OF NEW ENGLAND. 87 
the attention of every passer-by, a simple chick, less often 
heard, and a chatter, much finer and less harsh than that of 
the Cat-bird, the ‘Maryland Yellow-throats” have a charac- 
teristic set of notes, which resemble the syllables wée-chee-chee, 
repeated several times, with a marked emphasis on the wee. 
This is varied to wée-chee-chée-wee, which is repeated in the 
same manner, and again to a song, which is not unlike that of 
the Yellow Warbler, though sufficiently distinct. 
The “‘ Maryland Yellow-throats” are among our most bene- 
ficial birds, and cannot in any way do injury to man or his 
property. Whoever is unfamiliar with them can easily make 
their acquaintance, and a charming acquaintance it will prove 
to be. In a certain place, where I took many walks, these 
birds seemed to be traveling companions, whenever I followed 
the highways, so constantly did I see them along the road- 
sides. 
(B) pHtapELpHta. Mourning Warbler. 
(Quite common (locally) in certain parts of northern New 
England as a summer-resident, but a very rare migrant through 
Massachusetts, where none pass the summer, so far as I know.) 
(a). Five inches or more long. Olive above. Beneath, 
bright yellow. Head, warm (ashy-) gray. Throat black, often. 
waved with gray. 
(b). The eggs and nest correspond closely to those of the 
Maryland Yellow-throat in every respect, but the former, so far 
as I know, are never either plain white or coarsely marked. 
(c). The Mourning Warblers are among the birds who are 
extremely rare in Massachusetts, even during the migrations, 
though they breed quite commonly in certain parts of northern 
New.England, and also in places much further to the south- 
ward. During their occasional brief sojourn in this State, in 
the latter part of May, and still more rarely in September, 
they usually frequent the haunts of the Maryland Yellow- 
throats, but are also sometimes seen examining the foliage of 
tall trees (up the trunks of which, for a little way, I have 
strong reason to believe that they sometimes scramble). I 
a 
