244 MOURNING WARBLER 



Song. — I have never heard the song of this species. The call-note, 

 however, is a sharp, characteristic peek. Ernest Seton^ writes that the 

 song "may be suggested by the syllables beecher-beecher-beecher- 

 beecher-beecher-beecher. It is like the song of the Golden-crowned 

 Thrush [=Oven-bird], but differs in being in the same pitch through- 

 out. * * * 



"Besides the song already recorded I have noted another type; it 

 nearly resembles the syllables fru-chapple fru-chapple fru-chapple 

 u'hoit, and is uttered in a loud, ringing voice, quite unlike the weak, 

 hurried lisping of the Wood Warbler * * * _" 



"On first hearing the song it reminded me strongly of the Northern 

 Yellow-throat's. It is, however, more vigorous and resonant than the 

 Yellow-throat's. It does not repeat the song very often. The descrip- 

 tion fru-chapple fru-chapple fru-chapple, whoit, is good. Or, some- 

 times, it seems to say too-too-whit. He shakes his body all over when 

 he sings and his wings and tail vibrate furiously." {Farwell, MS.) 



Nesting Site. — On the ground {Seton^). 



Nest. — What appears to be the only authentic nest of this species 

 was found by Ernest Seton^ near Carberry, Manitoba, June 21, 1883. 

 It is described by him as being "composed entirely of fine grass." 



Eggs. — The nest discovered by Seton contained 4 eggs. Their 

 color before being blown is described as "a delicate creamy white, with 

 a few spots of lilac-purple, brown, and black, inclined to form a ring 

 at the large end." Size; .75X.56. 



Nesting Dates. — Porcupine Mts., Ontonagon Co., Mich., 'July 27, 

 female with bare abdomen and young of year, Maclean (Barrows). 



Biographical References 



(i) E. T. Seton, Nest and Habits of the Connecticut Warbler, [in Mani- 

 toba], Auk, I, 1884, 192. (See also Proc. U. S. N. M., XIII, 1890, 621. (2) 

 W. L. Collins, Note on Oporornis agilis, [near Philadelphia], Bull. Nutt. Orn. 

 Club, V, 1880, so. (3) O. B. Warren, Notes from the Upper Peninsula of 

 Michigan, Auk, XII, 1895, 192. (4) B. T. Gault, Geothlypis agilis, A Possible 

 Breeder in Northern Minnesota, Auk, XIV, 1897, 222. (5) Wm. Brewster, 

 Birds of the Cambridge Region, 351. 



Mourning Warbler 



OPORORNIS PHILADELPHIA (WUs.) Plate XIX 



Distinguishing Characters.— The Mourning and Macgillivray's Warblers 

 closely resemble one another but may be distinguished by the following char- 

 acters; the adult t? Mourning has no white in the eye'^ring, the lores are black- 

 ish, the breast jet black with few or no grayish tip's at its junction with the 

 yellow of the underparts; the adult c? Macgillivray's has a white mark in the 



