The Hooded Warbler in Western New York. — From various 
points in the dense forest, on the balmy days of May. comes the common 
and familiar song of the Hooded Warbler, — che-reek, che-reek, che-reek, 
chi-di-et , the first three notes with a loud bell-like ring, and the rest in 
fery much accelerated time, and with the falling inflection. Arriving 
eA-iy in May, this is one of our common summer residents throughout 
the dense upland forests, occupying the lower story of the woodland home, 
while the Cocrulean Warbler occupies the upper. Here let me say that 
in addition to its alarm note, a sharp whistling or metallic chi/ which is 
very clearly characterized, the Hooded Warbler has two distinct songs, 
as different as if coming from different species. Never shall I forget how 
I was once puzzled by this trick. I was strolling in a thick forest, near 
the corner of a slashing, in an evening twilight in June, when I was sur- 
prised by a strange whistling melod y , — zvhce-rech, ivhee-ree-eeh — with 
a marked emphasis on the second syllable, and a still more marked one 
on the last. Part of the time this utterance was somewhat varied, a few 
notes being sometimes added, and again a few being dropped. My cu- 
riosity was greatly excited, for I had supposed myself familiar with the 
voices of all the birds in the neighborhood ; but it became too dark to 
identify the bird. For nearly a week I went to that spot every day, always 
hearing the song, but never being able to get a clear sight of the bird. 
It seemed exceedingly shy. In vain did I crawl on hands and knees among 
the undergrowth to get near to it; for just as I would seem about to gain 
a good view of it the song would cease at the point under observation 
and come from one more distant. Just as I was about to give the matter 
up one evening, down came the singer, stage by stage through the thick 
foliage, and alighting within a few feet of me and in clear sight, gave the 
full "effect of his whistling song. I have since heard the same song a 
number of times and in different places from the Hooded Warbler. So 
I conclude that in the case of this species there are, occasionally at least, 
two distinct and altogether different songs. 
The Hooded Warbler is one of those which make their home on or 
near the ground. Here it keeps itself for the most part well concealed 
among the foliage of the thick undergrowth, having a rather slow and 
dignified movement for a bird of its kind. 
It builds its nest from a foot to eighteen inches from the ground, 
generally in the upright or somewhat leaning fork of a little bush. I once 
found it on a beech limb, lying on the ground, but still retaining the dry 
leaves. It is somewhat bulky, but quite neat, the lower part being of dry 
or skeleton leaves, the upper part, especially the high and well-defined 
rim, of long fibrous bark, as that of the grape-vine,, ash, basswood, or 
elm, laid almost as nicely as coiled cords, the whole structure being bound 
together by a webby material, and lined with fine grasses, bark-fibres, 
and horse-hair. In location, material, and structure, it is quite unique, 
and, like most other birds’ nests, is a much more certain means of identi- 
fication than the eggs themselves. These, two to four in number, varying 
from .63X.52 to .75X.50, are clear white, delicately specked and spotted, 
sometimes even blotched, with reddish, brown, and lilac. In form and 
coloration the eggs are very variable. They may be found fresh from the 
last week in May till, the middle of June. A second set may be found in 
July. The male aids in incubation. 
Confined to the eastern part of the United States, and barely entering 
the southern part of New England, Western New York, and Central New 
York where it is quite common, must be about the northern limit of this 
species. — J. H. Langille, Knowlesville , Orleans Co., JV. T. 
Bull N. O.O. .April, i882,p. //?-/*<?. 
Some Birds of Lewis Co, N.Y. 
0. Hart Merriam 
Myiodioctes mitratus. Hooded Warbler. — O 11 the 9th of 
September last (1878), at Lowville, an adult male of this species 
, was killed by a cat and brought, while still warm, to Mr. Romeyn 
B. Hough, who now has the specimen. So far north of its known 
range it can hardly bo considered more than a straggler. 
Bull. N. 0.0, 4, Jan., 1879, p, . 
Notes fiiom Osweoo, N. Y.— June T. I found near Uurc 
a nest of Hoode d Warble r containing three fresh eggs. It 
was in a wet swamp, one foot from the ground, in a small 
bunch of sprouts that grew from the root of a small Water 
Beech. I have never seen but four or five of these Warblers « 
here in the breeding season. && 1 /O.&O. X. Oct. 1885. Ef." IZ 
