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Title: A History of North American Birds - Land Birds - Volume 1 Author: Brewer, Thomas Mayo, Baird, Spencer Fullerton, Ridgway, Robert Language: English As this book started as an ASCII text book there are no pictures available. Copyright Status: Not copyrighted in the United States. If you live elsewhere check the laws of your country before downloading this ebook. See comments about copyright issues at end of book. *** Start of this Doctrine Publishing Corporation Digital Book "A History of North American Birds - Land Birds - Volume 1" *** by Biodiversity Heritage Library.) [Transcriber’s Note: This text includes characters that require Unicode (UTF-8) file encoding: œ Œ (oe ligature) α β γ (Greek letters) ā ē ī ū è é ĕ ŏ ö (letters with macron, accent, breve, or umlaut) ° ′ ″ (degrees, minutes, seconds) ♂ ♀ (male and female symbols) If any of these characters do not display properly—in particular, if the diacritic does not appear directly above the letter—or if the apostrophes and quotation marks in this paragraph appear as garbage, make sure your text reader’s “character set” or “file encoding” is set to Unicode (UTF-8). You may also need to change the default font. Additional notes are at the end of the book.] NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS LAND BIRDS VOL. I. [Illustration: CAT BIRD. (Galeoscoptes carolinensis.) Adult.] A HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS BY S. F. BAIRD, T. M. BREWER, AND R. RIDGWAY LAND BIRDS _ILLUSTRATED BY 64 PLATES AND 593 WOODCUTS_ VOLUME I. [Illustration: sketch of nest with eggs] BOSTON LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 1905 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, BY LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. Printers S. J. PARKHILL & CO., BOSTON, U. S. A. PREFACE. The present work is designed to meet the want, which has long been felt, of a descriptive account of the Birds of North America, with notices of their geographical distribution, habits, methods of nesting, character of eggs, their popular nomenclature, and other points connected with their life history. For many years past the only systematic treatises bearing upon this subject have been “The American Ornithology” of Alexander Wilson, finished by that author in 1814, and brought down to the date of 1827 by George Ord; the “Ornithological Biography” of Audubon, bearing date of 1838, with a second edition, “Birds of America,” embracing a little more of detail, and completed in 1844; and “A Manual of the Ornithology of the United States and Canada,” by Nuttall, of which a first edition was published in 1832 and a second in 1840. Since then no work relating to American Ornithology, of a biographical nature, has been presented to the public, with the exception of some of limited extent, such as those of Giraud, on the “Birds of Long Island,” in 1844; De Kay’s “Birds of New York,” 1844; Samuels’s “Ornithology and Oölogy of New England,” 1868, and a few others; together with quite a number of minor papers on the birds of particular localities, of greater or less moment, chiefly published in periodicals and the Proceedings of Societies. The reports of many of the government exploring parties also contain valuable data, especially those of Dr. Newberry, Dr. Heermann, Dr. J. G. Cooper, Dr. Suckley, Dr. Kennerly, and others. More recently (in 1870) Professor Whitney, Chief of the Geological Survey of California, has published a very important volume on the ornithology of the entire west coast of North America, written by Dr. J. G. Cooper, and containing much original detail in reference to the habits of the western species. This is by far the most valuable contribution to the biography of American birds that has appeared since the time of Audubon, and, with its typographical beauty and numerous and excellent illustrations, all on wood and many of them colored, constitutes one of the most noteworthy publications in American Zoölogy. Up to the time of the appearance of the work of Audubon, nearly all that was known of the great region of the United States west of the Missouri River was the result of the journey of Lewis and Clark up the Missouri and across to the Pacific Coast, and that of John K. Townsend and Mr. Nuttall, both of whom made some collections and brought back notices of the country, which, however, they were unable to explore to any great extent. The entire region of Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, and California was unvisited, as also a great portion of territory north of the United States boundary, including British Columbia and Alaska. A work by Sir John Richardson, forming a volume in his series of “Fauna Boreali-Americana,” in reference to the ornithology of the region covered by the Hudson Bay Company’s operations, was published in 1831, and has been much used by Mr. Audubon, but embraces little or nothing of the great breeding-grounds of the water birds in the neighborhood of the Great Slave and Bear Lakes, the Upper Yukon, and the shores of the Arctic coast. It will thus be seen that a third of a century has elapsed since any attempt has been made to present a systematic history of the birds of North America. The object of the present work is to give, in as concise a form as possible, an account of what is known of the birds, not only of the United States, but of the whole region of North America north of the boundary-line of Mexico, including Greenland, on the one side, and Alaska with its islands on the other. The published materials for such a history are so copious that it is a matter of surprise that they have not been sooner utilized, consisting, as they do, of numerous scattered biographies and reports of many government expeditions and private explorations. But the most productive source has been the great amount of manuscript contained in the archives of the Smithsonian Institution in the form of correspondence, elaborate reports, and the fieldnotes of collectors and travellers, the use of which, for the present work, has been liberally allowed by Professor Henry. By far the most important of these consist of notes made by the late Robert Kennicott in British America, and received from him and other gentlemen in the Hudson Bay Territory, who were brought into intimate relationship with the Smithsonian Institution through Mr. Kennicott’s efforts. Among them may be mentioned more especially Mr. R. MacFarlane, Mr. B. R. Ross, Mr. James Lockhart, Mr. Lawrence Clark, Mr. Strachan Jones, and others, whose names will appear in the course of the work. The especial value of the communications received from these gentlemen lies in the fact that they resided for a long time in a region to which a large proportion of the rapacious and water birds of North America resort during the summer for incubation, and which until recently has been sealed to explorers. Equally serviceable has been the information received from the region of the Yukon River and Alaska generally, including the Aleutian Islands, as supplied by Messrs. Robert Kennicott, William H. Dall, Henry M. Bannister, Henry W. Elliott, and others. It should be understood that the remarks as to the absence of general works on American Ornithology, since the time of Audubon, apply only to the life history of the species, as, in 1858, one of the authors of the present work published a systematic account of the birds of North America, constituting Vol. IX. of the series of Pacific Railroad Reports; while from the pen of Dr. Elliott Coues, a well-known and eminent ornithologist, appeared in 1872 a comprehensive volume, entitled “A Key to North American Birds,” containing descriptions of the species and higher groups. The technical, or descriptive, matter of the present work has been prepared by Messrs. Baird and Ridgway, that relating to the _Raptores_ entirely by Mr. Ridgway; and all the accounts of the habits of the species are from the pen of Dr. Brewer. In addition to the matter supplied by these gentlemen, Professor Theodore N. Gill has furnished that portion of the Introduction defining the class of birds as compared with the other vertebrates; while to Dr. Coues is to be given the entire credit for the pages embracing the tables of the Orders and Families, as well as for the Glossary beginning on page 535 of Vol. III. Nearly all the drawings of the full-length figures of birds contained in the work were made directly on the wood, by Mr. Edwin L. Sheppard, of Philadelphia, from original sketches taken from nature; while the heads were executed for the most part by Mr. Henry W. Elliott and Mr. Ridgway. Both series have been engraved by Mr. Hobart H. Nichols of Washington. The generic outlines were drawn by Anton L. Schönborn, and engraved by the peculiar process of Jewett, Chandler, & Co., of Buffalo. All of these, it is believed, speak for themselves, and require no other commendation. A considerable portion of the illustrations were prepared, by the persons mentioned above, for the Reports of the Geological Survey of California, and published in the volume on Ornithology. To Professor Whitney, Chief of the Survey, acknowledgments are due for the privilege of including many of them in the present History of North American Birds, and also for the Explanation of Terms, page 526 of Vol. III. A few cuts, drawn by Wolf and engraved by Whymper, first published in “British Birds in their Haunts,” and credited in their proper places, were kindly furnished by the London Society for the Diffusion of Christian Knowledge; and some others prepared for an unpublished volume by Dr. Blasius, on the Birds of Germany, were obtained from Messrs. Vieweg and Son, of Braunschweig. The volume on the Water Birds is in an advanced state of preparation, and will be published with the least possible delay. SPENCER F. BAIRD. SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, WASHINGTON, January 8, 1874. CONTENTS. Page PREFACE v INTRODUCTION xi Family TURDIDÆ. The Thrushes 1 Subfamily TURDINÆ 3 Subfamily MIMINÆ 31 Family CINCLIDÆ. The Dippers 55 Family SAXICOLIDÆ. The Saxicolas 59 Family SYLVIIDÆ. The Sylvias 69 Subfamily SYLVIINÆ 69 Subfamily REGULINÆ 72 Subfamily POLIOPTILINÆ 77 Family CHAMÆADÆ. The Ground-Tits 83 Family PARIDÆ. The Titmice 86 Subfamily PARINÆ 86 Subfamily SITTINÆ 113 Family CERTHIADÆ. The Creepers 124 Family TROGLODYTIDÆ. The Wrens 130 Family MOTACILLIDÆ. The Wagtails 164 Subfamily MOTACILLINÆ 165 Subfamily ANTHINÆ 169 Family SYLVICOLIDÆ. The Warblers 177 Subfamily SYLVICOLINÆ 179 Subfamily GEOTHLYPINÆ 279 Subfamily ICTERIANÆ 306 Subfamily SETOPHAGINÆ 311 Family HIRUNDINIDÆ. The Swallows 326 Family VIREONIDÆ. The Vireos 357 Family AMPELIDÆ. The Chatterers 395 Subfamily AMPELINÆ 395 Subfamily PTILOGONATINÆ 404 Family LANIIDÆ. The Shrikes 412 Family CÆREBIDÆ. The Guits 425 Family TANAGRIDÆ. The Tanagers 431 Family FRINGILLIDÆ. The Finches 446 Subfamily COCCOTHRAUSTINÆ 446 Subfamily PYRGITINÆ 524 Subfamily SPIZELLINÆ 528 INDEX TO THE PLATES. PLATES 1-26. INTRODUCTION. The class of Birds (_Aves_), as represented in the present age of the world, is composed of very many species, closely related among themselves and distinguished by numerous characters common to all. For the purposes of the present work it is hardly necessary to attempt the definition of what constitutes a bird, the veriest tyro being able to decide as to the fact in regard to any North American animal. Nevertheless, for the sake of greater completeness, we may say that, compared with other classes,[1] Birds are abranchiate vertebrates, with a brain filling the cranial cavity, the cerebral portion of which is moderately well developed, the corpora striata connected by a small anterior commissure (no corpus callosum developed), prosencephalic hemispheres large, the optic lobes lateral, the cerebellum transversely multifissured; the lungs and heart not separated by a diaphragm from the abdominal viscera; aortic arch single (the right only being developed); blood, with nucleated red corpuscles, undergoing a complete circulation, being received and transmitted by the right half of the quadrilocular heart to the lungs for aeration (and thus warmed), and afterwards returned by the other half through the system (there being no communication between the arterial and venous portions); skull with a single median convex condyle, chiefly on the basi-occipital (with the sutures for the most part early obliterated); the lower jaw with its rami ossifying from several points, connected with the skull by the intervention of a quadrate bone (homologous with the malleus); pelvis with ilia prolonged in front of the acetabulum, ischia and pubes nearly parallel with each other, and the ischia usually separated: anterior and posterior members much differentiated; the former modified for flight, with the humerus nearly parallel with the axis of the body and concealed in the muscles, the radius and ulna distinct, with two persistent carpal bones, and two to four digits; the legs with the bones peculiarly combined, (1) the proximal tarsal bones coalescing with the adjoining tibia, and (2) the distal tarsal coalescing with three (second, third, and fourth) metatarsals (the first metatarsal being free), and forming the so-called tarsometatarsus; dermal appendages developed as feathers: oviparous, the eggs being fertilized within the body, excluded with an oval, calcareous shell, and hatched at a temperature of about 104° F. (generally by the incubation upon them of the mother).[2] Such are some of the features common to all the existing species of birds.[3] Many others might be enumerated, but only those are given which contrast with the characteristics of the mammals on the one hand and those of the reptiles on the other. The inferior vertebrates are distinguished by so many salient characters and are so widely separated from the higher that they need not be compared with the present class. Although birds are of course readily recognizable by the observer, and are definable at once, existing under present conditions, as warm-blooded vertebrates, with the anterior members primitively adapted for flight,—they are sometimes abortive,—and covered with feathers, such characteristics do not suffice to enable us to appreciate the relations of the class. The characteristics have been given more fully in order to permit a comparison between the members of the class and those of the mammals and reptiles. The class is without exception the most homogeneous in the animal kingdom; and among the living forms less differences are observable than between the representatives of many natural orders among other classes. But still the differences between them and the other existing forms are sufficient, perhaps, to authorize the distinction of the group as a class, and such rank has always been allowed excepting by one recent naturalist. But if we further compare the characters of the class, it becomes evident that those shared in common with the reptiles are much more numerous than those shared with the mammals. In this respect the views of naturalists have changed within recent years. Formerly the two characteristics shared with the mammals—the quadrilocular heart and warm blood—were deemed evidences of the close affinity of the two groups, and they were consequently combined as a section of the vertebrates, under the name of Warm-blooded Vertebrates. But recently the tendency has been, and very justly, to consider the birds and reptiles as members of a common group, separated on the one hand from the mammals and on the other from the batrachians; and to this combination of birds and reptiles has been given the name _Sauropsida_. As already indicated, the range of variation within this class is extremely limited; and if our views respecting the taxonomic value of the subdivisions are influenced by this condition of things, we are obliged to deny to the groups of living birds the right which has generally been conceded of ranking as orders. The greatest distinctions existing among the living members of the class are exhibited on the one hand by the Ostriches and Kiwis and the related forms, and on the other by all the remaining birds. These contrasted groups have been regarded by Professor Huxley as of ordinal value; but the differences are so slight, in comparison with those which have received ordinal distinction in other classes, that the expediency of giving them that value is extremely doubtful; and they can be combined into one order, which may appropriately bear the name of _Eurhipidura_. An objection has been urged to this depreciation of the value of the subdivisions of the class, on the ground that the peculiar adaptation for flight, which is the prominent characteristic of birds, is incapable of being combined with a wider range of form. This is, at most, an explanation of the cause of the slight range of variation, and should not therefore affect the exposition of the _fact_ (thereby admitted) in a classification based on morphological characteristics. But it must also be borne in mind that flight is by no means incompatible with extreme modifications, not only of the organs of flight, but of other parts, as is well exemplified in the case of bats and the extinct pterodactyls. Nor is the class of birds as now limited confined to the single order of which only we have living representatives. In fossil forms we have, if the differences assumed be confirmed, types of two distinct orders, one being represented by the genus _Archæopteryx_ and another by the genera _Ichthyornis_ and _Apatornis_ of Marsh. The first has been named _Saururæ_ by Hæckel; the second _Ichthyornithides_ by Marsh. Compelled thus to question the existence of any groups of ordinal value among recent birds, we proceed now to examine the grounds upon which natural subdivisions should be based. The prominent features in the classification of the class until recently have been the divisions into groups distinguished by their adaptation for different modes of life; that is, whether aerial or for progression on land, for wading or for swimming; or, again, into Land and Water Birds. Such groups have a certain value as simply artificial combinations, but we must not be considered as thereby committing ourselves to such a system as a natural one. The time has scarcely arrived to justify any system of classification hitherto proposed, and we can only have a sure foundation after an exhaustive study of the osteology, as well as the neurology and splanchnology, of the various members. Enough, however, has already been done to convince us that the subdivision of the class into Land and Water Birds does not express the true relations of the members embraced under those heads. Enough has also been adduced to enable us to group many forms into families and somewhat more comprehensive groups, definable by osteological and other characters. Such are the Charadrimorphæ, Cecomorphæ, Alectoromorphæ, Pteroclomorphæ, Peristeromorphæ, Coracomorphæ, Cypselomorphæ, Celeomorphæ, Aëtomorphæ, and several others. But it is very doubtful whether the true clew to the affinities of the groups thus determined has been found in the relations of the vomer and contiguous bones. The families, too, have been probably, in a number of cases, especially for the passerine birds, too much circumscribed. The progress of systematic ornithology, however, has been so rapid within the last few years, that we may be allowed to hope that in a second edition of this work the means may be furnished for a strictly scientific classification and sequence of the families. (T. N. G.) A primary division of recent birds may be made by separation of the (_a_) _Ratitæ_, or struthious birds and their allies,—in which the sternum has no keel, is developed from lateral paired centres of ossification, and in which there are numerous other structural peculiarities of high taxonomic import,—from the (_b_) _Carinatæ_, including all remaining birds of the present geologic epoch. Other primary divisions, such as that into _Altrices_ and _Præcoces_ of Bonaparte, or the corresponding yet somewhat modified and improved _Psilopaedes_ and _Ptilopaedes_ of Sundevall, are open to the serious objections that they ignore the profound distinctions between struthious and other birds, require too numerous exceptions, cannot be primarily determined by examination of adult specimens, and are based upon physiological considerations not necessarily co-ordinate with actual physical structure. In the following scheme, without attempting to indicate positive taxonomic rank, and without committing myself finally, I present a number of higher groups into which Carinate birds may be divided, capable of approximately exact definition, and apparently of approximately equivalent taxonomic value. Points of the arrangement are freely drawn from the writings of various authors, as will be perceived by those competent to judge without special references. I am particularly indebted, however, to the late admirable and highly important work of Professor Sundevall,[4] from which very many characters are directly borrowed. The arrangement, in effect, is a modification of that adopted by me in the “Key to North American Birds,” upon considerations similar to those herewith implied. The main points of difference are non-recognition of three leading groups of aerial, terrestrial, and natatorial birds,—groups without morphological basis, resting simply upon teleological modification; a general depreciation of the taxonomic value of the several groups, conformably with the considerations presented in the preceding pages of this work; abolishing of the group _Grallatores_; and recognition of a primary group _Sphenisci_.