200 BLACKPOLL WARBLER 



rather fast ; the whole song smoothly swelling in volume to the middle, 

 or the second third, and then smoothly falling off. This should 

 perhaps be called the one main song, but the variations from it are 

 many and pronounced. Its syllables vary in number from four to 

 fifteen or more; they are sometimes uttered very hurriedly and close 

 together — a song like a trembling wire — and sometimes they are 

 deliberately and distinctly enunciated. Occasionally these two styles 

 of delivery are combined in one utterance. Again, the song's character- 

 istic 'swell and fall' in volume is sometimes, though seldom, wholly 

 wanting ; and the shorter versions are often crescendo to the end. So, 

 sometimes, is that one of the Blackburnian's songs which gives him a 

 place in the quintette. But this is always (?) more deliberately uttered 

 than even the most languid song of any of the other four species, and 

 its notes, unlike the Blackpoll's, are in couplets. Like the Blackpoll's, 

 on the other hand, they have a perfectly smooth tone; — though they 

 are less piercingly fine." (Thayer, MS.) 



Miss Paddock writes: "There is always a distinct crescendo 

 and diminuendo which makes the sound seem to drift. It resembles 

 the sound children make by striking the closed hand on the knees to 

 make the 'money rattle.' " 



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"At very close range a double quality can be distinguished as 

 follows:" 



"I once heard this unusual song from a Blackpoll;" 



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Nesting Site. — In the Island of Grand Menan this species nests 

 in spruce trees from one to ten, but usually about five feet up. 

 (Norris 1 ). In the Magdalen Islands, where the birds are abundant, 

 they nest in the stunted spruces at an average of about four feet. 



