BIRDS OF NEW YORK 305 



southwestern New York. During the month of June 191 1, Mr C. F. Stone 

 heard a White-throat in full song and found the nest and eggs, in Potter 

 swamp, Yates county, N. Y. It has also been found breeding two or three 

 times in the vicinity of Peterboro (Gerrett S. Miller), and in Oswego 

 county, and in the woods near Cooperstown, Otsego lake, but it is more 

 boreal in distribution as a breeding species throughout central and western 

 New York than the Junco or even than the Winter wren. In the southern 

 part of New York a few white-throats pass the winter, but it is mainly 

 a migratory species in the southern and central portions of the State, 

 arriving from the south from the 2d to the i6th of April, sometimes not 

 appearing before the 24th or 30th in the more northerly counties. Through- 

 out western New York the species has passed on to its summer home, 

 usually from the 14th to the 22d of May. Occasionally, however, migrants 

 are noticed as late as the 30th of May or the 2d of June. In the fall the 

 migration begins from the 2d to the 20th of September, sometimes not 

 before the 30th in the southern counties. The greater number have passed 

 farther south between the i6th and 30th of October, though a few are 

 still noted through November and as late as December 8th. As mentioned 

 above, a few in the southeastern part of the State remain throughout the 

 winter and a very few are winter residents in western New York. 



Haunts and habits. During the migration season the White-throat 

 is seen familiarly about our gardens and lawns, shrubbery and hedgerows, 

 appearing in pairs or scattered' companies usually of from 10 to 30 indi- 

 viduals hopping about on the ground and scratching the dead leaves in 

 search of seeds and insects, but spending a portion of its time in the shrubbery 

 and trees. The alarm note is a sharp " chip," and a call of less concern is 

 like the sst of the Song sparrow. Its song is heard during the migration 

 season, at least after it has been with us for a few days, especially in the 

 morning and late in the afternoon and on rainy days. It consists of 2 

 high, clear, whistled notes succeeded by a triple trill usually fading away 

 and dropping at the last. In New England it has been likened to the 

 words " Old Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody," or " Sow wheat, Peeverly, 