[5] A. PASSERES.[6] Hallux invariably present, completely incumbent, separately movable by specialization of the _flexor hallucis longus_, with enlarged base and its claw larger than that of the middle digit. Neither second nor fourth toe versatile; joints of toes always 2, 3, 4, 5, from first to fourth. Wing-coverts comparatively short and few; with the exception of the least coverts upon the _plica alaris_, arranged in only two series, the greater of which does not reach beyond the middle of the secondary remiges.[7] Rectrices twelve (with rare anomalous exceptions). Musical apparatus present in greater or less development and complexity. Palate ægithognathous. Sternum of one particular mould, single-notched. Carotid single (sinistra). Nature highly altricial and psilopædic. a. Oscines.[8] Sides of the tarsus covered in most or all of their extent with two undivided horny plates meeting behind in a sharp ridge (except in _Alaudidæ_; one of the plates imperfectly divided in a few other forms). Musical apparatus highly developed, consisting of several distinct pairs of syringeal muscles. Primaries nine only, or ten with the first frequently spurious, rarely over two thirds the length of the longest, never equalling the longest. b. Clamatores.[9] Sides of the tarsus covered with divided plates or scales variously arranged, its hinder edge blunt. Musical apparatus weak and imperfect, of few or incompletely distinguished syringeal muscles (as far as known). Primaries ten with rare exceptions, the first usually equalling or exceeding the rest. B. PICARIÆ.[10] Hallux inconsiderable, weak or wanting, not always incumbent, not separately movable by distinction of a special muscle, its claw not longer than that of the middle toe unless of exceptional shape (e. g. _Centropus_). Second or fourth toe frequently versatile; third and fourth frequently with decreased number of joints. Wing-coverts for the most part larger and in more numerous series than in _Passeres_, the greater series reaching beyond the middle of the secondary quills (except in many _Pici_ and some others). Rectrices commonly ten (eight to twelve). Primaries always ten, the first only exceptionally short (as in _Pici_). Musical apparatus wanting, or consisting of a muscular mass, or of not more than three pairs of syringeal muscles. Palate desmognathous or ægithognathous. Sternum of non-passerine character, its posterior border entire or doubly notched or fenestrate. Carotid single or double. Nature completely altricial, but young sometimes hatched with down[11] (e. g. _Caprimulgidæ_). a. Cypseli. Palate ægithognathous. Wings lengthened in their terminal portions, abbreviated basally, with the first primary not reduced. Tail of ten rectrices. Bill fissirostral or tenuirostral. Feet never zygodactyle nor syndactyle, small, weak, scarcely fitted for locomotion; hallux often elevated or lateral or reversed; front toes usually webbed at base, or with abnormal ratio of phalanges in length and number, or both. Sternum deep-keeled, usually entire or else doubly notched or perforate. Syringeal muscles not more than one pair. b. Cuculi. Palate desmognathous. Wings not peculiar in brevity of proximal or length of distal portions, and with first primary not reduced. Tail of eight to twelve rectrices. Bill of indeterminate form, never cered; tongue not extensile. Feet variously modified by versatility or reversion of either first, second, or fourth toes, or by cohesion for a great distance of third and fourth, or by absence or rudimentary condition of first or second; often highly scansorial, rarely ambulatorial. Syringeal muscles two pairs at most. c. Pici. Palate “exhibiting a simplification and degradation of the ægithognathous structure” (Huxley); wings bearing out this passerine affinity in the common reduction of the first primary and the restriction of the greater coverts. Tail of ten perfect rectrices and usually a supplementary pair. Rostrum hard, straight, narrow, subequal to head, with commonly extensile and vermiform but not furcate tongue. Feet highly scansorial. Fourth toe permanently reversed; basal phalanges of toes abbreviated. Sternum doubly notched. Salivary glands highly developed. Hyoidean apparatus peculiar. C. PSITTACI. Bill enormously thick, short, high, much arched from the base, the upper mandible strongly hooked at the end, cered at base, and freely movable by complete articulation with the forehead, the under mandible with short, broad, truncate symphysis. Feet permanently zygodactyle by reversion of the fourth toe, which articulates by a double facet. Tarsi reticulate. Syrinx peculiarly constructed of three pairs of intrinsic muscles. Tongue short, thick, fleshy. Sternum entire or fenestrate. Clavicles weak, defective, or wanting. Orbit more or less completed by approach or union of postorbital process and lachrymal. Altricial; psilopædic. D. RAPTORES. Bill usually powerful, adapted for tearing flesh, strongly decurved and hooked at the end, furnished with a cere in which the nostrils open. Feet strongly flexible, with large, sharp, much curved claws gradually narrowed from base to tip, convex on the sides, that of the second toe larger than that of the fourth toe, and the hinder not smaller than the second one. Feet never permanently zygodactyle, though fourth toe often versatile; anterior toes commonly with one basal web; hallux considerable and completely incumbent (except _Cathartidæ_). Legs feathered to the suffrago or beyond. Rectrices twelve (with rare exceptions); primaries sinuate or emarginate (with rare exceptions). Sternum singly or doubly notched or fenestrate. Palate desmognathous. Carotids double. Syrinx wanting or developed with only one pair of muscles. Altricial; the young being weak and helpless, yet ptilopædic, being downy at birth. E. COLUMBÆ. Bill straight, compressed, horny at the vaulted tip, which is separated by a constriction from the soft membranous basal portion. Nostrils beneath a soft, tumid valve. Tomia of the mandibles mutually apposed. Frontal feathers sweeping in strongly convex outline across base of upper mandible. Legs feathered to the tarsus or beyond. Hallux incumbent (with few exceptions), and front toes rarely webbed at base. Tarsus with small scutella in front, or oftener reticulate, the envelope rather membranous than corneous. Head very small. Plumage without after-shafts. One pair of syringeal muscles. Sternum doubly notched, or notched and fenestrate on each side. Carotids double. Palate schizognathous. Monogamous, and highly altricial and psilopædic. F. GALLINÆ. Bill generally short, stout, convex, with an obtuse vaulted tip, corneous except in the nasal fossa, and without constriction in its continuity. Nostrils scaled or feathered. Tomia of upper mandible overlapping. Frontal feathers forming re-entrant outline at the base of upper mandible. Legs usually feathered to the tarsus or beyond. Hallux elevated, with few exceptions (e. g. _Cracidæ_ and _Megapodidæ_), smaller than the anterior toes, occasionally wanting (as in the Hemipods). Tarsus, when not feathered, generally broadly scutellate. Front toes commonly webbed at base. Claws blunt, little curved. Wings strong, short, and concavo-convex. Rectrices commonly more than twelve. Head small. Plumage usually after-shafted. Carotids double (except _Turnicidæ_ and _Megapodidæ_). No intrinsic syringeal muscles. Sternum very deeply, generally doubly, notched. Palate schizognathous. Chiefly polygamous. Præcocial and ptilopædic. G. LIMICOLÆ. Tibiæ bare of feathers for a variable (sometimes very slight) distance above the suffrago. Legs commonly lengthened, sometimes excessively so, and neck usually produced in corresponding ratio. Tarsi scutellate or reticulate. Toes never coherent at base; cleft, or united for a short distance by one or two small movable basal webs (palmate only in _Recurvirostra_, lobate only in _Phalaropodidæ_). Hallux always reduced, obviously elevated and free, or wanting; giving a foot of cursorial character. Wings, with few exceptions, lengthened, pointed, and flat; the inner primaries and outer secondaries very short, forming a strong re-entrance on the posterior border of the wing. Tail shorter than the wing, of simple form, and of few feathers, except in certain Snipes. Head globose, sloping rapidly down to the contracted base of the bill, completely feathered (except _Philomachus_ ♂). Gape of bill short and constricted; tip usually obtuse; bill weak and flexible. Rostrum commonly lengthened, and more or less terete and slender; membranous wholly or in great part, without hard cutting edges. Nostrils narrow, placed low down, entirely surrounded with soft skin; nasal fossæ extensive. Palate schizognathous. Sternum usually doubly, sometimes singly, notched. Carotids double. Pterylosis of a particular pattern. Nature præcocial and ptilopædic. Comprising the “Plover-Snipe” group; species of medium and small size, with never extremely compressed or depressed body; more or less aquatic, living on plains and in open places, usually near water, nesting on the ground, where the young run freely at birth. H. HERODIONES. Tibiæ naked below. Legs and neck much lengthened in corresponding ratio. Toes long, slender, never coherent at base, where cleft, or with movable basal webbing. Hallux (as compared with that of the preceding and following group) lengthened, free, and either perfectly incumbent or but little elevated, with a large claw, giving a foot of insessorial character. Wings commonly obtuse, but broad and ample, without marked re-entrance on posterior border, the intermediate remiges not being much abbreviated. Tail short and few-feathered. Head narrow, conico-elongated, gradually contracting to the large, stout base of the bill; the loral and orbital region, or the whole head, naked. Gape of the bill deeply fissured; tip usually acute; tomia hard and cutting. Bill conico-elongate, always longer than the head, stout and firm. Nostrils small, placed high up, with entirely bony and horny, or only slightly membranous, surroundings. Pterylosis nearly peculiar in the presence, almost throughout the group, of powder-down tracts, rarely found elsewhere; pterylæ very narrow. Palate desmognathous. Carotids double. Altricial. Comprising the Herons, Storks, Ibises, etc. (not Cranes). Species usually of large stature, with compressed body and very long S-bent neck; perching and nesting usually in trees, bushes, or other high places near water; young hatching weak, scarcely feathered, and reared in the nest. I. ALECTORIDES.[12] Tibiæ naked below. Neck, legs, and feet much as in the last group, but hallux reduced and obviously elevated, with small claw, the resulting foot cursorial (natatorial and lobate in _Fulica_). Wings and tail commonly as in _Herodiones_. Head less narrowed and conic than in the last, fully feathered or with extensive baldness (not with definite nakedness of loral and orbital regions). Bill of various shape, usually lengthened and obtuse, never extensively membranous. Rictus moderate. Nostrils lower than in _Herodiones_. Pterylosis not peculiar. Palate schizognathous. Carotids double. Nature præcocial and ptilopædic. Comprising the Cranes and Rails and their allies; the former agreeing with the _Herodiones_ superficially in stature, etc., but highly diverse in the schizognathous palate, præcocial nature, etc. J. LAMELLIROSTRES. Feet palmate; tibiæ feathered (except _Phœnicopterus_). Legs near centre of equilibrium of the body, its axis horizontal in walking; not lengthened except in _Phœnicopterus_. Knee-joint rarely exserted beyond general skin of the body. Wings moderate, reaching when folded to, but not beyond, the usually short and rounded (exceptionally long and cuneate) tail. Feet tetradactyle (except sometimes in _Phœnicopterus_); hallux reduced, elevated and free, often independently lobate. Bill lamellate, i. e., furnished along each commissural edge with a regular series of mutually adapted laminæ or tooth-like processes, with which correspond certain laciniate processes of the fleshy tongue, which ends in a horny tip. Bill large, thick, high at base, depressed towards the end, membranous to the broad obtuse tip, which is occupied by a horny “nail” of various shape. Nostrils patent, never tubular; nasal fossæ slight. No gular pouch. Plumage dense, to resist water. Eyes very small. Head high, compressed, with lengthened, sloping frontal region. Palate desmognathous. Reproduction præcocial; young ptilopædic. Eggs numerous. Carotids double. Sternum single-notched. Comprising Flamingoes and all the Anserine birds. K. STEGANOPODES. Feet totipalmate; hallux lengthened, nearly incumbent, semilateral, completely united with the second toe by a full web. Tibiæ feathered; position of legs with reference to axis of body variable, but generally far posterior; knee-joint not free. Wings and tail variable. Bill of very variable shape, never lamellate, wholly corneous; its tomia often serrate; external nares very small or finally abortive. A prominent naked gular pouch. Tarsi reticulate. Sternum entire or nearly so; furculum confluent with its keel. Carotids double. Palate highly desmognathous. Reproduction altricial; young psilopædic or ptilopædic. Eggs three or fewer. L. LONGIPENNES. (To most of the characters of the group here given the genus _Halodroma_ is a signal exception, though unquestionably belonging here.) Feet palmate. Tibiæ feathered. Legs at or near centre of equilibrium, affording horizontal position of axis of body in walking. Knee scarcely buried in common integument; tibia sometimes with a long apophysis. Hallux elevated, free, functionless; very small, rudimentary, or wanting. Rostrum of variable shape, usually compressed and straight to the hooked end, sometimes entirely straight and acute, commonly lengthened, always corneous, without serration or true lamellæ. Nostrils of various forms, tubular or simply fissured, never abortive. No gular pouch. Wings very long and pointed, surpassing the base and often the end of the large, well-formed, few-feathered tail. Carotids double. Palate schizognathous. Reproduction altricial; young ptilopædic. Eggs three or fewer. Habit highly volucral. M. PYGOPODES. Feet palmate or lobate. Tibiæ feathered, often with a long apophysis, always buried in common integument nearly to the heel-joint, necessitating a more or less erect posture of the body on land, where progression is difficult. Hallux small, elevated or wanting; feet lobate or palmate. Bill of indeterminate shape, wholly corneous, never lamellate or serrate, nor with gular pouch. Nostrils not abortive. Wings very short, reaching scarcely or not to the base, never to the tip, of the short, sometimes rudimentary, tail. Palate schizognathous. Carotid usually double, sometimes single (in _Podiceps_ and _Mergulus_). Nature altricial or præcocial; young ptilopædic. Highly natatorial. N. SPHENISCI. With general characters of the last group, but distinguished by unique ptilosis and wing-structure, etc. Plumage without apteria, of singularly modified scale-like feathers on most parts; no developed remiges. Wings unfit for flight, insusceptible of perfect flexion or extension, very short, with peculiarly flattened bones and stable articulations. Skeleton non-pneumatic. Many bones, terete in ordinary birds, here flattened. Metatarsal bone flattened transversely, doubly fenestrate. Hallux elevated, lateral, minute, free. No free pollex. Two anconal sesamoids; patella from double centres; tibia without apophysis; a free tarsal ossicle. Sternum with long lateral apophyses. Pelvic connections unstable. Carotids double. Comprising only the Penguins. Confined to the Southern Hemisphere. Having thus presented and defined an arrangement of the higher groups into which recent Carinate birds are susceptible of division, I next proceed to the consideration of the North American Families of birds which the authors of the present work have provisionally adopted as suitable to the end they had in view. Professor Baird urges the caution that the scheme is intended merely for the convenient determination of the North American species, aware that in many instances diagnoses or antitheses of entire pertinence in such application would fail or be negatived by consideration of the exotic forms. The arrangement of the families here adopted is essentially that presented in 1858 in Professor Baird’s “Birds of North America,” modified somewhat in accordance with more recent views of Professor Sundevall and others. But before proceeding to the analysis of the families, I will introduce an artificial clew to the preceding higher groups as adopted, so far as they are represented by North American species. ARTIFICIAL KEY TO THE FOREGOING HIGHER GROUPS, _By means of which any North American bird may be readily referred to that group to which it is held to belong._ I. Toes 3; 2 in front, 1 behind (_Pici_) PICARIÆ. II. Toes 3; all in front. Toes cleft or semipalmate LIMICOLÆ. Toes palmate. Nostrils tubular LONGIPENNES. Nostrils not tubular PYGOPODES. III. Toes 4; 2 in front, 2 behind. Bill cered and hooked ITTACI. Bill neither cered nor hooked. (_Cuculi_ or _Pici_) PICARIÆ. IV. Toes 4; 3 in front, 1 behind. 1. Toes syndactyle (_Cuculi_) PICARIÆ. 2. Toes totipalmate (all four full-webbed) STEGANOPODES. 3. Toes palmate. Bill curved up LIMICOLÆ. Bill not curved up; lamellate LAMELLIROSTRES. not lamellate; hallux lobate PYGOPODES. hallux not lobate LONGIPENNES. 4. Toes lobate. Tail rudimentary PYGOPODES. Tail perfect. A horny frontal shield ALECTORIDES. No horny frontal shield LIMICOLÆ. 5. Toes semipalmate; joined by evident movable basal web (A). 6. Toes cleft to the base, or there immovably coherent (B). A. Hind toe elevated above the level of the rest. Tibiæ naked below. Nostrils perforate ALECTORIDES. Nostrils imperforate. Tarsi reticulate. Head bald HERODIONES. Head feathered LIMICOLÆ. Tarsi scutellate in front LIMICOLÆ. Tibiæ feathered below. Nostrils perforate RAPTORES. Nostrils imperforate. Gape reaching below eye. (_Cypseli_) PICARIÆ. Gape not reaching below eye GALLINÆ. AA. Hind toe inserted on the level of the rest. Tibiæ naked below HERODIONES. Tibiæ feathered below. Bill cered and hooked RAPTORES. Bill not cered. Nasal membrane soft and tumid COLUMBÆ. Nasal scale hard and flat GALLINÆ. B. Hind toe elevated above the level of the rest. Gape reaching below eye (_Cypseli_) PICARIÆ. Gape not below eye. First primary emarginate or about equal to 2d LIMICOLÆ. First primary not emarginate and much shorter than 2d ALECTORIDES. BB. Hind toe inserted on the level of the rest. Nostrils opening beneath soft swollen membrane COLUMBÆ. Nostrils otherwise. Bill cered and hooked RAPTORES. Bill otherwise. Secondaries only six (_Cypseli_) PICARIÆ. Secondaries more than six (_a_) PASSERES. (_a_) Primaries 10; the 1st more than 2/3 as long as the longest. (_Clamatores_) PASSERES. Primaries 10; the 1st not 2/3 as long as the longest. (_Oscines_) PASSERES. Primaries 9. (_Oscines_) PASSERES. Recurring now to consideration of the North American _Families_ of the foregoing higher groups, I take up the latter in the natural order in which they have been presented, giving under head of each such group an analysis of the North American families by which it is represented, reiterating the caution that the characters are drawn up only with reference to the North American genera, and are, consequently, not necessarily or always applicable upon wider considerations. These analyses are made as nearly natural as the state of the case permits, but I seize upon any obvious external characters which may be afforded, without regard to their morphological significance or taxonomic value. ANALYSIS OF THE FAMILIES OF PASSERES. A. Oscines. Musical apparatus highly developed. Back of tarsus undivided, or formed of a few scutella distinct from those lapping over the front. First primary wanting, spurious, or at most not over two thirds the length of the longest. _a._ Each side of tarsus covered with a plate undivided in most or all of its length, and meeting its fellow in a sharp ridge behind. _b._ Primaries only nine. _c._ Bill triangular, depressed, about as wide at base as long; the gape twice as long as the culmen, reaching to about opposite the eyes; tomia straight or gently curved. No obvious rictal bristles. Tarsi not longer than the lateral toe and claw. Wings long and pointed, the first primary equal to or longer than the second. Central tail-feathers not half as long as the wing … _Hirundinidæ_. _cc._ Bill variously conico-elongate or slender, or, if depressed, with long rictal bristles; gape not nearly twice as long as culmen; tomia straight or gently curved. Nostrils not obviously nearer culmen than tomia. Tarsus longer than lateral toe and claw. Bill very slender, acute; culmen rather concave at base. Longest secondary acuminate, nearly or quite equal to the primaries in the closed wing. Hind claw little curved, about twice as long as the middle claw. Hind toe and claw longer than middle toe and claw … _Motacillidæ_. Bill variously conico-elongate and acute; culmen not concave at base. Longest secondary not acuminate, falling far short of primaries in the closed wing. Hind claw well curved, not nearly twice as long as middle claw; hind toe and claw not longer than middle toe and claw. Gape ample; tongue slightly bifid or brushy, if at all … _Sylvicolidæ_. Bill lengthened, very acute, even decurved. Wings and feet as in the last. Gape constricted; tongue generally deeply bifid or brushy … _Cærebidæ_. _ccc._ Bill more or less truly conic, usually short, thick; commissure usually more or less evidently abruptly angulated near the base, or with lobe or tooth further forward. Nostrils obviously nearer culmen than tomia. Tarsus longer than lateral toe and claw.