul" being 

 at ease now, in this and many like cases, I can con- 

 fidently commend to him the study of Faunal areas, 

 as tending to "marvelous" sharpening of "intuitions," 

 and insuring peace of ornithological mind. C.~\ 



