The Song-Notes of the Alder Flycatcher. — Mr. J. A. Farley, in his very 
interesting article on ‘The Alder Flycatcher [Empido?iax traillii 'alnorum) 
as a Summer Resident of Eastern Massachusetts’ (Auk, Oct., 1901, pp. 347- 
355)5 says that the characteristic song of the species when heard at a dis- 
tance of afewfeet “ is found in reality to consist of but one harsh explosive 
syllable.” This statement is so much at variance with my own experience 
that I cannot forbear taking exceptions to it as a general statement, though 
of course it may apply to .individuals of the species. First I must admit 
that my acquaintance with the Alder Flycatcher is not as intimate as Mr. 
Farley’s. I have never been fortunate enough to find a nest, and I have 
never watched the bird for any considerable length of time. I am not, 
however, entirely unfamiliar with it, having made its acquaintance nearly 
seventeen years ago, viz., in July, 1885, and having met with it in every 
successive summer since then, with a single exception, and in various 
places in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Nova Sco- 
tia. In all this time I have never suspected the song to consist of a sin- 
gle syllable, and I have often been quite near the bird when he uttered it. 
It would, therefore, not be easy to convince me that the characteristic song 
of the species is not composed of two or three syllables, though I am 
aware that the bird has an emphatic one-syllabled note which is not to be 
confounded either with the insignificant pep or with what is known as 
the song. Let me quote two passages from my journal bearing on this 
point. Under date of June 25, 1895 (Londonderry, Vt.), I find: “In 
Chapman’s new ‘ Handbook of the Birds of Eastern North America,’ Dr. 
Dwight gives ee-zeS-e-up as the song of E. traillii [ — E.t. alnorum ] . Hear- 
ing the song at a distance this summer I preferred Mr. Brewster’s render- 
ing ke-tving, but, getting nearer to-day, I find Dr. Dwight’s a pretty exact 
rendering, though I myself should put it ivee-zee-up, the up very faint.” 
(If it were v not superfluous, I should like to compliment Dr. Dwight on 
the felicity of his descriptions and syllabifications of bird-songs.) 
The other passage is dated at Willoughby Lake, Vt., June 18, 1896 : “ In 
a swampy place southeast of the house I saw two Empidonax traillii alno- 
rum, one of which, perhaps the male, had an emphatic Eweet which was 
new to me.” I may add that I was no nearer this bird than I have often 
been, both before and since, fo others uttering the familiar two-syllabled 
song-note, and the difference between the two notes was so marked that 
there could have been no confusing them. — Francis H. Allen, West 
Roxbury, Mass. Auk, XIX Jan>> 1902 _ p/3 .^V, 9 S. 
The iSong of the Alder Flycatcher.— I have studied the notes ot the 
Alder Flycatcher for two years, very closely, in Maine where it nested 
near the house, and I heard its song and various other utterances nearly 
all day. The ordinary song, as I know it, consists of two notes much 
like the Chebec’s. It is in the hoarse tone of the Phcebe, and is jerked 
out with a backward jerk of the head, after the manner of the Least Fly- 
catcher, and to my ear, it sounds like red-dy, sometimes — but not by any 
means generally. He gives in addition to this, another two-note utterance, 
much lower, and of a clear musical quality, very different from the 
hoarse common song, without tossing the head, or jerking. 
Besides these he has several other utterances, a loud clear queoe, 
several times repeated, as if to command attention, and a low plaintive 
qut — qu-eit. In addition to these he gives many different notes in an 
undertone, which can neither be described nor imitated by the human 
voice. In fact, the bird is extremely versatile. My studies have always 
been made where I could see as well as hear the bird, so that there is no 
possibility of mistake. I have never been able to make Dr. Dwight’s, 
Mrs. Wright’s or Mr. Chapman’s characterization of the song fit my bird, 
but I learned long ago that no two persons hear a bird note alike, or, 
rather, that no two birds have exactly the same utterances. — Olive Thorn 
Miller, Brooklyn , N. Y. Auk, XIX, July, 1902, 