[13] Bill stout, tumid, convex in nearly all its outlines; tomia not angulated, but with one or more lobes or nicks in advance of the base. Nostrils placed very high. Other characters much as in _Sylvicolidæ_. Colors chiefly red and yellow. One genus of … _Tanagridæ_. Bill truly conic, much shorter than head, usually with the angulation evident; no lobe along middle of tomia, but usually a notch at end. Nostrils placed very high. Rictal bristles usually obvious … _Fringillidæ_. Bill conic, but lengthened, little if any shorter than head; the angulation of the tomia evident; no notch at end. Nostrils high. No rictal bristles … _Icteridæ_. _bb._ Primaries ten. Otherwise with characters much as in _Icteridæ_ … _Sturnidæ_. _d._ Nostrils concealed with antrorse bristly feathers (except in _Psilorhinus_ and _Gymnokitta_).[14] Base of bill sheathed with antrorse bristly feathers, having lateral branches to their very ends; its tip mostly notched. Basal joint of middle toe united only half-way to the lateral. Sides of tarsus occupied by a lateral groove, mostly filled in with small plates. First primary more than half as long as second. Large,—over seven inches … _Corvidæ_. Base of bill with two tufts of bristly feathers, ending in simple filaments without lateral branches, its tip mostly unnotched. Basal joint of middle toe united nearly all its length with the lateral. Sides of tarsus ungrooved. First primary less than half as long as second. Small,—under seven inches … _Paridæ_.[15] _dd._ Nostrils exposed. _e._ Tail scansorial, with rigid acute feathers. Whole bill slender, compressed, acute, decurved, unnotched, unbristled. Outer toe much longer than inner … _Certhiidæ_. _ee._ Tail not scansorial, graduated. First primary not less (generally more) than half as long as the second, and inner toe united to the middle by at least one half (usually more) of the length of its basal joint. Tarsus with few obscure scutella. Rictal bristles present. Bill stout, but not toothed nor hooked. Wing excessively rounded (fifth, sixth, and seventh primaries longest), much shorter than the long graduated tail. Size small. Plumage brown, unbanded … _Chamæadæ_. Tarsus distinctly scutellate. Nostrils wholly exposed, scaled. No rictal bristles, but loral feathers with bristly points. Bill slender, not notched nor hooked. Wings and tail moderately rounded; neither very much shorter than the other. Size small. Color brown, etc., the wings and tail barred or undulated … _Troglodytidæ_. Tarsus distinctly scutellate. Nostrils overhung (not concealed) with bristly feathers. Rictal bristles present, strong. Bill powerful, compressed, strongly notched, toothed, and hooked. Wings and tail moderate. Large. Colors black, white, and gray … _Laniidæ_. _eee._ Tail not scansorial. First primary less than half as long as the second,[16] or about half as long, in which case the inner toe is cleft nearly to its base (_f_ and _ff_). _f._ Basal joint of middle toe united some distance with the inner, and for half or more of its length with the outer toe. Basal joint of middle toe shorter than that of inner toe, and wholly adherent to both inner and outer toes. Tarsus longer than middle toe and claw. Gonys more than half the length of the lower jaw. Bill stout, high, compressed; notched and abruptly hooked at tip … _Vireonidæ_. Basal joint of middle toe not shorter than that of inner toe; united to the outer for about two thirds, to the inner for about one half, its length. Tarsus not longer than the middle toe and claw. Gonys less than half the length of the under jaw. Bill triangular, much depressed at base, moderately notched, and hooked at tip[17] … _Ampelidæ_. Basal joint of middle toe shorter than that of the inner toe, united to the outer for about two thirds, to the inner for about one half, its length. Tarsus longer than middle toe and claw. Gonys more than half the length of the under jaw. Bill very weak and slender, little decurved or notched at tip. Very small,—under six inches long. (Tarsi booted in _Regulus_, distinctly scutellate in _Polioptila_.) … _Sylviidæ_. _ff._ Basal joint of middle toe quite free from the inner, and not united with the outer more than half-way. Nostrils linear, low. No bristles or bristly points whatever about the mouth. Wings short, rounded, concavo-convex. Tail very short, nearly concealed by its coverts. Tarsi booted … _Cinclidæ_. Nostrils oval. Bristles or bristly points about the mouth. Wings very long and pointed, reaching, when folded, beyond the middle of the short, square, or emarginate tail, and one and a half times or more the length of the latter; tip formed by second, third, and fourth quills; outer secondary reaching only about two thirds way to end of longest primary; spurious quill very short. Tarsi booted … _Saxicolidæ_. Nostrils oval. Bristles or bristly points about the mouth. Wings moderate, not reaching, when folded, beyond the middle of the tail, and not over one and a third times as long as the latter; tip formed by third to sixth quill; outer secondary reaching in closed wing three fourths or more the length of the longest primary. Spurious quill longer, sometimes one half the second. Tarsi scutellate in _Miminæ_, booted in _Turdinæ_ … _Turdidæ_. _aa._ Outside of tarsus covered with two series of scutella,—one lapping entirely around in front, the other entirely around behind, and meeting at a groove on the inside; hind edge blunt. First primary spurious or apparently wanting. Hind claw much lengthened, scarcely curved. Nostrils with antrorse bristly feathers. Bill conico-elongate … _Alaudidæ_. B. Clamatores. Outside of tarsus covered with a series of plates variously arranged, lapping entirely around in front and behind, to meet at a groove on the inner side. First primary lengthened, often longest, at least over two thirds as long as the longest. Bill broad at the base, much depressed, tapering to a fine point, which is abruptly decurved; culmen rounded or flattened; gonys flattened; commissure straight, or nearly so, to the tip. Nostrils small, circular, basal; overhung, but not concealed by bristles. Mouth capacious, with broad and deeply fissured rictus, beset with numerous long strong bristles. Feet small, weak. Tail of twelve feathers … _Tyrannidæ_. ANALYSIS OF THE FAMILIES OF PICARIÆ. Secondaries only six. Bill tenuirostral, longer than head, nearly cylindrical. Gape constricted. Tongue filiform, extensile, bi-tubular. Wings long in terminal portion, abbreviated proximally, acute. Plumage compact, of metallic sheen. Size smallest of all birds. (Humming-Birds.) … _Trochilidæ._ Secondaries more than six. Feet syndactyle by connation of outer and middle toes. Outer toe much longer than the inner, united for half its length with the middle, forming a broad sole. Tibiæ naked below. Bill longer than head, straight, acute, with hard cutting edges and ample rictus. Tongue rudimentary, fixed. Wings pointed, much longer than the short square tail. Tail-feathers twelve. Plumage compact, oily. (Kingfishers.) … _Alcedinidæ._ Feet zygodactyle[18] by reversion of outer or fourth toe. Not scansorial; tail of eight or ten long soft feathers. Bill with decurved tip, not fitted for hammering; rictus ample. Tongue not extensile nor vermiform nor barbed. Salivary glands and hyoidean apparatus not peculiar. No nasal tufts of feathers. Arboreal and terrestrial. (Cuckoos.) … _Cuculidæ._ Highly scansorial; tail of twelve rigid acuminate feathers, whereof the outer pair are short and spurious, concealed between bases of next two pairs. Bill stout, straight, with the tip truncate or acute, not decurved,—an efficient chisel for hammering and boring wood. Tongue vermiform, extensile,[19] and barbed. Salivary glands large; hyoidean apparatus peculiar. Nasal tufts usually present. Arboreal. (Woodpeckers.) … _Picidæ._ Feet neither syndactyle nor zygodactyle. Feet semipalmate, of normal ratio of phalanges. Anterior toes connected at base by movable webbing. Hind toe very small, elevated, semilateral. Middle toe produced, its large claw pectinate. Bill fissirostral, with very small, triangular, depressed horny part and immense rictus, reaching below the eyes, furnished with bristles. Rather large. Plumage soft and lax, much variegated … _Caprimulgidæ_. Feet scarcely or not semipalmate, of frequently abnormal ratio of phalanges (middle or outer toe, or both, with fewer joints than usual among birds). Hallux very small, elevated, frequently lateral or versatile. Middle toe not produced nor its claw pectinate. Bill much as in the last, but rictus unbristled. Small. Plumage compact, of few simple subdued colors … _Cypselidæ_. FAMILY OF PSITTACI. To characters of _Psittaci_ add: Cere feathered, concealing the nostrils. Feet granular, rugose. Wings pointed. Tail cuneate. Plumage coarse and dry. Head feathered. Colors green, with yellow and blue … _Psittacidæ_.[20] ANALYSIS OF FAMILIES OF RAPTORES. Feet highly raptorial, with large, strong, sharp, curved, contractile claws, adapted for grasping. Hallux perfectly incumbent, lengthened (more than half as long as the fourth toe), with large claw. Front toes with slight basal webbing between outer or middle ones, or none; outer toe often reversible. Nostrils imperforate. Bill short, stout, not notably contracted in its continuity, with strongly hooked tip; tomia often once-twice toothed or lobed. Head feathered wholly or in greatest part. Lower larynx developed with one pair of muscles. Plumage with or without after-shafts. Cœca present, as a rule, if not always. Physiognomy peculiar by reason of great lateral expansion and lengthwise shortening of the cranium, causing the eyes to be directed forward. Eyes surrounded by a disc of radiating bristly feathers, in front closely appressed to and hiding the base of the bill, elsewhere bounded by a rim of differently formed feathers. Tomia never toothed or lobed. Nostrils usually at the edge of the cere. Outer toe completely versatile, shorter than the inner toe. Basal phalanx of middle toe not longer than the second, and much shorter than the next. Legs commonly feathered or bristly to or on the toes. Plumage peculiarly soft and lax, without after-shafts; flight perfectly noiseless. Cranial walls widely separated by intervention of spongy diploë. Sternum commonly doubly notched. Chiefly nocturnal … _Strigidæ_. Physiognomy not peculiar in any lateral expansion of the cranium; the eyes lateral in direction. No complete facial disc; base of bill not hidden by appressed bristles. Nostrils wholly in the cere. Outer toe rarely versatile, except _Pandion_, etc.; not shorter than the inner. Basal phalanx of middle toe longer than the second. Legs commonly naked and scutellate or reticulate in some portion of their length; toes always bare and scaly. Plumage compact, usually with after-shafts; flight audible. Cranial walls with little diploë. Sternum commonly single-notched or fenestrate, sometimes entire. Diurnal … _Falconidæ_. Feet scarcely raptorial, with lengthened, little curved or contractile, weak, short claws. Hallux elevated, shortened, not more than half as long as the fourth toe, with small claw. Front toes all webbed at base; middle toe lengthened; outer not reversible. Basal phalanx of middle toe longer than either of the succeeding. Nostrils perforate. Bill lengthened and comparatively weak, little hooked, contracted in its continuity; tomia not toothed or lobed. Head naked of feathers in greatest part; sparsely bristly. No lower larnyx developed. No cœca. After-shafts absent … _Cathartidæ_. FAMILY OF COLUMBÆ. With characters essentially as in _Columbæ_ (exclusive of those peculiar to _Diduncudidæ_ and _Dididæ_). Plumage without after-shafts; the feathers with thickened, spongy rhachis loosely inserted in the skin. Head small, completely feathered, excepting sometimes a circumorbital space. Tarsi naked or only feathered a little way above. Tail of twelve feathers, or lengthened, cuneate, and of fourteen. (Hallux not perfectly incumbent in _Starnænas_.) … _Columbidæ_. ANALYSIS OF FAMILIES OF GALLINÆ. Hind toe lengthened, insistent. Tail-feathers twelve. Sides of head and throat with naked spaces. Color greenish … _Cracidæ_. Hind toe shortened, elevated. Tail-feathers usually fourteen or more. No green. Large. Tarsi, toes, and nasal fossæ naked. Head bare of feathers, sparsely bristly, with wattles and caruncles. A pectoral tuft of bristly feathers. Tarsi usually spurred in the male. Plumage iridescent … _Meleagrididæ_. Medium. Tarsi wholly or in great part, sometimes also the toes, and always the nasal fossæ, feathered. Head completely feathered, excepting a definite papillate strip over the eye. Tail-feathers sixteen or more. Sides of neck usually with lengthened feathers, or a naked distensible area, or both. No spurs. Plumage without iridescence … _Tetraonidæ_. Small. Tarsi, toes, and nasal fossæ naked. Head completely feathered. No peculiar feathers or tympanum on sides of neck. No spurs. Plumage not iridescent … _Perdicidæ_. ANALYSIS OF FAMILIES OF LIMICOLÆ. Toes not lobate. Tarsi not notably compressed. Legs extremely long; the tarsus equalling or exceeding the tail, and feet either four-toed and palmate (_Recurvirostra_), or three-toed and semipalmate (_Himantopus_); with the bill much longer than the head, very slender, acute, and curved upward … _Recurvirostridæ_. Legs moderate, stout. Tarsus shorter than tail. Bill hard, more or less contracted at base, with short nasal fossa, gonydeal angle, and ascending gonys, the tip either compressed and truncate or depressed and acute. Feet three-toed and with basal webbing (_Hæmatopus_), or four-toed and cleft (_Strepsilas_) … _Hæmatopodidæ_. Legs moderate. Tarsus shorter than tail, reticulate. Hind toe wanting (except in _Squatarola_, where very small, and in _Aphriza_). Bill short, straight,—not exceeding the head (generally shorter),—shaped like a pigeon’s, with short, broad, soft nasal fossæ separated by a constriction from the enlarged, obtuse, horny terminal part. Head large, globose, contracting suddenly to the bill. Neck short … _Charadriidæ_. Legs moderate. Tarsus shorter than tail, scutellate. Hind toe present. Bill long,—equalling, or oftener exceeding, frequently several times longer than, the head; softish and membranous to the very tip, without constriction in its continuity; straight or variously curved … _Scolopacidæ_. Toes lobate. Tarsi notably compressed. General characters of _Scolopacidæ_. Body depressed; the under plumage thickened, duck-like. Habits natatorial … _Phalaropodidæ_. ANALYSIS OF FAMILIES OF HERODIONES. Hallux lengthened, perfectly incumbent, with large claw. Tarsi scutellate. Middle claw pectinate. Bill perfectly straight, tapering, acute. Loral region definitely naked, continuous with covering of the bill. Head narrow, elongate, tapering … _Ardeidæ_. Hallux somewhat reduced, less perfectly incumbent. Tarsi commonly reticulate. Middle claw not pectinate. Lores, gular space and usually more of the head, naked. Bill variously curved or with expanded tip. (Genera _Tantalus_, _Ibis_, _Mycteria_, and _Platalea_.) … _Tantalidæ._ ANALYSIS OF FAMILIES OF ALECTORIDES. Of great stature, with extremely long neck and legs. Part or all of the head bare. Toes much shorter than the tarsi; with basal webbing, but without lobation; hallux very short, highly elevated. Bill equalling or exceeding the head, compressed, perfectly straight, contracted about the middle, with enlarged acute terminal portion; nasal fossæ wide and deep, with large perforate nostrils … _Gruidæ_. Size moderate and small; neck and legs comparatively short. Head completely feathered, excepting, in the Coots and Gallinules, a broad horny frontal plate. Toes equalling or exceeding the tarsi, simple or lobate. Bill not constricted in the middle, rather shorter than the head, straight and quite stout; or much longer, regularly slender and decurved, with long nasal fossæ. Nostrils incompletely or not perforate … _Rallidæ_. ANALYSIS OF FAMILIES OF LAMELLIROSTRES. Of great stature, with extraordinarily lengthened neck and legs. Bill of unique shape, bent abruptly down from the middle. Tibiæ naked below. Hind toe minute or absent. Wings rounded. Red the chief color … _Phœnicopteridæ_. Of moderate size; the neck short, or, when lengthened, not accompanied by co-ordinately lengthened legs, these being always shorter than the wing. Bill straight. Tibiæ feathered below. Hind toe present; well developed and functional, though short … _Anatidæ_. ANALYSIS OF FAMILIES OF STEGANOPODES. Bill rather longer than head, cleft to eyes, very stout at base, tapering to the decurved, but not hooked, tip. Nostrils abortive. Gular sac moderate, naked. Wings rather long, pointed. Tail long, stiff, cuneate, twelve to fourteen feathered. Feet nearly beneath centre of equilibrium. General configuration goose-like … _Sulidæ_. Bill several times longer than head, slender but strong, depressed, perfectly straight, with small distinct hooked nail at end. Nostrils very small. Gular sac enormous. Mandibular rami meeting only at tip. Wings extremely long, with upward of forty remiges. Tail short, rounded, of twenty or more feathers. Legs beneath centre of equilibrium, extremely short and stout … _Pelicanidæ_. Bill about as long as head, stout, straight, scarcely tapering, strongly hooked. Nostrils abortive. Gular sac moderate, but evident; mostly naked. Wings short. Tail large, fan-shaped, scansorial, of twelve to fourteen broad stiff feathers, exposed to the base. Legs inserted far behind centre of equilibrium … _Graculidæ_. Bill rather longer than head, slender, perfectly straight, tapering to an acute tip. Gular sac small. Nostrils minute. Wings and tail, and general configuration, as in the last … _Plotidæ_. Bill much longer than head, straight, stout, strongly hooked. Nostrils very small. Gular sac well developed. Wings exceedingly long, strong, and pointed. Tail exceedingly long, deeply forked. Feet extraordinarily short; tarsi partly feathered … _Tachypetidæ_. Bill about as long as head, straight, stout, tapering to an acute tip. Nostrils small. Gular sac rudimentary, feathered. Wings moderate, pointed. Tail short, but with two central feathers extraordinarily prolonged and filamentous. Feet small, beneath centre of equilibrium … _Phæthontidæ_. ANALYSIS OF FAMILIES OF LONGIPENNES. Nostrils not tubular, lateral, perforate. Bill with continuous covering, or only broken by a sort of cere, hooked or straight to the end. Hallux small and elevated, but always present … _Laridæ_. Nostrils tubular, disjoined and lateral, or oftenest superior and united in one double-barrelled tube. Covering of bill in several pieces; bill always hooked. Hallux minute, rudimentary, or absent … _Procellariidæ_. ANALYSIS OF FAMILIES OF PYGOPODES. Feet four-toed, palmate. Hallux lobate, connected at base with base of inner toe. Tail perfect. Head closely and completely feathered. Nostrils with a depending lobe or flap. Bill straight, compressed, acute … _Colymbidæ_. Feet four-toed, lobate. Hallux lobate, free. Tail rudimentary. Head with a naked loral strip and bristly or variously lengthened feathers. Nostrils simple. Bill straight or decurved at end, compressed, acute … _Podicipidæ_. Feet three-toed, palmate. Hallux absent. Tail perfect. Head closely feathered or variously crested. Nostrils simple. Bill of indeterminate shape … _Alcidæ_. NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. FAMILY TURDIDÆ.—THE THRUSHES. The _Turdidæ_, with the _Saxicolidæ_ and _Cinclidæ_, form a group closely related, by common characters, and appreciably different from the other _Oscines_ with slender bills and specially insectivorous habits, having, like them, ten primaries (the first much shorter than the second, but nearly always appreciable), and the nostrils uncovered. The great family of _Sylvicolidæ_, with similar characters of the bill, never present more than nine primaries. The most striking of these common characters is seen in the deeply cleft toes, of which the outer is united by the basal joint alone to the middle toe, while the inner is separated almost to the very base of its first joint.[21] The frontal feathers extend, with rare exceptions, to the very nostrils. The bill is elongated and subulate, moderately slender, and usually notched at tip; the culmen moderately curved from the base, and the mouth well provided with bristles, except in a few cases. Usually the scutellæ covering the front and sides of the tarsus are fused into one continuous plate, or else scarcely appreciable, except on the inner edge only; in the Mocking Thrushes they are, however, distinctly marked. The lateral toes are nearly equal, the outer rather the longer. With these as some of the principal characteristics, they may be distinguished from each other as follows:— NOTE.