MAY. 
181 
F, — Oh^ yes ! his song is very pleasing ; of which V/il- 
son sayS;, Some idea may be formed of this song, by strik- 
ing the high keys of a pianoforte at random, singly and 
quickly, making as many sudden contrasts of high and low 
notes as possible." I observe that they have a habit of sus- 
pending themselves in the air, and then coming gradually 
down, singing more and more rapidly till they alight, and in 
the moment of alighting, make a hissing, or sometimes a low 
guttural sound. They do not usually fly high, but sing in 
this rapid manner, hovering over a field. After having 
been several years in this country,, on my return to England, 
hearing for the first time the skylark in the air, and turning 
quickly round and seeing the bird singing as it descended, 
my first impression was, there is a Bob Lincoln/' 
C. — What other birds have you lately noticed ? 
F, — The Blackburnian Warbler ( Sylvia Blackburnice ) 
is one ; a little bird of great beauty : the whole upper parts 
are black, the black on the crown of the head, bounded and 
divided in the middle by lines of rich orange ; a large white 
spot on the wing ; the whole throat and breast rich fiery 
orange with black spots ; the belly yellow. It is very rare 
in the United States, but here, I see some every spring ; and 
in some seasons they are quite common : they are not very 
shy, coming around the house, and allowing a person to ap- 
proach within a short distance, when in the woods. I saw 
a pair of them a few days ago, busily engaged in pecking the 
buds of a tamarack, probably searching for insects. Of its 
musical powers I can give no account, as I have never heard 
it utter a note. 
C. — I have seen a bird somewhat like the one you de- 
scribe, but its breast and belly were brilliant yellow, spotted 
with black, the upper parts dark coloured. 
F, — I too have seen it, but cannot exactly determine 
whether it is the Black and Yellow Warbler ( Sylvia Mag- 
