352 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



stragglers usually departed for the south before the ist of October. They 

 never appeared in spring, nor is there a single record in which I have full 

 confidence of their occurrence at that season in any part of Massachusetts. 



219. Geothlypis Philadelphia (Wils.). 

 Mourning Warbler. 



Transient visitor, rare in spring, exceedingly rare in autumn. 



SEASONAL OCCURRENCE. 



May 21, 1866, one male taken, Cambridge, W. Brewster. 



May 22 — June 5. 

 June 13, 1905, one male seen and heard, Cambridge, G. M. Allen, C. F. Batchelder, W. Deane. 



September 12, 1891, one im. male' taken, Cambridge, W. W. Brown. 



September 12 — 25. 

 September 27, 1901, one im. male^ taken, Cambridge, W. Brewster. 



In the eyes of our local ornithologists the Mourning Warbler, like the Cape 

 May, possesses exceptional interest by reason of its comparative rarity and the 

 striking beauty of its plumage. Although it probably visits us regularly, at least 

 in spring, I have never known it to occur in any but the very smallest numbers. 

 The observer who finds more than one or two birds in the course of a single 

 season is indeed fortunate, and the chances are that he will not meet with the 

 species oftener, on an average, than once every three or four years. In view of 

 these facts it may be well to give all the records which my notes supply relat- 

 ing to the Cambridge Region. They are as follows : — 



May 21, 1866. A male Mourning Warbler was singing in our garden early this 

 morning. I shot the bird and mounted it, but the specimen was afterwards lost. 



September, 1870. A young bird — a female if I remember rightly — was killed 

 about the 12th of this month in the Maple Swamp by Mr. H. W. Henshaw. 



June 8, 1875. On this comparatively late date I killed a female in the Maple 

 Swamp. Her ovaries were but slightly developed, and she probably would not have 

 laid her eggs much before the 20th of the month. 



June 3, 1877. About noon today I heai'd a male singing in a cluster of lilacs in 

 our garden. A few minutes later I shot the bird, which is preserved in my collection. 

 It is in exceptionally high plumage. 



1 No. 29,887, collection of William Brewster. 



2 No. 30,442, collection of William Brewster. 