—In the present work the length of the tail is measured from the coccyx, inside of the skin, and not, as usually the case, from the base of the quills at their insertion. The wings are measured from the carpal joint, with dividers. A. Nostrils oval. Loral and frontal feathers with bristly points, or interspersed with bristles; rictus with longer or shorter bristles. Saxicolidæ. Wings very long and much pointed, reaching beyond the middle of the short square or emarginated tail, and one and a half times or more the length of the latter. The spurious primary very short, the second quill longer than the fourth. In the closed wing the outer secondary reaches only about two thirds the length of longest primary. Turdidæ. Wings moderate, more rounded, not reaching beyond middle of the often rounded tail, and not more than one and a third the latter, usually more nearly equal. Spurious primary sometimes half the length of second quill; the second quill shorter than the fourth. In the closed wing the outer secondary reaches three fourths or more the length of longest primary. B. Nostrils linear, in lower edge of nasal membrane. Loral and frontal feathers soft and downy, and no bristles or bristly points whatever about the mouth. Cinclidæ. Body very short and broad. Wings short, rounded, and concave. The American _Sylviidæ_ are in some respects very closely related to the _Saxicolidæ_, but may be distinguished by their much smaller size, more slender and depressed bill, more strongly bristled rictus, etc.; on which account they are more strictly “fly-catchers,” taking their prey in great part on the wing. Of the three families, the _Turdidæ_ contain a great variety of forms, and exhibit widely different characters, rendering it exceedingly difficult to arrange them in any systematic or regular sequence, or to accurately define their boundaries. In the _Birds of North America_, the Mocking Thrushes were placed among the Wrens, on account of the distinct tarsal scutellæ, and other characters. We are now, however, inclined to believe, with Dr. Sclater, that their place is with the recognized _Turdidæ_; and, among other reasons, on the ground of their more deeply cleft toes, and greater extension forward of frontal feathers. The following synopsis of the North American forms will serve the purpose of determining the genera, even if these are not arranged or combined in a strictly natural manner. A. Turdinæ.—Tarsus covered anteriorly with a continuous plate without scales. Wings decidedly longer than the tail, which is nearly even. Bill considerably shorter than the head. First quill usually not one fourth the second. Wings pointed. Tarsus hardly the length of head, but yet longer than middle toe; outstretched toes falling short of tip of tail … _Turdus_. B. Miminæ.—Tarsi scutellate anteriorly; scales seven. Wings decidedly longer than the tail, which is nearly even. Tarsus as long as the head. Bill decidedly shorter than the head, scarcely notched; wings pointed; first quill less than half the second, third and fourth longest. Claws not peculiar. Bristles prominent. Tarsus considerably longer than middle toe and claw … _Oreoscoptes_. Wings decidedly shorter than the tail, which is considerably graduated; first quill half or more than half the second. Bill notched at tip, shorter than head; straight. Scutellæ very distinct; gonys straight, or even declining at tip.… _Mimus._ Scutellæ more or less obsolete; gonys convex, ascending at tip.… _Galeoscoptes._ Bill not notched at tip, lengthened; sometimes much decurved.… _Harporhynchus._ NOTE.—In the Review of American Birds, I., May, 1866, 409, I have advanced the suggestion that the N. American genus _Myiadestes_, usually placed under the _Ampelidæ_, really belongs under _Turdidæ_ in a group _Myiadestinæ_. The relationships are certainly very close, as is shown by the characters given below. COMMON CHARACTERS.—Tarsi without regular transverse scutellæ, except at lower end. Wings acute, pointed, as long as or longer than tail, which is but slightly graduated. First primary rarely half second, which exceeds the secondaries. Base of quills buffy yellow, as are inner edges. Tail spotted or varied at the end. Young birds with many light spots. Very melodious singers. Myiadestinæ. Bill short, much depressed; mouth deeply cleft; width at base about equal to the distance from nostril to tip, or greater; commissure more than twice distance from nostrils to tip of bill, and nearly two and a half times length of gonys. Legs weak; tarsi rather longer than middle toe and claw. Tail feathers tapering slightly from base to near tip, giving a slightly cuneate appearance to the tail. Turdinæ. Bill stouter, more lengthened; narrow at base and more compressed; width at base less than distance from nostril to tip; commissure not more than twice distance from nostrils to tip of bill, and about twice length of gonys. Tarsi stouter, longer than middle toe and claw. Tail feathers widening slightly from base to near tip, giving a parallel-sided or slightly fan-shaped appearance to the tail. The _Miminæ_ differ, as already mentioned, in the scutellate tarsi: more rounded wings, etc.—S. F. B. SUBFAMILY TURDINÆ. There are several American genera of _Turdinæ_ not found north of Mexico as yet, although it is not impossible that one of these (_Catharus_) may hereafter be detected within the limits of the United States. The species of _Catharus_ resemble the North American wood-thrushes (_Hylocichla_); but the spurious or first primary quill is longer (from one half to one third the second quill), the wings are rounded, not pointed, the tarsus is longer than the head, and the outstretched toes extend beyond the tail. The species to be looked for are _C. melpomene_ and _occidentalis_.[22] The North American species of _Turdinæ_, while retained under the single genus _Turdus_, yet constitute several distinct groups, which we may call subgenera. GENUS TURDUS, LINNÆUS. _Turdus_, LINNÆUS, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1758, 168. (Type, _Turdus viscivorus_ of Europe.)—BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds. GEN. CHAR. Bill conical, subulate, shorter than the head; the tip gently decurved and notched (except in _Hesperocichla_); the rictus with moderate bristles; the wings rather long and pointed, with small first primary (less than one fourth the second); wings considerably longer than the tail, which is firm, nearly even, with broad feathers. Tarsi variable, seldom as long as the skull, the scutellæ fused into a continuous plate, only in rare individual instances showing indications of the lines of separation. The genus _Turdus_ is very cosmopolitan, occurring nearly throughout the globe, excepting in _Australia_, and embraces species of highest perfection as singers. In the large number of species known there are many variations in external form, but the transition from one to the other is so gradual as to render it very difficult to separate them into different genera. The sections of the group we adopt are the following:— _Sexes similar._ Hylocichla. Smallest species. Bill short, broad at base; much depressed. Tarsi long and slender, longer than middle toe and claw, by the additional length of the claw; outstretched legs reaching nearly to tip of tail. Body slender. Color: above olivaceous or reddish, beneath whitish; breast spotted; throat without spots. Turdus. Bill stouter and higher. Tarsi stout and short, scarcely longer than middle toe and claw. Body stout, generally whitish beneath and spotted. (Second quill longer than fifth?) Planesticus. Similar to preceding. (Second quill shorter than fifth?) Beneath mostly uni-colored; unstreaked except the throat, which is whitish with dark streaks. _Sexes dissimilar._ Merula. Similar to _Turdus_. Male usually more or less black, especially on the head; females brownish, often with streaked throats. Bill distinctly notched. Hesperocichla. Similar to _Turdus_. Male reddish beneath, with a black collar. Bill without notch. SUBGENUS HYLOCICHLA, BAIRD. _Hylocichla_, BAIRD (s. g.), Rev. Am. Birds, 1864, 12. (Type, _Turdus mustelinus_.) [Line drawing: _Turdus mustelinus._ 1570] The essential characters of _Hylocichla_ have already been given. The subgenus includes the small North American species, with _Turdus mustelinus_, Gm., at the head as type, which are closely connected on the one side with _Catharus_, by their lengthened tarsi, and with _Turdus_ by the shape of the wing. The bills are shorter, more depressed, and broader at base than in typical _Turdus_, so much so that the species have frequently been described under _Muscicapa_. It is not at all improbable that naturalists may ultimately conclude to consider the group as of generic rank. In this group there appears to be five well-marked forms or “species.” They are, _mustelinus_, Gm., _pallasi_, Caban., _fuscescens_, Steph., _swainsoni_, Caban., and _aliciæ_, Baird. The first-named is totally unlike the rest, which are more closely related in appearance. In studying carefully a very large series of specimens of all the species, the following facts become evident:— 1. In autumn and winter the “olive” color of the plumage assumes a browner cast than at other seasons; this variation, however, is the same in all the species (and varieties), so that in autumn and winter the several species differ from each other as much as they do in spring and summer. [Illustration: _Turdus ustulatus._] Of these five species, two only (_pallasi_ and _swainsoni_) inhabit the whole breadth of the continent; and they, in the three Faunal Provinces over which they extend, are modified into “races” or “varieties” characteristic of each region. The first of these species, as the _pallasi_ var. _pallasi_, extends westward to the Rocky Mountains, and migrates in winter into the South; specimens are very much browner in the winter than in spring; but in the Rocky Mountain region is a larger, grayer race, the var. _auduboni_. This, in its migrations, extends along the central mountain region through Mexico to Guatemala; specimens from the northern and southern extremes of this range are identical in all the specific characters; but the southern specimens, being in the fall and winter dress, are browner in color than northern ones (spring birds); an autumnal example from Cantonment Burgwyn, N. M., is as brown as any Central American specimen. Along the Pacific Province, from Kodiak to Western Mexico, and occasionally straggling eastward toward the Rocky Mountain system, there is the var. _nanus_, a race _smaller_ than the var. _pallasi_, and with much the same colors as var. _auduboni_, though the rufous of the tail is deeper than in either of the other forms. In this race, as in the others, there is no difference in size between specimens from north and south extremes of its distribution, because the breeding-place is in the North, all Southern specimens being winter sojourners from their Northern birthplace. The _T. swainsoni_ is found in abundance westward to the western limit of the Rocky Mountain system; in the latter region specimens at all seasons have the olive of a clearer, more greenish shade than in any Eastern examples; this clearer tint is analogous with that of the Rocky Mountain form of _pallasi_ (_auduboni_). In precisely the same region inhabited by the _pallasi_ var. _nanus_ the _swainsoni_ also has a representative form,—the var. _ustulatus_. This resembles in pattern the var. _swainsoni_, but the olive above is decidedly more rufescent,—much as in Rocky Mountain specimens of _T. fuscescens_; the spots on jugulum and breast are also narrower, as well as hardly darker in color than the back; and the tail is longer than in Rocky Mountain _swainsoni_, in which latter it is longer than in Eastern examples. The remaining species—_mustelinus_, _fuscescens_, and _aliciæ_—extend no farther west than the Rocky Mountains; the first and last only toward their eastern base, while the second breeds abundantly as far as the eastern limit of the Great Basin. The _T. fuscescens_, from the Rocky Mountains, is considerably darker in color above, while the specks on the throat and jugular are sparser or more obsolete than in Eastern birds. In _T. mustelinus_, the only two Western specimens in the collection (Mount Carroll, Ills., and Fort Pierre) have the rump of a clearer grayish than specimens from the Atlantic Coast; in all other respects, however, they appear to be identical. Some Mexican specimens, being in winter plumage, have the breast more buffy than Northern (spring or summer) examples, and the rufous of the head, etc. is somewhat brighter. In _aliciæ_, no difference is observed between Eastern and Western birds; the reason is, probably, that the breeding-ground of all is in one province, though their migrations may extend over two. There is, however, a marked difference between the spring and autumn plumage; the clear grayish of the former being replaced, in the latter, by a snuffy brown, or sepia tint,—this especially noticeable on wings and tail. [Illustration: PLATE I. 1. Turdus mustelinus, _Gm._ Penn., 1570. 2. “ ustulatus, _Nutt._ Oregon, 2040. 3. “ aliciæ, _Baird_. Illinois, 10084. 4. “ swainsoni, _Cab._ Penn., 981. 5. “ fuscescens, _Steph._ D. C., 28231. 6. “ pallasii, _Cab._ Penn., 2146. 7. “ nanus, _Aud._ Cala., 17997. 8. “ auduboni, _Baird_. Rocky Mts., 10886.] The following synopsis is intended to show the characters of the different species and varieties. 1. _Spots beneath rounded, covering breast and sides._ A. Rufous brown above, becoming much brighter toward the bill, and more olivaceous on the tail. Beneath white; whole breast with rounded spots. Nest on tree; eggs pale blue. 1. T. mustelinus. Beneath nearly pure white, with rounded blackish spots over the whole breast, sides, and upper part of abdomen; wing, 4.25; tail, 3.05; culmen, .80; tarsus, 1.26. _Hab._ Eastern Province United States, south to Guatemala and Honduras. Cuba and Bermuda of West Indies. 2. _Spots beneath triangular, on breast only._ B. Entirely uniform in color above,—olivaceous, varying to reddish or greenish with the species. Beneath whitish, with a wash of brownish across the breast and along sides. Spots triangular, and confined to the breast. Nest on trees or bushes; eggs blue spotted with brownish; except in _T. fuscescens_, which nests on the ground, and lays plain blue eggs. _a. No conspicuous light orbital ring._ 2. T. fuscescens. Yellowish-rufous or olive-fulvous above; a strong wash of pale fulvous across the throat and jugulum, where are very indistinct cuneate spots of same shade as the back. Wing, 4.10; tail, 3.00; culmen, .70; tarsus, 1.15. _Hab._ Eastern Province of North America. North to Nova Scotia and Fort Garry. West to Great Salt Lake. South (in winter) to Panama and Brazil. Cuba. 3. T. aliciæ. Grayish clove-brown above; breast almost white, with broad, blackish spots; whole side of head uniform grayish. Wing, 4.20; tail, 3.20; culmen, .77; tarsus, 1.15. _Hab._ Eastern Province North America from shore of Arctic Ocean, Fort Yukon, and Kodiak to Costa Rica. West to Missouri River. Cuba. _b. A conspicuous orbital ring of buff._ 4. T. swainsoni. Greenish-olive above, breast and sides of head strongly tinged with buff. Spots on breast broad, distinct, nearly black. Length, 7.00; wing, 3.90; tail, 2.90; culmen, .65; tarsus, 1.10. _Hab._ Eastern and Middle Provinces of North America. North to Slave Lake, south to Ecuador, west to East Humboldt Mountains … var. _swainsoni_. Brownish-olive above, somewhat more rufescent on wing; breast and head strongly washed with dilute rufous. Spots on breast narrow, scarcely darker than back. Wing, 3.85; tail, 3.00; culmen, .70; tarsus, 1.10. _Hab._ Pacific Province of United States. Guatemala … var. _ustulatus_. C. Above olivaceous, becoming abruptly more reddish on upper tail-coverts and tail. Spots as in _swainsoni_, but larger and less transverse,—more sharply defined. An orbital ring of pale buff. Nest on ground; eggs blue, probably unspotted. 5. T. pallasi. Olivaceous of upper parts like _ustulatus_. Reddish of upper tail-coverts invading lower part of rump; no marked difference in tint between the tail and its upper coverts. Flanks and tibiæ yellowish olive-brown; a faint tinge of buff across the breast. Eggs plain. Wing, 3.80; tail, 3.00; culmen, .70; tarsus, 1.20. _Hab._ Eastern Province of United States (only?) … var. _pallasi_. Olivaceous of upper parts like _swainsoni_. Reddish of tail not invading the rump, and the tail decidedly more castaneous than the upper coverts. Beneath almost pure white; scarcely any buff tinge on breast; flanks and tibiæ grayish or plumbeous olive. Size smaller than _swainsoni_; bill depressed. Wing, 3.50; tail, 2.60; culmen, .60; tarsus, 1.15. _Hab._ Western Province of North America, from Kodiak to Cape St. Lucas. East to East Humboldt Mountains … var. _nanus_. Olivaceous above, like preceding; the upper tail-coverts scarcely different from the back. Tail yellowish-rufous. Beneath like _nanus_. Size larger than _swainsoni_. Wing, 4.20; tail, 3.35; culmen, .80; tarsus, 1.30. _Hab._ Rocky Mountains. From Fort Bridger, south (in winter) to Southern Mexico … var. _auduboni_. Turdus mustelinus, GMELIN. THE WOOD THRUSH. _Turdus mustelinus_, GMELIN, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 817.—AUDUBON, Orn. Biog. I, 1832, 372, pl. 73.—IB. Birds Am. III, 1841, 24, pl. 144.—D’ORB. La Sagra’s Cuba Ois. 1840, 49.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 212.—IB. Rev. Am. Birds, 1864, 13.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1856, 294, and 1859, 325.—JONES, Nat. in Bermuda, 26.—GUNDLACH, Repertorio, 1865, 228.—MAYNARD.—SAMUELS, 146. _Turdus melodus_, WILS. Am. Orn. I, 1808, 35, pl. ii. _Turdus densus_, BONAP. Comptes Rendus, XXVIII, 1853, 2.—IB. Notes Delattre, 1854, 26 (Tabasco). Additional figures: VIEILLOT, Ois. Am. Sept. II, pl. lxii.—WILSON, Am. Orn. I, pl. ii. SP. CHAR. Above clear cinnamon-brown, on the top of the head becoming more rufous, on the rump and tail olivaceous. The under parts are clear white, sometimes tinged with buff on the breast or anteriorly, and thickly marked beneath, except on the chin and throat and about the vent and tail-coverts, with sub-triangular, sharply defined spots of blackish. The sides of the head are dark brown, streaked with white, and there is also a maxillary series of streaks on each side of the throat, the central portion of which sometimes has indications of small spots. Length, 8.10 inches; wing, 4.25; tail, 3.05; tarsus, 1.26. Young bird similar to adult, but with rusty yellow triangular spots in the ends of the wing coverts. HAB. U. S. east of Missouri plains, south to Guatemala. Bermuda (not rare). Cuba, LA SAGRA; GUNDLACH. Honduras, MOORE. Cordova, SCL. Orizaba (winter), SUMICHR. HABITS. The Wood Thrush, without being anywhere a very abundant species, is common throughout nearly every portion of the United States between the Mississippi River and the Atlantic. It breeds in every portion of the same extended area, at least as far as Georgia on the south and Massachusetts on the north. Beyond the last-named State, it rarely, if ever, breeds on the coast. In the interior it has a higher range, nesting around Hamilton, C. W. So far as I am aware it is unknown, or very rare, in the States of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. It makes its appearance early in April in the Middle States, but in New England not until four or five weeks later, appearing about the 10th of May. Their migrations in fall are more irregular, being apparently determined by the abundance of their food. At times they depart as early as the first of September, but sometimes not until the last of October. It winters in Central America, where it is quite abundant at that season. The favorite localities of the Wood Thrush are the borders of dense thickets, or low damp hollows shaded by large trees. Yet its habits are by no means so retiring, or its nature so timid, as these places of resort would lead us to infer. A small grove in Roxbury, now a part of Boston, in close proximity to a dwelling-house, was for many years the favorite resort of these birds, where several pairs nested and reared their young, rarely even leaving their nests, which were mostly in low bushes, wholly unmindful of the curious children who were their frequent visitors. The same fearless familiarity was observed at Mount Auburn, then first used as a public cemetery. But in the latter instance the nest was always placed high up on a branch of some spreading tree, often in conspicuous places, but out of reach. Mr. J. A. Allen refers to several similar instances where the Wood Thrush did not show itself to be such a recluse as many describe it. In one case a pair built their nest within the limits of a thickly peopled village, where there were but few trees, and a scanty undergrowth. In another a Wood Thrush lived for several successive summers among the elms and maples of Court Square in the city of Springfield, Mass., undisturbed by the passers by or the walkers beneath, or the noise and rattle of the vehicles on the contiguous streets. The song of this thrush is one of its most remarkable and pleasing characteristics. No lover of sweet sounds can have failed to notice it, and, having once known its source, no one can fail to recognize it when heard again. The melody is one of great sweetness and power, and consists of several parts, the last note of which resembles the tinkling of a small bell, and seems to leave the conclusion suspended. Each part of its song seems sweeter and richer than the preceding. The nest is usually built on the horizontal branch of a small forest-tree, six or eight feet from the ground, and, less frequently, in the fork of a bush. The diameter is about 5 inches, and the depth 3¾, with a cavity averaging 3 inches across by 2¼ in depth. They are firm, compact structures, chiefly composed of decayed deciduous leaves, closely impacted together, and apparently thus combined when in a moistened condition, and afterward dried into a firmness and strength like that of parchment. These are intermingled with, and strengthened by, a few dry twigs, and the whole is lined with fine roots and a few fine dry grasses. Occasionally, instead of the solid frame of impacted leaves, we find one of solidified mud. The eggs of the Wood Thrush, usually four in number, sometimes five, are of a uniform deep-blue tint, with but a slight admixture of yellow, which imparts a greenish tinge. Their average measurements are 1.00 by .75 inch. Turdus fuscescens, STEPHENS. TAWNY THRUSH; WILSON’S THRUSH. _Turdus mustelinus_, WILSON, Amer. Ornithology, V, 1812, 98, pl. 43 (not of GMELIN). _Turdus fuscescens_, STEPHENS, Shaw’s Gen. Zoöl. Birds, X, I, 1817, 182. CAB. Jour. 1855, 470 (Cuba).