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 

 whoit, 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-zvhit. 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 (Wils.) 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 tj Mourning has no white in the eye-ring, the lores are black- 

 ish, the breast jet black with few or no grayish tips at its junction with the 

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



