NORTHERN YELLOW-THROAT 255 



growth. All attempts to ascertain the period of incubation and of 

 the time the young are in the nest have met with disaster. I have seen 

 parents with young in family groups up to July 25. 



"On June 10, 1897, I found a nest containing apparently one large 

 nestling unfledged — a close look showed it to be a very fat Cow-bird, 

 and under it were two puny young of the owner, one dead and the 

 other scarcely larger than when hatched. A little later in the day I 

 duplicated this experience as far as nest and contents were concerned, 

 except that both young of the owner were alive, though as small and 

 weak as the one in the first nest." 



At Branchport, N. Y., Burtch (MS.) writes that the Yellow-throat 

 "is common in wet woods or swamps where the grass grows in rank 

 tufts. It is found in Potter Swamp with the Water-Thrush in the more 

 open places and along the edges. The birds are very energetic and lively 

 and make their presence known the moment one enters their territory, 

 when they spring up from the ground uttering their alarm note and, 

 after looking at you to satisfy their curiosity, they disappear in the 

 bushes." 



Song. — The call-note of this species is a characteristic, impatient 

 pit, chit, quit or chack; the song, while variable has a certain rhythm 

 which readily lends itself to syllabification though few writers agree 

 as to what the bird seems to say. Hence we have witchery witchery 

 witchery; rapity rapity rapity; rap-pittitty rap-pittitty, rap-pittitty rap; 

 what a pity, what a pity, what a pity, pit; I beseech you, I beseech you, 

 I beseech you; witch-a-wee-o, witch-a-wee-o, witch-a-wee-o ; wee-see- 

 see-see, wee-see-see-see, wee-see-see-see, etc. The songster himself 

 however, can be identified without difficulty and may best be left to 

 render his own music. 



The flight song, uttered as the bird springs a few feet into the air, 

 is a confused stuttering jumble of notes often followed by the normal 

 song as the bird returns to its perch. 



"There is probably a dual season of song with this species, which 

 is obscured by variation in the singing-time of individuals. Though it 

 usually remains in song all through the summer, in the last weeks of 

 July and the first of August singing is less general and less spirited 

 than either before or after. Often after the middle of August songs 

 will be louder and more frequent than for weeks previously. Singing 

 may cease at any time from about the middle of August to the end of 

 the month, or first part of September (August 12 and 19, to September 

 3, 4, n and 13) ; but September singing is unusual." (BicknelP). 