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 214.—IB. Rev. Am. B. 1864, 17.—GUNDI. Repertorio, 1865, 228 (Cuba, not rare). PELZELN, Orn. Bras. II, 1868, 92. (San Vicente, Brazil, December.)—SAMUELS, 150.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 326.—IB. Catal. Am. Birds, 1861, 2, No. 10. _Turdus silens_, VIEILL. Encyclop. Méth. II, 1823, 647 (based on _T. mustelinus_, WILS.). _Turdus wilsonii_, BON. Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 73. _Turdus minor_, D’ORB. La Sagra’s Cuba, Ois. 1840, 47, pl. v (Cuba). SP. CHAR. Above, and on sides of head and neck, nearly uniform light reddish-brown, with a faint tendency to orange on the crown and tail. Beneath, white; the fore part of the breast and throat (paler on the chin) tinged with pale brownish-yellow, in decided contrast to the white of the belly. The sides of the throat and the fore part of the breast, as colored, are marked with small triangular spots of light brownish, nearly like the back, but not well defined. There are a few obsolete blotches on the sides of the breast (in the white) of pale olivaceous; the sides of the body tinged with the same. Tibiæ white. The lower mandible is brownish only at the tip. The lores are ash-colored, the orbital region grayish. Length, 7.50; wing, 4.25; tail, 3.20; tarsus; 1.20. HAB. Eastern North America, Halifax to Fort Bridger, and north to Fort Garry. Cuba, Panama, and Brazil (winter). Orizaba (winter), SUMICHRAST. HABITS. This species is one of the common birds of New England, and is probably abundant in certain localities throughout all the country east of the Rocky Mountains, as far to the north as the 50th parallel, and possibly as far as the wooded country extends. Mr. Maynard did not meet with it in Northern New Hampshire. Mr. Wm. G. Winton obtained its nest and eggs at Halifax, N. S.; Mr. Boardman found them also on the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and at St. Stephen’s, N. B.; Mr. Couper at Quebec; Mr. Krieghoff at Three Rivers, Canada; Donald Gunn at Selkirk and Red River; and Mr. Kumlien and Dr. Hoy in Wisconsin. Mr. McIlwraith also gives it as common at Hamilton, West Canada. It breeds as far south as Pennsylvania, and as far to the west as Utah, and occurs, in the breeding season, throughout Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Canada. Mr. Ridgway found this thrush very abundant among the thickets in the valleys of the Provo, Weber, and Bear rivers, in Utah, and very characteristic of those portions of the country. It arrives in Massachusetts early in May, usually with the first blossoms of the pear, ranging from the 5th to the 20th. It is strictly of woodland habits, found almost entirely among clumps of trees, and obtaining its food from among their branches, or on the ground among the fallen leaves. It moves south from the 10th to the 25th of September, rarely remaining till the first week in October. It is timid, distrustful, and retiring; delighting in shady ravines, the edges of thick close woods, and occasionally the more retired parts of gardens; where, if unmolested, it will frequent the same locality year after year. The song of this thrush is quaint, but not unmusical; variable in its character, changing from a prolonged and monotonous whistle to quick and almost shrill notes at the close. Their melody is not unfrequently prolonged until quite late in the evening, and, in consequence, in some portions of Massachusetts these birds are distinguished with the name of Nightingale,—a distinction due rather to the season than to the high quality of their song. Yet Mr. Ridgway regards it, as heard by himself in Utah, as superior in some respects to that of all others of the genus, though far surpassed in mellow richness of voice and depth of metallic tone by that of the Wood Thrush (_T. mustelinus_). To his ear there was a solemn harmony and a beautiful expression which combined to make the song of this surpass that of all the other American Wood Thrushes. The beauty of their notes appeared in his ears “really inspiring; their song consisting of an inexpressibly delicate metallic utterance of the syllables _ta-weel´ ah, ta-weel´ ah, twil´ ah, twil´ ah_, accompanied by a fine trill which renders it truly seductive.” The last two notes are said to be uttered in a soft and subdued undertone, producing thereby, in effect, an echo of the others. The nest is always placed near the ground, generally raised from it by a thick bed of dry leaves or sticks; sometimes among bushes, but never in the fork of a bush or tree, or if so, in very rare and exceptional cases. When incubation has commenced, the female is reluctant to leave her nest. If driven off she utters no complaint, but remains close at hand and returns at the first opportunity. They construct their nest early in May, and the young are hatched in the latter part of that month, or the first of June. They raise two broods in the season. The nest, even more loosely put together than that of the Ground Swamp Robin (_T. pallasi_), is often with difficulty kept complete. It is about 3 inches in height, 4½ in diameter, with a cavity 1½ inches deep and 3 in width, and composed of dry bark, dead leaves, stems, and woody fibres, intermingled with grasses, caricas, sedges, etc., and lined with soft skeleton leaves. A nest from Wisconsin was composed entirely of a coarse species of _Sparganeum_; the dead stalks and leaves of which were interwoven with a very striking effect. The eggs, usually four, sometimes five in number, are of a uniform green color, with a slight tinge of blue, and average .94 by .66 of an inch in diameter. Turdus aliciæ, BAIRD. GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH; ALICE’S THRUSH. _Turdus aliciæ_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 217, plate 81, f. 2.—IB. Review Am. Birds, I, 1864, 21.—COUES, Pr. Ac. N. Sc. Aug. 1861, 217 (Labrador).—IB. Catal. Birds of Washington.—GUNDLACH, Repertorio, 1865, 229 (Cuba).—LAWR. Ann. N. Y. Lyc. IX, 91 (Costa Rica).—DALL and BANNISTER, Birds Alaska.—RIDGWAY, Report. SP. CHAR. Above nearly pure dark olive-green; sides of the head ash-gray; the chin, throat, and under parts white; purest behind. Sides of throat and across the breast with arrow-shaped spots of dark plumbeous-brown. Sides of body and axillaries dull grayish-olivaceous. Tibiæ plumbeous; legs brown. Length, nearly 8 inches; wing, 4.20; tail, 3.20; tarsus, 1.15. HAB. Eastern North America to shores of Arctic Ocean, and along northern coast from Labrador to Kodiak, breeding in immense numbers between the mouths of Mackenzie and Coppermine. West to Fort Yukon and Missouri River States. Winters south to Costa Rica. Chiriqui, SALVIN; Cuba, GUNDLACH. As originally described, this species differs from _swainsoni_ in larger size, longer bill, feet, and wings especially, straighter and narrower bill. The back is of a greener olive. The breast and sides of the head are entirely destitute of the buff tinge, or at best this is very faintly indicated on the upper part of the breast. The most characteristic features are seen on the side of the head. Here there is no indication whatever of the light line from nostril to eye, and scarcely any of a light ring round the eye,—the whole region being grayish-olive, relieved slightly by whitish shaft-streaks on the ear-coverts. The sides of body, axillars, and tibiæ are olivaceous-gray, without any of the fulvous tinge seen in _swainsoni_. The bill measures .40 from tip to nostril, sometimes more; tarsi, 1.21; wing, 4.20; tail, 3.10,—total, about 7.50. Some specimens slightly exceed these dimensions; few, if any, fall short of them. In autumn the upper surface is somewhat different from that in spring, being less grayish, and with a tinge of rich sepia or snuff-brown, this becoming gradually more appreciable on the tail. A specimen from Costa Rica is undistinguishable from typical examples from the Eastern United States. HABITS. This species, first described in the ninth volume of the Pacific Railroad Surveys, bears so strong a resemblance to the Olive-backed Thrush (_T. swainsoni_), that its value as a species has often been disputed. It was first met with in Illinois. Since then numerous specimens have been obtained from the District of Columbia, from Labrador, and the lower Mackenzie River. In the latter regions it was found breeding abundantly. It was also found in large numbers on the Anderson River, but was rare on the Yukon, as well as at Great Slave Lake, occurring there only as a bird of passage to or from more northern breeding-grounds. In regard to its general habits but little is known. Dr. Coues, who found it in Labrador, breeding abundantly, speaks of meeting with a family of these birds in a deep and thickly wooded ravine. The young were just about to fly. The parents evinced the greatest anxiety for the safety of their brood, endeavoring to lead him from their vicinity by fluttering from bush to bush, constantly uttering a melancholy _pheugh_, in low whistling tone. He mentions that all he saw uttered precisely the same note, and were very timid, darting into the most impenetrable thickets. This thrush is a regular visitant to Massachusetts, both in its spring and in its fall migration. It arrives from about the first to the middle of May, and apparently remains about a week. It passes south about the first of October. Occasionally it appears and is present in Massachusetts at the same time with the _Turdus swainsoni_. From this species I hold it to be unquestionably distinct, and in this opinion I am confirmed by the observations of two very careful and reliable ornithologists, Mr. William Brewster of Cambridge, one of our most promising young naturalists, and Mr. George O. Welch of Lynn, whose experience and observations in the field are unsurpassed. They inform me that there are observable between these two forms certain well-marked and constant differences, that never fail to indicate their distinctness with even greater precision than the constant though less marked differences in their plumage. The _Turdus aliciæ_ comes a few days the earlier, and is often in full song when the _T. swainsoni_ is silent. The song of the former is not only totally different from that of the latter, but also from that of all our other Wood Thrushes. It most resembles the song of _T. pallasi_, but differs in being its exact inverse, for whereas the latter begins with its lowest notes and proceeds on an ascending scale, the former begins with its highest, and concludes with its lowest note. The song of the _T. swainsoni_, on the other hand, exhibits much less variation in the scale, all the notes being of nearly the same altitude. I am also informed that while the _T. swainsoni_ is far from being a timid species, but may be easily approached, and while it seems almost invariably to prefer the edges of the pine woods, and is rarely observed in open grounds or among the bare deciduous trees, the habits of the _T. aliciæ_ are the exact reverse in these respects. It is not to be found in similar situations, but almost always frequents copses of hard wood, searching for its food among their fallen leaves. It is extremely timid and difficult to approach. As it stands or as it moves upon the ground, it has a peculiar erectness of bearing which at once indicates its true specific character so unmistakably that any one once familiar with its appearance can never mistake it for _T. swainsoni_ nor for any other bird. The nests measure about 4 inches in diameter and 2¾ in height. The cavity is 2 inches deep, and its diameter 2½ inches. They are unusually compact for the nest of a thrush, and are composed chiefly of an elaborate interweaving of fine sedges, leaves, stems of the more delicate _Equisetaceæ_, dry grasses, strips of fine bark, and decayed leaves, the whole intermingled with the paniculated inflorescence of grasses. There is little or no lining other than these materials. These nests were all found, with but few exceptions, on the branches of low trees, from two to seven feet from the ground. In a few exceptional cases the nests were built on the ground. Occasionally nests of this species are found constructed with the base and sides of solid mud, as with the common Robin (_Turdus migratorius_). In these, as also in some other cases, their nests are usually found on or near the ground. So far as I am aware neither its occasional position on the ground, nor its mud frames, are peculiarities ever noticeable in nests of _T. swainsoni_. The eggs were usually four in number. Their color is either a deep green tint, or green slightly tinged with blue; and they are marked with spots of russet and yellowish-brown, varying both in size and frequency. Their mean length is .92 of an inch, and their mean breadth .64. The maximum length is .94 and the minimum .88 of an inch. There is apparently a constant variation from the eggs of the _T. swainsoni_; those of the _aliciæ_ having a more distinctly blue ground color. The nests are also quite different in their appearance and style of structure. The _Hypnum_ mosses, so marked a feature in the nests of _T. swainsoni_, as also in those of _T. ustulatus_, are wholly wanting in those of _T. aliciæ_. This bird and the robin are the only species of our thrushes that cross the Arctic Circle to any distance, or reach the shore of the Arctic Ocean. It occurs from Labrador, all round the American coast, to the Aleutian Islands, everywhere bearing its specific character as indicated above. It is extremely abundant on and near the Arctic coast, between the mouth of the Mackenzie River and the Coppermine, more than 200 specimens (mostly with their eggs) having been sent thence to the Smithsonian Institution by Mr. MacFarlane. In all this number there was not a single bird that had any approach to the characters of _T. swainsoni_, as just given. From the Slave Lake region, on the other hand, _T. swainsoni_ was received in nearly the same abundance, and unmixed during the breeding season with _T. aliciæ_. Turdus swainsoni, CABANIS. OLIVE-BACKED THRUSH; SWAINSON’S THRUSH. _Turdus swainsoni_, CAB. Tschudi, Fauna Peruana, 1844-46, 188.—? SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1859, 6 (Guatemala).—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1858, 451 (Ecuador); 1859, 326.—IB. Catal. 1861, 2, no. 11.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 216; Rev. Am. B., 1864, 19.—GUNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 324 (Cuba).—IB. Repert. 1865, 229.—PELZELN, Orn. Brazil. II. 1868, 92 (Marambitanas, Feb. and March).—LAWR. N. Y. Lyc. IX, 91 (Costa Rica).—RIDGWAY.— MAYNARD.—SAMUELS, 152.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 6.—DALL & BANNISTER. _Turdus minor_, GMELIN, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 809 (in part). _Turdus olivaceus_, GIRAUD, Birds L. Island, 1843-44, 92 (not of LINN.). _(?) Turdus minimus_, LAFRESNAYE, Rev. Zoöl. 1848, 5.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1854, 111.—BRYANT, Pr. Bost. Soc. VII, 1860, 226 (Bogota).—LAWRENCE, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. 1863. (Birds Panama, IV, no. 384.) SP. CHAR. Upper parts uniform olivaceous, with a decided shade of green. The fore part of breast, the throat and chin, pale brownish-yellow; rest of lower parts white; the sides washed with brownish-olive. Sides of the throat and fore part of the breast with sub-rounded spots of well-defined brown, darker than the back; the rest of the breast (except medially) with rather less distinct spots that are more olivaceous. Tibiæ yellowish-brown. Broad ring round the eye, loral region, and a general tinge on the side of the head, clear reddish buff. Length, 7.00; wing, 4.15; tail, 3.10; tarsus, 1.10. HAB. Eastern North America; westward to Humboldt Mountain and Upper Columbia; perhaps occasionally straggling as far as California; north to Slave Lake and Fort Yukon; south to Ecuador and Brazil. Cuba, GUNDLACH; Costa Rica, LAWR. Specimens examined from the northern regions (Great Slave Lake, Mackenzie River, and Yukon) to Guatemala; from Atlantic States to East Humboldt Mountains, Nevada, and from intervening localities. The extremes of variation are the _brownish_-olive of eastern and the clear _dark_ greenish-olive of remote western specimens. There is no observable difference between a Guatemalan skin and one from Fort Bridger, Utah. HABITS. The Olive-backed Thrush, or “Swamp Robin,” has very nearly the same habitat during the breeding season as that of the kindred species with which it was so long confounded. Although Wilson seems to have found the nest and eggs among the high lands of Northern Georgia, it is yet a somewhat more northern species. It does not breed so far south as Massachusetts, or if so, the cases must be exceptional and very rare, nor even in Western Maine, where the “Ground Swamp Robin” (_T. pallasi_) is quite abundant. It only becomes common in the neighborhood of Calais. It is, however, most widely distributed over nearly the entire continent, breeding from latitude 44° to high Arctic regions. It winters in Guatemala and southward as far as Ecuador and Brazil. In its habits this thrush is noticeably different from the _T. pallasi_, being much more arboreal, frequenting thick woods; rarely seen, except during its migrations, in open ground, and seeking its food more among the branches of the trees. Mr. Ridgway found this species very abundant among the Wahsatch Mountains, where it was one of the most characteristic summer birds of that region. It was breeding plentifully in the cañons, where its song could be heard almost continually. It inhabited an intermediate position between _T. auduboni_ and _T. fuscescens_, delighting most in the shrubbery along the streams of the cañons and passes, leaving to the _T. auduboni_ the secluded ravines of the pine regions higher up, and to the _T. fuscescens_ the willow thickets of the river valleys. He did not meet with it farther west than the East Humboldt Mountains. The song, in his opinion, resembles that of the Wood Thrush (_T. mustelinus_) in modulations; but the notes want the power, while they possess a finer and more silvery tone. The song of this species has a certain resemblance to that of _T. pallasi_, being yet quite distinct, and the differences readily recognized by a familiar ear. It is more prolonged; the notes are more equal and rise with more regularity and more gradually, are richer, and each note is more complete in itself. Its song of lamentation when robbed of its young is full of indescribable pathos and beauty, haunting one who has once heard it long after. When driven from the nest, the female always flies to a short distance and conceals herself; making no complaints, and offering no resistance. These birds, in a single instance, have been known to reach Eastern Massachusetts early in April, in an unusually early season, but they generally pass north a few weeks later. They make no prolonged stay, and are with us rarely more than three or four days. Their return in the fall appears to be, at times, by a more inland route. They are then not so numerous near the coast, but occasionally are abundant. Their nests in Nova Scotia, wherever observed, were among the thick woods, on horizontal branches of a forest-tree, usually about five feet from the ground. Those observed in the Arctic regions by Mr. Kennicott were frequently not more than two feet from the ground. The nests average about four inches in diameter and two in height, the cavity being three inches wide by about one and a half deep. They are more elaborately and neatly constructed than those of any other of our thrushes, except perhaps of _T. ustulatus_. Conspicuous among the materials are the _Hypnum_ mosses, which by their dark fibrous masses give a very distinctive character to these nests, and distinguish them from all except those of the _T. ustulatus_, which they resemble. Besides these materials are found fine sedges, leaves, stems of equisetaceous plants, red glossy vegetable fibres, the flowering steins of the _Cladonia_ mosses, lichens, fine strips of bark, etc. The eggs, which are four or five in number, exhibit noticeable variations in size, shape, and shades of coloring, bearing some resemblance to those of _T. ustulatus_ and to the eggs asserted to be those of _T. nanus_, but are sufficiently distinct, and are still more so from those of _T. aliciæ_. They range in length from .83 to .94, with a mean of .88, their mean breadth is .66, the maximum .69, and the minimum .63. Their ground color is usually bluish-green, sometimes light blue with hardly a tinge of green, and the spots are of a yellowish-brown, or russet-brown, or a mixture of both colors, more or less confluent, with marked variations in this respect. Turdus swainsoni, var. ustulatus, NUTTALL. OREGON THRUSH. _Turdus ustulatus_, NUTTALL, Man. I, 1840, 400 (Columbia River).