Mviarchus orinitus . 
Lake Umbagog, Maine. Approach to a song. 
1897. When I entered the forest of stubs this morning (near 
June 3. the entrance to Leonard's Pond where I went to watch the Whis¬ 
tler’s nest} I was surprised to find the i>lace perfectly si¬ 
lent and apparently deserted. What had become of the host of 
Swallows, Grackles and Woodpeckers which are nesting there? 
Literally not a bird of any kind was in sight or hearing. 
Half an hour later (I ’was at the Whistler's ne~st at 4.30 
A.M. ) they began calling, singing and flying about. I was 
especially interested in a pair of Great Crested Plyoatchers. 
The female was building somewhere behind me but I could not 
remove my eyes from the Duck's nest long enough to follow her 
flights. The male sitting on the top of a stub nearly over 
me kept calling whi t- whi t -whit - whit-whit in tones mellow and 
musical for this harsh-voiced species. I suspect that this 
may be the nearest approach to a song of which the Great 
Crested Flycatcher is capable. 