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 215, pl. lxxxi, fig. 1.—IB. Rev. Am. B. 1864, 18.—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. Rep. XII, II, 1860, 171.—RIDGWAY, Pr. A. N. S. Philad. 1869, 127.—DALL & BANNISTER, Tr. Chic. Acad.—COOPER, Birds Cal., 5. SP. CHAR. General appearance of _fuscescens_, but with pattern of _swainsoni_; the buff orbital ring as conspicuous as in latter. The olive above is more _brown_ than in this, and less yellowish than in _fuscescens_, becoming decidedly more rufescent on wings and less observably so on tail. Pectoral aspect different from _fuscescens_, the spots narrower and cuneate, sharply defined, and arranged in longitudinal series; in color they are a little _darker_ than the crown. Length, 7.50; wing, 3.75; tail, 3.00; tarsus, 1.12. HAB. Pacific Province of United States. Tres Marias Isl., Guatemala (winter), Mus. S. I. This well-marked race is to be compared with _swainsoni_, not with _fuscescens_, as has generally been done; the latter, except in shade of colors, it scarcely resembles at all; still greater evidence that such is its affinity is that the _T. ustulatus_ builds its nest on a tree, and lays a spotted egg, like _swainsoni_, while _fuscescens_ nests on or near the ground, perhaps never in a tree, and lays a plain blue egg. The song of the present bird is also scarcely distinguishable from that of _swainsoni_. Upon the whole, we see no reason why this should not be considered as a Pacific Province form of the _Turdus swainsoni_; at least it becomes necessary to do so, after referring to _T. pallasi_ as geographical races, the _T. auduboni_ and _T. nanus_. HABITS. So far as we are aware, this thrush has a very limited distribution, being mainly restricted to the Pacific coast region from California to Alaska in the breeding season, though migrating southward in winter to Guatemala. Dr. Kennerly found it in great abundance breeding at Chiloweyuck Depot, July 3, 1859. Dr. Cooper also found it one of the most abundant of the summer residents in Washington Territory, arriving there in May and remaining until the beginning of September. Three specimens of this thrush were obtained at Sitka, by Mr. Bischoff. Mr. Ridgway met with only a single specimen east of the Sierra Nevada, though on that range he found it an abundant summer bird. In its general appearance it has a marked resemblance to Wilson’s Thrush (_T. fuscescens_), but its habits and notes, as well as its nest and eggs, clearly point its nearer affinity to Swainson’s Thrush (_T. swainsoni_), its song being scarcely different from that of the latter species. Like this species, it frequents the thickets or brushwood along the mountain streams, and, except just after its arrival, it is not at all shy. In crossing the Sierra Nevada in July, 1867, Mr. Ridgway first met with this species. He describes it as an exquisite songster. At one of the camps, at an altitude of about 5,000 feet, they were found unusually plentiful. He speaks of their song as consisting of “ethereal warblings,—outbursts of wild melody.” “Although its carols were heard everywhere in the depth of the ravine, scarcely one of the little musicians could be seen.” “The song of this thrush,” he adds, “though possessing all the wild, solemn melody of that of the Wood Thrush (_T. mustelinus_) is weaker, but of a much finer or more silvery tone, and more methodical delivery. It is much like that of the _T. swainsoni_, but in the qualities mentioned is even superior.” Dr. Cooper found its nests with eggs about the middle of June. These were most usually built on a small horizontal branch, and were very strongly constructed of twigs, grasses, roots, and leaves, usually covered on the outside entirely with the bright green _Hypnum_ mosses peculiar to that region, which in the damp climate near the coast continue to grow in that position, and form large masses. The number of eggs is usually five. Dr. Cooper states that these thrushes sing most in the early morning and in the evening, when numbers may be heard answering one another on all sides. They do not affect the darkest thickets so much as the Hermit Thrush, but are often seen feeding in the gardens in the open sunshine. Dr. Suckley, who found them quite abundant in the neighborhood of Fort Steilacoom, on the edge of the forest, and in swampy land, describes the song as a low, soft, sad, and lively whistle, confined to one note, and repeated at regular intervals. Mr. Nuttall, the first to describe this form, speaks of it as shy and retiring, and as in the habit of gathering insects from the ground. His ear, so quick to appreciate the characteristics of the songs of birds, which showed a close resemblance between the notes of this bird and that of Wilson’s Thrush (_T. fuscescens_), enabled him to detect very distinct and easily recognizable differences. It is much more interrupted and is not so prolonged. The warble of this bird he describes as resembling _wit-wit t´villia_, and _wit-wit, t´villia-t´villia_. His call when surprised was _wit-wit_. All the nests of this species that have fallen under my observation are large, compact, strongly constructed, and neat. They measure about 5 inches in their external diameter, with a depth externally of 3; the cavity is comparatively shallow, being rarely 2 inches in depth. The external portions are constructed almost entirely of _Hypnum_ mosses, matted together and sparingly interwoven with dry leaves and fine fibrous roots, and are lined with finer materials of the same kind. These nests most nearly resemble in their material and in their position those of Swainson’s Thrush. Mr. Hepburn found these birds very abundant about Victoria. It does not usually breed there before the last of May, though in one exceptional instance he found a nest with young birds on the 24th of that month. The eggs vary in size and shape, ranging from .77 to .94 in length, and from .65 to .69 in breadth. They also vary in their ground color and in the tints of the spots and markings. The ground color is light green or light blue, and the markings are variously yellowish-brown and lilac, or dark brown and slate. Mr. Grayson found this thrush very abundant in the month of January, in the thickest of the woods, in the islands of the Three Marias, on the Pacific coast of Mexico. They were very timid and shy, more so than any bird that he saw on those islands. It frequently uttered a low plaintive whistle, and seemed solitary in its habits. Turdus pallasi, CABANIS. RUFOUS-TAILED THRUSH; HERMIT THRUSH. _Turdus pallasii_, CABANIS, Wiegmann’s Archiv, 1847 (I), 205.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 212.—IB. Rev. Am. B. 1864, 14.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 325 ??.—IB. Catal. 1861, 2, No. 7.—RIDGWAY.—MAYNARD.—SAMUELS, 148. _Turdus solitarius_, WILSON, Amer. Orn. V, 1812, 95 (not of LINNÆUS).—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1857, 212. _Turdus minor_, BON. Obs. Wilson, 1825, No. 72. _Turdus guttatus_, CABANIS, Tschudi, Fauna Peruana, 1844, 187 (not _Muscicapa guttata_ of PALLAS). Additional figures: AUD. Birds Am. III, pl. cxlvi.—IB. Orn. Biog. I, pl. lviii. SP. CHAR. Tail slightly emarginate. Above light olive-brown, with a scarcely perceptible shade of reddish, passing, however, into decided rufous on the rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail, and to a less degree on the outer surface of the wings. Beneath white, with a scarcely appreciable shade of pale buff across the fore part of the breast, and sometimes on the throat; the sides of the throat and the fore part of the breast with rather sharply defined subtriangular spots of dark olive-brown; the sides of the breast with paler and less distinct spots of the same. Sides of the body under the wings of a paler shade than the back. A whitish ring round the eye; ear-coverts very obscurely streaked with paler. Length, 7.50 inches; wing, 3.84; tail, 3.25; tarsus, 1.16; No. 2,092. HAB. Eastern North America. Mexico? Not found in Cuba, _fide_ GUNDLACH. In spring the olive above is very much that of eastern specimens of _swainsoni_; in winter specimens it is much browner, and almost as much so as in _fuscescens_. Young birds have the feathers of the head, back, and wing coverts streaked centrally with drop-shaped spots of rusty yellowish. HABITS. Until quite recently the “Ground Swamp Robin,” or Hermit Thrush, has not been distinguished from the closely allied species _T. swainsoni_, and all accounts of writers have blended both in singular confusion. My colleague, Professor Baird, in the summer of 1844, was the first to suggest the distinctness of the two species. By the common people of Maine and the British Provinces this difference has long been generally recognized, this species being known as the “Ground Swamp Robin,” and the other as the “Swamp Robin.” The present species is found throughout Eastern North America to the Mississippi, and breeds from Massachusetts to high arctic regions. It is only occasionally found breeding so far south as Massachusetts; through which State it passes in its spring migrations, sometimes as early as the 10th of April; usually reaching Calais, Maine, by the 15th of the same month. It is a very abundant bird throughout Maine, where it begins to breed during the last week of May, and where it also probably has two broods in a season. The greater number appear to pass the winter in the Southern States; it being common in Florida, and even occasionally seen during that season as far north as latitude 38° in Southern Illinois, according to Mr. Ridgway. It rarely, if ever, sings during its migrations; appears in small straggling companies, frequents both thickets and open fields, and is unsuspicious and easily approached. The song of this species is very fine, having many of the characteristics of that of the Wood Thrush (_T. mustelinus_). It is as sweet, has the same tinkling sounds, as of a bell, but is neither so powerful nor so prolonged, and rises more rapidly in its intonations. It begins with low, sweet notes, and ends abruptly with its highest, sharp ringing notes. Taken from the nest they are easily tamed, and are quite lively and playful; but their want of cleanliness renders them very undesirable pets. When their nest is visited they make no complaints, but retire to a distance. Not so, however, when their natural enemy, the hawk, appears; these they at once assail and seek to drive away, uttering loud and clear chirps, and peculiar twittering sounds. The nest of this thrush is always built on the ground, most generally either under low bushes or in the open ground, rarely, if ever, among thick trees, and for the most part in low swampy places. Both nest and eggs closely resemble those of Wilson’s Thrush (_T. fuscescens_). In Parsboro, Nova Scotia, I found one of the nests built in the very midst of the village, close to a dwelling, though on a spot so marshy as to be almost unapproachable. The nests are 3 inches in height and 5 in diameter, with a cavity 3¼ inches wide by 1¾ deep. They are composed of decayed deciduous leaves, remnants of dried plants, sedges and grasses, intermingled with twigs, and lined with finer grasses, sedges, and strips of bark. The eggs are of a uniform bluish-green color, and range in length from .88 to .94, with an average of .63 of an inch. Turdus pallasi, var. nanus, AUDUBON. DWARF HERMIT THRUSH. _Turdus nanus_, AUD. Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 201, pl. cci.—BAIRD, Birds N. A. 1858, 213; Rev. Am. B. 1864, 15.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859.—IB. Catal. 1861.—DALL & BANNISTER.—COOPER, Birds Cal., p. 4. _Turdus pallasi_, var. _nanus_, RIDGWAY, Rep. Kings Exped. V, 1872. _? Turdus aonalaschkæ_, GMELIN, S. N. I, 1788, 808. _?? Muscicapa guttata_, PALLAS, Zoög. Rosso-Asiat. II, 1811, 465. SP. CHAR. Above with the clear dark olive of _swainsoni_, but this even purer and more plumbeous. Upper tail-coverts (but not lower part of rump) becoming more rufous, the tail abruptly darker, richer, and more _purplish_-rufous, approaching to chestnut. The clear olive of the neck passes into brownish-_plumbeous_ along sides; pectoral spots more sparse and less pure black than in _T. pallasi_. The white beneath is of an almost snowy purity, appreciably different from the cottony-white of _T. pallasi_. Wing, 3.30; tail, 3.00; bill, .36; tarsus, 1.07. A very tangible and constant character possessed by this bird is the more slender and depressed bill, as compared with that of _T. pallasi_. Specimens vary only in intensity of colors; these variations very limited, and corresponding with those of _T. pallasi_. In all cases, however, their precise pattern and peculiar distribution is retained. HAB. Western Province of North America, eastward from Kodiak to Cape St. Lucas. Arizona, COUES. HABITS. This small race of the Hermit Thrush was first noticed by Dr. Pickering, and described by Mr. Audubon from an imperfect skin. It has since been obtained abundantly on the Pacific slope, and Mr. Ridgway procured a specimen as far east as the East Humboldt Mountains, which he considers its eastern limit. In its habits it is said to be, like _T. pallasi_, almost exclusively terrestrial. Dr. Heermann mentions finding it abundant in California, and breeding among the stunted oaks covering the sand-hills of San Francisco. Dr. Coues found it in Arizona, but speaks of it as rare and migratory, occurring chiefly in spring and autumn, and as a shy and retiring species. Dr. Cooper, in his Report on the Birds of California, describes it as shy and timid, preferring dark and shady thickets, feeding chiefly on the ground, running rapidly, and searching for insects among the leaves. Near San Diego they began to sing about the 25th of April. The song, consisting of a few low ringing notes, resembles that of Wilson’s Thrush (_T. fuscescens_), and also that of _T. ustulatus_, but is not so loud. Their note of alarm is a loud and ringing chirp, repeated and answered by others at a long distance. At Santa Cruz, on the first of June, Dr. Cooper met with several of their nests, which, though probably erroneously, he supposed to belong to the Dwarf Hermit Thrush. They were all built in thickets under the shade of cottonwood-trees. Each nest was about five feet from the ground, and all contained eggs, from two to four in number, in differing stages of incubation. The nests were built of dry leaves, roots, fibres, grasses, and bark, without any mud, and were lined with decayed leaves. Their height and external diameter measured 4 inches. The diameter of the cavity was 2½ inches and the depth 2¼. The eggs measured .90 by .70 of an inch. They are of a pale bluish-green, speckled with cinnamon-brown, chiefly at the larger end. The nest, supposed to be of this species, supplied by Dr. Cooper, is large for the bird; constructed of a base loosely made up of mosses, lichens, and coarse fibres of plants. It is a strong and compact structure of matted leaves, put together when in a moist and decaying condition; with these there are interwoven roots, twigs, and strong fibres, surrounding the nest with a stout band and strengthening the rim. In fact, it corresponds so well—as do the eggs also—with those of _T. ustulatus_, that it is extremely probable that they really belong to that species. The only observable difference is the absence of the _Hypnum_ mosses characteristic of northern _ustulatus_. Dall and Bannister mention in their list of Alaska birds that the species is not common there. It was also taken at Sitka and Kodiak by Bischoff. The fact that this thrush builds its nest above the ground, and lays spotted eggs, if verified, would at once warrant our giving it independent rank as a species, instead of considering it as a local race of _pallasi_. Turdus pallasi, var. auduboni, BAIRD. ROCKY MOUNTAIN HERMIT THRUSH. _Turdus auduboni_, BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds, 1864, 16.—RIDGWAY, P. A. N. S. 1869, 129.—ELLIOT, Illust. (fig.). _Merula silens_, SWAINSON, Philos. Mag. I, 1827, 369 (not _Turdus silens_ of VIEILLOT, Encycl. Méth. II, 1823, 647, based on _T. mustelinus_, WILS. = _T. fuscescens_).—IB. Fauna Bor.-Amer. II, 1831, 186.—BAIRD, Birds N. Amer. 1858, 213, and 922.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1858, 325 (La Parada), and 1859, 325 (Oaxaca).—IB. Catal. Am. Birds, 1861, 2, no. 9. SP. CHAR. Colors much as in _Turdus nanus_, but the upper tail-coverts scarcely different from the back. Tail yellowish-rufous. Length of wing, 4.18; tail, 3.60; bill from nostril, .45; tarsus, 1.26. HAB. Rocky Mountains, from Fort Bridger south into Mexico. Orizaba (Alpine regions), SUMICHRAST. This is a very distinct race of thrushes, although it may be questioned whether it be truly a species. It is, however, sufficiently distinct from the eastern and western Hermit Thrushes to warrant our giving it a place of some kind in the systems. The young plumage differs from that of _pallasi_ as do the adults of the two, and in about the same way. The olive is very much purer, with a greenish instead of a brownish cast, and the tail is very much lighter, inclining to dull ochraceous instead of rufous; this yellowish instead of rufous cast is apparent on the wings also. The yellowish “drops” on head, back, etc., are very much narrower than in _pallasi_, while the greater coverts, instead of being distinctly tipped with yellowish, merely just perceptibly fade in color at tips. HABITS. At present we have but little knowledge of the habits of this form of _T. pallasi_, and no information whatever regarding its nesting or eggs. In its distribution it is confined to the central range of mountains from Fort Bridger to Southern Mexico. This species, there known as “Solitario,” is common in the Alpine region of Vera Cruz (as well as in all the elevated regions of Central Mexico), frequenting the pine woods in the district of Orizaba. Mr. Sumichrast obtained it at all seasons of the year at Moyoapam, in that vicinity; a locality the height of which approximates 2,500 metres. It is also found at a height of 1,200 metres, near the city of Orizaba. Mr. Ridgway calls this bird the “Rocky Mountain Hermit Thrush.” He states that he found it common in the Wahsatch Mountains, but that, on account of its retiring habits, it was seldom seen. It there lives chiefly in the deep ravines in the pine region, exhibiting an attachment to these solitudes rather than to the thickets along the watercourses lower down; the latter it leaves to the _T. swainsoni_. Owing to the reserved manners of this bird, as well as to the great difficulty of reaching its abode, there were few opportunities presented for learning much concerning its habits, nor did he hear its song. In its flight the pale ochraceous band across the bases of its quills was a very conspicuous feature in the appearance of its species, leading Mr. Ridgway to mistake it at first for the _Myiadestes townsendii_,—also an inhabitant of the same localities,—so much did it look like that bird, which it further resembled in its noiseless, gliding flight. SUBGENUS TURDUS, LINN. [Line drawing: _Turdus iliacus._ 1718] Of _Turdus_, in its most restricted sense, we have no purely American representatives, although it belongs to the fauna of the New World in consequence of one species occurring in Greenland, that meeting-ground of the birds of America and Europe; which, however, we include in the present work, as related much more closely to the former. This Greenland species, _Turdus iliacus_, is closely related to _T. viscivorus_, the type of the genus, and comes much closer to the American Robins (_Planesticus_) than to the Wood Thrushes (_Hylocichla_). Turdus iliacus, LINN. REDWING THRUSH. _Turdus iliacus_, LINN. Syst. Nat. 10th ed. 1758, 168, and of European authors.—REINHARDT, Ibis, 1861, 6 (Greenland). BAIRD, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 23 (Greenland). SP. CHAR. This species is smaller than our Robin (_T. migratorius_), but of a similar grayish-olive above, including the head. The under parts are white; the feathers of the lower throat and breast streaked with brown. The sides, axillars, and inner wing-covert are reddish-cinnamon. A conspicuous white streak over the eye and extending as far back as the nape. Bill black, yellow at base of lower jaw. Legs pale-colored. Second quill longer than fifth. Length, about 8.25; wing, 4.64; tail, 3.45; bill, from gape, 1.07; from nostril, .44; tarsus, 1.16; middle toe and claw, 1.15. Specimen described: 18,718, ♂, a British specimen received from the Royal Artillery Institution, Woolwich. HAB. Greenland, in the New World. The occurrence of this well-known European species in Greenland brings it within the limits of the American Fauna. Two Greenland specimens are recorded by Dr. Reinhardt: one of them shot at Frederickshaab, October 20, 1845. HABITS. The Redwing can probably only claim a place in the fauna of North America as an occasional visitant. Of the two specimens observed in Greenland, one was shot late in October. It is not known to breed there. This species, during its breeding season, is found only in the more northern portions of Europe; only occasionally, and very rarely, breeding so far south as England. It makes its appearance in that kingdom on its southern migrations, coming in large flocks from Northern and Northeastern Europe, and arriving usually before the end of October. During their stay in England they frequent parks and pleasure-grounds that are ornamented with clumps of trees. During mild and open weather they seek their subsistence in pasture lands and moist meadows, feeding principally on worms and snails. In severe winters, when the ground is closed by frost or covered by snow, the Redwings are among the first birds to suffer, and often perish in large numbers. During the winter they extend their migrations to the more southern portions of Europe, to Sicily, Malta, and even to Smyrna. In early spring they return to the more central portions of the continent, and leave in May for their more northern places of resort. They nest in trees in the moist woods of Norway and Sweden. Their nests resemble those of the common Fieldfare, _T. pilaris_. The outside is composed of sticks, weeds, and coarse grass, gathered wet, and matted with a small quantity of moist clay. They are lined with a thick bed of fine grass. The Redwing is said to possess a delightful note, and is called the Nightingale of Norway. Linnæus, speaking of this bird, claims that its high and varied notes rival even those of that far-famed vocalist. During the summer the Redwing advances to the extreme north, visiting the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Northern Russia. The general character of its food, its inability to feed exclusively on berries, and the fact that it perishes from starvation in severe winters, would seem to prove that its occurrence in Greenland so late as October must have been purely accidental. It is not probable that its presence in North America will be found to be a common event. The eggs measure 1.06 inches in length by .81 in breadth. The ground color is a light green with a bluish tinge thickly covered with russet or reddish-brown spots, confluent at the larger end. SUBGENUS PLANESTICUS, BONAP. _Planesticus_, BONAP. Comptes Rendus, 1854. (Type _Turdus jamaicensis_, GMELIN.) [Line drawing: _Turdus migratorius._ 853] This section of the Thrushes is well represented in America, especially in its middle and southern portions, and its members have a close resemblance to the typical European species in the full form, stout legs, etc., as already stated. The spots on the throat, and their absence elsewhere on the under part of the body, are sufficient to distinguish them. Of the two North American species one is the well-known Robin, the other a closely related form from Cape St. Lucas; which indeed is probably only a local race or variety, although nothing exactly like it has yet been found away from Lower California. The following diagnosis may serve to distinguish the two birds:— COMMON CHARACTERS. Throat white with dark streaks. Rest of under parts, including lining of wing, reddish or ochraceous; the anal region whitish; lower eyelid white. Nest on trees. Eggs plain blue. Above slaty-olive, approaching to black on the head. Beneath rufous-chestnut. Spot in lore and on upper eyelid of white. Tail, 4.25. _Hab._ Whole of North America; Mexico, south to Oaxaca and Cordova; Cuba (very rare) and Tobago, of West Indies … var. _migratorius_. Above dull grayish-ash, not darker on the head. Beneath pale yellowish-buff; tinged with ashy across breast; a continuous white stripe from the lores over and a quarter of an inch behind the eye. More white on belly and flanks than in _T. migratorius_. Bill stouter; tail only 3.75, while the wing is the same. _Hab._ Cape St. Lucas, Lower California … var. _confinis_. Turdus migratorius, var. migratorius, LINN. ROBIN; AMERICAN REDBREAST. _Turdus migratorius_, LINN. S. N. 12th ed. 1766, 292.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1856, 294; 1859, 331; 1864, 172.—IB. Catal. Am. Birds, 1861, 4.—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1860, 396 (Coban).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 218; Rev. Am. B. 1864, 28.—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. R. XII, II, 1859, 172.—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 475. (Texas, winter).—COUES, Pr. A. N. S. 1866, 64 (Arizona).—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska).—COOPER, Birds Cal.—SAMUELS, 154. Figures: VIEILLOT, Ois. Am. Sept. II, pl. lx, lxi.—WILSON, Am. Orn. I, 1808, pl. ii.—DOUGHTY, Cab. N. H. I, 1830, pl. xii.—AUDUBON, Birds Am. III, pl. cxlii; Orn. Biog. II, pl. cxxxi. SP. CHAR. Tail slightly rounded. Above olive-gray; top and sides of the head black. Chin and throat white, streaked with black. Eyelids, and a spot above the eye anteriorly, white. Under parts and inside of the wings, chestnut-brown. The under tail-coverts and anal region, with tibiæ, white, showing the plumbeous inner portions of the feathers. Wings dark brown, the feathers all edged more or less with pale ash. Tail still darker, the extreme feathers tipped with white. Bill yellow, dusky along the ridge and at the tip. Length, 9.75; wing, 5.43; tail, 4.75; tarsus, 1.25. HAB. The whole of North America; Mexico, Oaxaca, and Cordova; Guatemala; Cuba, very rare, GUNDLACH; Tobago, KIRK; Bermuda, JONES; Orizaba (Alpine regions, breeding abundantly), SUMICHRAST. Young birds have transverse blackish bars on the back, and blackish spots beneath. The shafts of the lesser coverts are streaked with brownish-yellow; the back feathers with white. [Illustration: _Turdus migratorius._] There are some variations, both of color and proportions, between eastern and western specimens of the Robin. In the latter there is a tendency to a longer tail, though the difference is not marked; and, as a rule, they slightly exceed eastern specimens in size. The broad white tip to the lateral tail-feather—so conspicuous a mark of eastern birds—is scarcely to be found at all in any western ones; and in the latter the black of the head is very sharply defined against the lighter, clearer ash of the back, there hardly ever being a tendency in it to continue backward in the form of central spots to the feathers, as is almost constantly seen in eastern examples; of western specimens, the rufous, too, is appreciably lighter than in eastern. As regards the streaks on the throat, the black or the white may either largely predominate in specimens from one locality. In autumn and winter each rufous feather beneath is bordered by a more or less conspicuous crescent of white; in addition to this, most of the lighter individuals (♀?), at this season, have an ashy suffusion over the breast and flanks; and this, we have observed, is more general and more noticeable in western than in eastern specimens. In fall and winter the color of the bill, too, changes, becoming at this season either partially or wholly dusky, instead of almost entirely yellow, as seen in spring and summer examples. Mexican specimens, found breeding in the Alpine regions as far south as Orizaba and Mirador, most resemble the western series; one, however (No. 38,120 ♂, Orizaba), but in the autumnal plumage, and therefore very possibly a migrant from the North, is hardly distinguishable from No. 32,206, Georgia; it is about identical in proportions, and the rufous is of a castaneous shade, like the deepest colored eastern examples; the white tip to the outer tail-feather is as broad and conspicuous as is ever seen in the latter. HABITS. Scarcely any American bird has a wider range of geographical distribution, or is more numerous wherever found, than this thrush. From Greenland on the extreme northeast to the plateau of Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the Robin is everywhere a very abundant species. Single specimens have been obtained as far south as Coban, Guatemala. Its distribution in the breeding season is hardly less restricted, occurring alike on the shores of the Arctic Seas and on the high lands of Vera Cruz. In the winter months it is most abundant in the Southern States, while in the Middle and even the Northern States, in favorable localities, it may be found throughout the year; its migrations being influenced more by the question of food than of climate. In the valleys among the White Mountains, where snow covers the ground from October to June, and where the cold reaches the freezing-point of mercury, flocks of the Robin remain during the entire winter, attracted by the abundance of berries. On the Pacific Coast the Robin is only a winter visitant in California; a very few remaining to breed, and those only among the hills. They reach Vancouver Island early in March, and are very abundant. In New England, where the Robins are held in great esteem, and where they exist under very favorable circumstances, their numbers have very largely increased, especially in the villages. They cause not a little annoyance to fruit cultivators by their depredations upon the productions of the garden, especially cherries and strawberries. They are a voracious bird, and no doubt destroy a large quantity of small fruit, but there is abundant evidence that this is more than compensated by their destruction of the most injurious insects, upon which they wage an incessant war. The investigations of Mr. J. W. P. Jenks and Professor Treadwell establish conclusively their great services in this direction. The experiments of the latter gentleman show that the nestlings of the Robin require a vast amount of animal food, forty per cent more than their own weight being consumed by the young bird within twenty-four hours, and, what is more, demonstrated to be necessary to its existence. [Illustration: PLATE II. 1. Turdus confinis, _Baird_. Cape St. Lucas, 23789. 2. “ nævius, _Gm._ Cala., 21363. 3. “ migratorius, _Linn._ Penn., 1851. 4. “ iliacus, _Linn._ Europe.] In Massachusetts a few Robins remain throughout the year, but the greater proportion leave early in November, returning late in February or early in March. The song of the Robin is deservedly popular. While many of our birds possess far superior powers of melody, and exhibit a much greater variety in their song, there are none that exceed it in its duration or extent. It is the first bird in spring to open and one of the last to close the great concert of Nature. Their song is earnest, simple, and thrilling, and is said by Audubon to resemble that of the European Blackbird, _Turdus merula_. The Robin, when taken young, may be readily tamed, and soon becomes contented and accustomed to confinement. They are devoted to their young, watchful, attentive, and provident. They begin to construct their nest in early spring before the trees put forth their leaves, and often in very exposed positions. The size of the nest, in fact, makes concealment impossible. These nests are sometimes placed in quite remarkable positions, such as the beams of a ship partly finished, and where the carpenters were every day at work, and similar situations indicating a great familiarity. Their favorite place is the horizontal branch of an apple-tree, about ten feet from the ground. The nest of the Robin is a large and coarsely constructed combination of rude materials. It is composed of a base of straw, leaves, mosses, stems, and dry grasses, upon which a cup-shaped fabric of clay or mud is built. The whole is lined with finer dry grasses and vegetable fibres. They average 5 inches in height and the same in diameter. Their cavity is 2¾ inches deep, with a diameter of 2½ inches. The eggs of the Robin, which are usually five and sometimes six in number, are of a uniform bright greenish-blue color, liable to fade when exposed to light, but when fresh exhibiting a very distinct and bright tint. They vary in size from 1.25 to 1.12 inches in length, and in breadth from .88 to .75 of an inch. Their mean measurement is 1.18 by .81. Turdus migratorius, var. confinis, BAIRD. CAPE ST. LUCAS ROBIN. _Turdus confinis_, BAIRD, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 29.—ELLIOT, Birds America.—COOPER, Birds Cal., 9. SP. CHAR. No. 23,789. Entire upper parts and sides of head and neck uniform grayish-ash, with perhaps a faint tinge of olivaceous, less than in eastern specimens of _T. migratorius_. The central portions of the feathers of the top of head are rather darker than the edges, though almost inappreciably so, and not imparting a general dusky appearance. The chin and throat are white, streaked with ashy-brown. The jugulum and breast are pale yellowish-buff; the axillars, inner wing-coverts, and sides of the breast similarly, but rather more decidedly colored. The belly and edges of the crissal feathers are white, the hinder parts of the flanks ashy. There is a distinct whitish stripe from the lores over and a quarter of an inch behind the eye; the lower eyelid is also white. The tail-feathers are worn, but there is an indication of a narrow white tip. The feathers of the jugulum, especially of the sides, are tipped with ashy like the back, as in immature specimens of _T. migratorius_. The greater wing-coverts are tipped with dull white. The bill is yellowish; the upper mandible and the tip of lower tinged with dusky. The feet are pale brown. The length cannot be given accurately, as the skin is much drawn up. The wing, however, measures 5.10 inches, its tip reaching 1.40 beyond the longest secondary; tail, 4.10; tarsus, 1.20; middle toe and claw, 1.07; exposed portion of culmen, .92; from tip to open portion of nostrils, .60. HAB. Todos Santos, Cape St. Lucas. The specimen with a general resemblance to an immature _T. migratorius_ (especially the western variety) in the white superciliary streak and general markings, is much lighter beneath than in any of the many skins of _T. migratorius_ examined; there being none of the dark chestnut or cinnamon shade, but rather a light buff; the belly and flanks are much more purely white. The superciliary stripe extends farther behind the eye; indeed, in most specimens of _migratorius_ the white is nearly confined to the eyelids. The bill and wings are rather longer than usual in _migratorius_; the middle toe, on the other hand, appears shorter. Nothing is on record in regard to the habits of this bird. SUBGENUS HESPEROCICHLA, BAIRD. _Hesperocichla_, BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds, I, 1864, 12. (Type _Turdus nævius_, GM.) [Line drawing: _Turdus nævius._ 9814] The single species of this subgenus differs in form from the Robins (_Planesticus_), in the more awl-shaped bill, the curved commissure, and the absence of a notch at the end; the longer, slenderer, and straighter claws; and in the dissimilarity in color of the sexes. In the latter respects it agrees with _Merula_ of Europe and Middle America; in which, however, the bill is distinctly notched, and less attenuated. The tail is shorter and broader than in _Planesticus_, more as in true _Turdus_ or _Hylocichla_. Turdus nævius, GMEL. OREGON ROBIN; VARIED THRUSH. _Turdus nævius_, GM. S. N. I, 1788, 817.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1857, 4; 1859, 331.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 219; Rev. Am. B. 1864, 32.—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. R. XII, II, 1859, 172.—COUES, Pr. A. N. S. 1866, 65. (Quotes occurrence on Colorado River, above Fort Mohave, as exceptional.)—MAYNARD (Massachusetts!).—TURNBULL (N. Jersey!).—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska).—COOPER, Birds Cal. 10. _Orpheus meruloides_, RICH. F. B. A. II, 1831, 187, pl. xxxviii. Other figures: VIEILLOT, Ois. Am. Sept. II, 1807, pl. lxvi.—AUD. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, pl. ccclxix, and ccccxxxiii.—IB. Birds Am. III, pl. cxliii. SP. CHAR. Tail nearly even; the lateral feather shorter. Above, rather dark bluish slate; under parts generally, a patch on the upper eyelids continuous with a stripe behind it along the side of the head and neck, the lower eyelids, two bands across the wing coverts and the edges of the quills, in part, rufous orange-brown; middle of belly white. Sides of the head and neck, continuous with a broad pectoral transverse band, black. Most of tail feathers with a terminal patch of brownish white. Bill black. Feet yellow. Female more olivaceous above; the white of the abdomen more extended; the brown beneath paler; the pectoral band obsolete. Length, 9.75 inches; wing, 5.00; tail, 3.90; tarsus, 1.25. _Young_ (45,897, Sitka, Aug. 1866; F. Bischoff). Exactly resembling the adult female, _having no spots_ other than seen in the adult plumage; but the pectoral collar is composed only of badly defined blackish transverse crescents, and the upper parts anterior to the rump are of an umber brown tint. The markings about the head and on the wings are precisely as in the adult. This species does not appear to be liable to any noticeable variation. HAB. West coast of North America, from Behring Straits to California; straggling to Great Bear Lake. Accidental on Long Island (Cab. G. N. Lawrence), New Jersey (Cab. Dr. Samuel Cabot), and Ipswich, Mass. (Cab. Boston Society Natural History); Iowa (ALLEN). [Illustration: _Turdus nævius._] HABITS. The accidental occurrence of a few specimens of this well-marked bird in the Eastern States is its only claim to a place in that fauna, it being strictly a western species, belonging to the Pacific Coast. It was first discovered by the naturalists of Captain Cook’s expedition, who met with it as far to the north as Nootka Sound. It is only very recently that we have become possessed of reliable information in regard to its breeding and its nest and eggs. Sir John Richardson was informed that it nested in bushes in a manner similar to that of the common robin. Nuttall and Townsend found it abundant among the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains, near the Columbia River, in October. In the winter it became still more numerous, passing the season in that region as well as in more southern localities, associating with the robin. From this bird it may be readily distinguished by the difference of its notes, which are louder, sharper, and delivered with greater rapidity. In the spring, before leaving for their breeding-places, they are described as having a very sweet warble. On the Columbia River they were not resident, arriving there in October, continuing throughout the winter, and leaving early in May. During their stay they moved through the forest in small flocks, frequenting low trees, and for the most part keeping perfect silence. They were timorous and difficult of approach. Its habits are said to resemble those of the robin, but in some of them the descriptions given appear to correspond more with those of the Fieldfares and Redwings of Europe. Like those species it is a summer resident of high northern latitudes, affects secluded forests and thickets bordering upon streams, and is found only in unfrequented localities. Dr. Cooper was of the opinion that a few of these thrushes remained in Washington Territory throughout the summer, as he frequently met with them in the dark spruce forests of that region as late as June and July. He describes the song as consisting of five or six notes in a minor key, and in a scale regularly descending. It was heard continually throughout the summer, among the tops of the trees, but only in the densest forests. Dr. Suckley states that after a fall of snow they would be found along the sandy beaches near the salt water, where they were both abundant and tame. We are indebted to Mr. W. H. Dall for our first authentic knowledge of its nest and eggs. The former measures 6 inches in diameter with a depth of 2½ inches. It has but a very slight depression, apparently not more than half an inch in depth. The original shape of the nest had, however, been somewhat flattened in transportation. The materials of which it was composed were fine dry mosses and lichens impacted together, intermingled with fragments of dry stems of grasses. A nest of this thrush obtained by Dr. Minor, in Alaska, is a much more finished structure. Its base and periphery are composed of an elaborate basket-work of slender twigs. Within these is an inner nest consisting of an interweaving of fine dry grasses and long gray lichens. The eggs in size, shape, ground color, and markings are not distinguishable from those of the _Turdus musicus_ of Europe. They measure 1.13 inches in length by .80 in breadth, are of a light blue with a greenish shading, almost exactly similar to the ground color of the _T. migratorius_. They are very distinctly marked and spotted with a dark umber-brown approaching almost to blackness. Mr. Dall informs us that the nest found by him was built in a willow bush, about two feet from the ground, and on the top of a large mass of rubbish lodged there by some previous inundation. Other nests of the same species were met with in several places between Fort Yukon and Nulato, always on or near a river-bank and in low and secluded localities. They arrive at Nulato about May 15, and prefer the vicinity of water, frequenting the banks of small streams in retired places. Mr. Dall states that he has seen the male bird on a prostrate log near the nest, singing with all his might, suddenly cease and run up and down the log for a few minutes, strutting in a singular manner, then stopping and singing again; and keeping up this curious performance. Specimens were received from Sitka, Kodiak, Cook’s Inlet and Admiralty Islands. SUBFAMILY MIMINÆ. Birds of this section have a somewhat thrush-like appearance, but (except in _Oreoscoptes_) with longer, much more graduated, and broader tail; short concave wings, about equal to or shorter than the tail, usually lengthened, sometimes decurved bill without notch, and strongly marked scutellæ on the anterior face of the tarsus. The loral feathers are soft, and not ending in bristly points. The colors are dull shades of brown, gray, or plumbeous. Most of the species, in addition to a melodious native song, possess the power of imitating the notes of other birds; sometimes, as in the American Mocking Bird, to an eminent degree. All are peculiar to the New World, and the species are much less vagrant than those of the _Turdinæ_,—those of the United States scarcely going beyond its northern boundary; others, again, restricted to small islands in the West Indies or in the Pacific Ocean. GENUS OREOSCOPTES, BAIRD. _Oreoscoptes_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 346. (Type _Orpheus montanus_, TOWNS.) _Oreoscoptes_, BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds, 42. [Line drawing: _Oreoscoptes montanus._ 8129] SP. CHAR. Bill shorter than the head, without distinct notch. Bristles prominent, their tips reaching beyond the nostrils. Wings pointed, equal to, or a little longer than the tail. First quill not half the second, about two fifths the longest; third, fourth, and fifth quills equal and longest; second between sixth and seventh. Tail but slightly graduated; the feathers narrow. Tarsus longer than middle toe and claw by an additional claw; scutellæ distinct anteriorly. Of this genus only one species is at present known. This belongs to the Middle and Western provinces of the United States and extends from the Pacific coast eastward to Fort Laramie and the Black Hills (in winter to San Antonio, Texas); south to Fort Yuma and Cape St. Lucas. Oreoscoptes montanus, BAIRD. SAGE THRASHER; MOUNTAIN MOCKER. _Orpheus montanus_, TOWNSEND, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. VII, II, 1837, 192.—AUD. Birds Amer. II, 1841, 194, pl. cxxxix. _Turdus montanus_, AUD. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 437, pl. ccclxix, fig. 1. _Mimus montanus_, BONAP. Consp. 1850, 276. _Oreoscoptes montanus_, BAIRD, Birds N. Amer. 1858, 347; Rev. Am. B. 1864, 42.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 340.—IB. Catal. 1861, 8, no. 30.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 12. SP. CHAR. First quill rather shorter than the sixth. Tail slightly graduated. Above brownish-ash; each feather obsoletely darker in the centre. Beneath dull white, thickly marked with triangular spots, except on the under tail-coverts and around the anus, which regions are tinged with yellowish-brown. Wing-coverts and quills edged with dull white. Tail feathers brown; the outer edged, and all (except, perhaps, the middle) tipped with white. Length, 8 inches; wing, 4.85; tail, 4.00; tarsus, 1.21. _Young._ Similar, but spots beneath less sharply defined, and the upper parts quite conspicuously streaked with dusky. HAB. Rocky Mountains of United States, west to Pacific, south to Cape St. Lucas. [Illustration: _Oreoscoptes montanus._] The careful observations of Mr. Robert Ridgway have led him to the conviction that the name bestowed upon this species of “Mountain Mocking-Bird” is doubly a misnomer. It is not at all imitative in its notes, and it is almost exclusively a resident of the artemisia plains. It seems to be chiefly confined to the great central plateau of North America, from Mexico almost to Washington Territory. Specimens have been procured from Cape St. Lucas, the Lower Colorado, Mexico, and Texas, on the south, and Nuttall met with it nearly as far north as Walla-Walla. It probably occupies the whole extent of the Great Basin. Dr. Kennerly, who met with it while crossing the arid _mesas_ west of the Rio Grande, says that while singing it was usually perched upon some bush or low tree. It was frequently seen seeking its food upon the ground, and when approached, instead of flying away, it ran very rapidly, and disappeared among the low bushes. During the winter months it was observed near San Antonio, Texas, by Mr. Dresser; and was also found by him to be common about Eagle Pass. He noticed the same peculiarity of their running instead of their flying away when disturbed. They preferred the flat, bush-covered plains. A few remained to breed, as he obtained the eggs there, although he did not himself meet with one of the birds in summer. It is generally represented as keeping chiefly on the ground, and obtaining its food in this position. General Couch speaks of it as Sparrow-like in its habits. Mr. Nuttall describes its song as cheering, and the notes of which it is composed as decidedly resembling those of the Brown Thrush (_Harporhynchus rufus_). He claims for it some of the imitative powers of the Mocking-Bird (_Mimus polyglottus_), but in this he is not supported by the observations of others. He met with its nest in a wormwood (_Artemisia_) bush on the border of a ravine; it contained four eggs of emerald green, spotted with dark olive, the spots being large, roundish, and more numerous at the larger end. The nest was composed of small twigs and rough stalks, and lined with strips of bark and bison-wool. The female flew off to a short distance, and looked at her unwelcome visitors without uttering any complaint. The nests of this bird, so far as I have seen them, are all flat, shallow structures, with very slight depression, and loosely and rudely constructed of an intermingling of strips of bark with rootlets and the finer stems of herbaceous plants. Their eggs, usually four in number, do not vary essentially in size, shape, or marking. They measure 1 inch in length, and from .73 to .75 in breadth. Their ground color is a bright greenish-blue, marked with deep olive-brown spots, intermingled with blotches of a light lilac. There are slight variations in the proportion of green in the shade of the ground color, and also in the number and size of the spots, but these variations are unimportant. The following are Mr. Ridgway’s observations upon the habits of this species. They are full, valuable, and very carefully made:— The _Oreoscoptes montanus_ is a bird peculiar to the artemisia wastes of the Great Basin, being a characteristic species of the region between the Sierra Nevada and the Rocky Mountains. It is exclusively an inhabitant of the “sage brush,” and is partial to the lower portions of the country, though it is not unfrequent on the open slope of the mountains. A more unappropriate term than “Mountain Mocking-Bird” could hardly have been chosen for this species, as its predilection for the valleys, and the fact that its song is _entirely_ its own, will show. In my opinion, the term “Sage Thrasher” would be more appropriate. In the neighborhood of Carson City, Nevada, these birds arrived about the 24th of March, and immediately upon their arrival began singing. At this time, with the _Sturnella neglecta_ and _Poospiza belli_, they made sweet music in the afternoon and early morning, in the open wastes of “sage brush,” around the city. The birds when singing were generally seen sitting upon the summit of a “sage” bush, faintly warbling, in the course of the song turning the head from side to side in a watchful manner. Upon being approached, they would dart downward, seemingly diving into the bush upon which they had perched, but upon a close search the bird could not be found, until it was heard again singing a hundred yards or more in the direction from which I had approached. This peculiar, circuitous, concealed flight is a very characteristic trait of this bird, and one sure to excite attention. As the season advanced, or about the 10th of April, when the pairing season was at hand, the songs of the males became greatly improved, increasing in sweetness and vivacity, and full of rapturous emotion; their manners, also, became changed, for they had lost all their wariness. In paying their attentions to their mates, the males would fly from bush to bush, with a peculiar, tremulous fluttering of the wings, which, when the bird alighted, were raised above the back apparently touching each other; all the while vibrating with the emotion and ecstasy that agitated the singer. The song of this bird, though very deficient in power,—in this respect equalling no other species of _Miminæ_ with which I am acquainted,—is nevertheless superior to most of them in sweetness, vivacity, and variety. It has a wonderful resemblance to the beautiful subtle warbling of the _Regulus calendula_, having in fact very much the same style, with much of the tone, and about the power of the song of the _Pyranga rubra_. When the birds are engaged in incubation, the males become very silent, and one not familiar with their habits earlier in the season would think they never had a voice; in fact, they make no protestations even when the nest is disturbed, for, while blowing the eggs, I have had the parent birds running around me, in the manner of a robin, now and then halting, stretching forward their heads, and eying me in the most anxious manner, but remaining perfectly silent. When the young are hatched the parents become more solicitous, signifying their concern by a low, subdued _chuck_. At all times when the nest is approached, the bird generally leaves it slyly before one approaches very near it. The nest is very bulky, composed externally of rough sticks, principally the thorny twigs of the various “sage bush” plants. Nearer the centre the principal material is fine strips of inner bark of these plants; and the lining consists of finer strips of bark, mingled with fine roots, and bits of rabbit fur. The situation of the nest varies but little, being generally placed near the middle of a bush, that is, about eighteen inches from the ground. It is generally supported against the main trunk, upon a horizontal branch. Several were found upon the ground beneath the bush, one, in fact, embedded in the soil, like that of a _Pipilo_; or as sometimes the case with the _Harporhynchus rufus_, others, again, were found in brush-heaps. In all cases, the nest was very artfully concealed, the situation being so well selected. This bird is almost equally common in all parts of its habitat, within the limits indicated. In June, we found it abundant on the large islands in the Great Salt Lake, where many nests were found. In autumn, it feeds, in company with many other birds, upon berries, “service berries” being its especial favorite. GENUS HARPORHYNCHUS, CABANIS. _Toxostoma_, WAGLER, Isis, 1831, 528. (Type _T. vetula_, WAGL., not _Toxostoma_, RAF. 1816.) _Harpes_, GAMBEL, Pr. A. N. S. Phila. II. 1845, 264. (Type _Harpes redivivus_, GAMB., not of GOLDFUSS, 1839.) _Harporhynchus_, CABANIS, Archiv f. Naturg. 1848, I. 98. (Type _Harpes redivivus_, GAMB.) _Methriopterus_, REICH. Av. Syst. Nat. 1850, pl. iv. (Type said by Gray to be _H. rufus_.) [Line drawing: _Harporhynchus rufus._ 2261] GEN. CHAR. Bill from forehead as long as, or much longer than the head; becoming more and more decurved in both jaws as lengthened. No indication of a notch. Rictus with the bristles extending beyond the nostrils. Tarsus long and stout, appreciably exceeding the middle toe and claw, strongly scutellate anteriorly. Wings considerably shorter than tail, much rounded; the first quill more than half the second; fourth or fifth longest. Tail large, much graduated; the feathers firm. The species of this genus are all of large size, in fact, embracing the largest of the American slender-billed oscine birds. All the species differ in structure, varying especially in the length of the bill, as above stated. [Illustration: _Harporhynchus rufus._] It is useless to attempt a division of this genus, for there is such a gradual chain of characters between the two extremes of form (_rufus_ and _crissalis_), that they even seem almost one species, when the numerous intermediate forms, shading so insensibly into each other, are considered. However, as this view would be rather extreme, in view of the really great difference of form between the species mentioned, we may consider the following as good species, several of them with one or more varieties: _rufus_, with _longicauda_ and _longirostris_ as varieties, the former scarcely appreciably different, the latter ranking as a permanent race; _ocellatus_, _cinereus_, _curvirostris_, the latter with one well-marked variety, _palmeri_; _redivivus_, with most probably _lecontei_ as a well-marked variety, and _crissalis_. The seasonal differences in the plumage often make it difficult to determine these several forms; but if the following facts are borne in mind, the trouble will be greatly lessened. In every species there is a more or less decided ochraceous tinge to the crissal region (sometimes extending forward over the flanks); except in _crissalis_, in which the lower tail-coverts and anal region are deep chestnut. In autumn and winter this ochraceous tint becomes very much deeper, as well as more prevalent, than in spring and summer; the whole plumage becomes softer, the colors more pronounced, and the markings more distinct, than when faded and worn in summer. Synopsis of Species of Harporhynchus. A. Spots beneath sharply defined and conspicuous,—much darker in color than the upper parts. 1. H. rufus. The markings lineo-cuneate; wing bands sharply defined. Above rufous; markings below dark brown; outer tail-feathers diluted at tip; wing, 4.00; tail, 5.20; bill from nostril, .79, nearly straight; tarsus, 1.30; middle toe, .90 (1,377 ♂ Carlisle, Penn.). _Hab._ Eastern Province United States … var. _rufus_. Wing, 4.40; tail, 5.70; bill, .79; tarsus, 1.35; middle toe, .90 (5,652 ♂ Republican River). _Hab._ Plains between Missouri River to Rocky Mountains … var. _longicauda_. Above umber brown; markings beneath black; tail-feathers not paler at tip; wing, 3.90; tail, 4.90; bill, .85, slightly curved; tarsus, 1.40; middle toe, .94 (4,016 ♂ Brownsville, Tex.) _Hab._ Eastern Mexico, north to Rio Grande of Texas … var. _longirostris_. 2. H. ocellatus.[23] The markings circular; wing bands conspicuous. Above grayish-brown; markings beneath black; tail-feathers broadly tipped with white; wing, 4.10; tail, 5.60; bill, from rictus, 1.50, moderately curved; tarsus, 1.50. _Hab._ Oaxaca, Mex. 3. H. cinereus. The markings deltoid; wing bands narrow, but sharply defined. Above brownish-cinereous; markings beneath blackish-brown; tail-feathers broadly tipped with white; wing, 4.00; tail, 4.60; bill, .88, much curved; tarsus, 1.30; middle toe, .85 (12,960 “♀”—♂? Cape St. Lucas). _Hab._ Cape St. Lucas, Lower California. B. Spots beneath obsolete, not darker than the plumage above; roundish in form. 4. H. curvirostris. Above cinereous; wing bands distinct; spots below distinct, upon a white ground; femoral region and crissum very pale ochraceous; tail-feathers broadly and sharply tipped with pure white; wing, 4.30; tail, 4.50; bill, 1.00, stout, moderately curved; tarsus, 1.40; middle toe, 1.12 (7,200 ♂ Ringgold Barracks, Texas). _Hab._ from Rio Grande valley in Texas to Cordova, Orizaba, Oaxaca, Colima, and Mazatlan … var. _curvirostris_. Wing bands obsolete, and tail spots very narrow and obsolete; spots below just discernible upon a grayish ground; femoral region and crissum dilute ochraceous-brown; wing, 4.30; tail, 5.20; bill, 1.00, slender, moderately curved; tarsus, 1.30; middle toe, 1.00 (8,128 ♂ “New Mexico”—probably Eastern Arizona). _Hab._ Arizona (Camp Grant) … var. _palmeri_. C. Entirely unspotted beneath. 5. H. redivivus. Anal region and lower tail-coverts light ochraceous. Above soft brownish-cinereous, tail considerably darker; wing bands almost obsolete, and tail-feathers merely diluted at tips. Beneath paler than above,—almost white on throat and abdomen; anal region and lower tail-coverts yellowish-ochraceous. A distinct “bridle” formed by the hair-like tips of the feathers, bordering the throat; maxillary stripe white with transverse bars of dusky; wing, 3.90; tail, 5.25; bill, 1.05, slender, moderately curved; tarsus, 1.25; middle toe, .86 (40,718 ♂ 20 miles from Colorado River, near Fort Mojave). _Hab._ Arizona (Gila River, Fort Yuma, and Fort Mojave) … var. _lecontei_. Above ashy drab, tail darker and more brownish; wing bands inconspicuous, and tail-feathers hardly diluted at tips. Beneath, the ochraceous covers the abdomen, and the throat inclines to the same. No “bridle.” Cheeks and ear-coverts blackish, with conspicuous shaft-streaks of white; wing, 4.30; tail, 5.60; bill, 1.40, stout, very much bowed,—the arch regular; tarsus, 1.55; middle toe, 1.00 (3,932 ♂, California). _Hab._ Coast region of California var. … _redivivus_. 6. H. crissalis. Anal region and lower tail-coverts deep chestnut. Above, brownish-ashy with a slight purplish cast, tail not darker; no trace of wing bands; tail-feathers diluted, and tinged with rusty at tips. Beneath, of a uniform, paler tint than the upper plumage, not lighter medially; throat white, with a conspicuous “bridle”; from this up to the eye whitish, with transversely angular bars of dusky; wing, 4.00; tail, 6.50; bill, 1.25, very slender, bowed from the middle; tarsus, 1.30; middle toe, .90 (11,533 ♂ Fort Yuma). _Hab._ Region of Gila River to Rocky Mountains; north to Southern Utah (St. George, breeding; Dr. Palmer). [Illustration: PLATE III. 1. Harporhynchus rufus, _Caban._ Penn., 2261. 2. “ longirostris, _Caban._ Texas, 4016. 3. “ curvirostris, _Caban._ Texas, 7200. 4. Mimus polyglottus, _Boie_. Penn., 12445. 5. Galeoscoptes carolinensis, _Caban._ Rocky Mts., 38425. 6. Oreoscoptes montanus, _Baird_. Nevada, 53424.] Harporhynchus rufus, CABANIS. BROWN THRASHER. _Turdus rufus_, LINN. Syst. Nat. 10th ed. 1758, 169, based on CATESBY, tab. 19.—IB. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 293.—GÄTKE, Naumannia, 1858, 424 (Heligoland, Oct. 1837). _Harporhynchus rufus_, CAB. Mus. Hein. 1850, 82.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 353.—IB. Rev. Am. Birds, 44.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 340.—IB. Catal. 1861, 8, no. 48.—SAMUELS, 163. _Mimus rufus_, PR. MAX. Cab. Jour. 1858, 180. Figures: VIEILLOT, Ois. Am. Sept. II, pl. lix.—WILSON, Am. Orn. II, pl. xiv.—AUD. Orn. Biog. pl. cxvi. SP. CHAR. Exposed portion of the bill shorter than the head. Outline of lower mandible straight. Above light cinnamon-red; beneath pale rufous-white with longitudinal streaks of dark brown, excepting on the chin, throat, middle of the belly, and under tail-coverts. These spots anteriorly are reddish-brown in their terminal portion. The inner surface of the wing and the inner edges of the primaries are cinnamon; the concealed portion of the quills otherwise is dark brown. The median and greater wing-coverts become blackish-brown towards the end, followed by white, producing two conspicuous bands. The tail-feathers are all rufous, the external ones obscurely tipped with whitish; the shafts of the same color with the vanes. Length, 11.15; wing, 4.15; tail, 5.20; tarsus, 1.30. HAB. Eastern North America to Missouri River, and perhaps to high central plains United States, east of Rocky Mountains, north to Lake Winnipeg. As stated in “Birds of North America” some specimens (var. _longicauda_) from beyond the Missouri River are larger than eastern birds, with longer tails, more rufous beneath; the breast spots darker. But, in passing from east to west, the change is so insensible that it is impossible to divide the series. HABITS. This Thrush is a common species throughout a widely extended area, from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic, and from the Red River country, in British America, to the Rio Grande. And nearly throughout this entire territory it also resides and breeds, from Texas to the 54th parallel of latitude. It reaches New England early in May and leaves it in the latter part of September or the first week of October, its stay varying with the season and the supply of its food. It is somewhat irregularly distributed, common in some portions of this section, and rare or even unknown in others. It is not found near the sea-coast beyond Massachusetts. It passes the winter in the Southern States, even as far to the north as Virginia, and is in full song in the neighborhood of Savannah as early as the first of March. The song of this Thrush is one of great beauty, and is much admired by all who appreciate woodland melody of the sweetest and liveliest type. It is loud, clear, emphatic, full of variety and charm. Its notes are never imitative and cannot be mistaken by any one who is familiar with them, for those of any other bird, unless it may be some one of its western congeners. It is a very steady performer, singing for hours at a time. Its notes are given in a loud tone, and its song may often be heard to quite a distance. In obtaining its food the Brown Thrush is at times almost rasorial in its habits. In the early spring it scratches among the leaves of the forest for worms, coleopterous grubs, and other forms of insect food. By some it is charged with scratching up the hills of early corn, but this is not a well-founded accusation. Berries of various kinds also form a large part of its food, and among these the small fruit of our gardens must be included. This Thrush is a very affectionate and devoted bird, especially to its young. It is also prompt in going to the assistance of others of its species when in trouble. Whenever intruders approach their nests, especially if their young are far advanced, they manifest the deepest anxiety, sometimes even making a vigorous defence. The writer has a very distinct recollection of having encountered, together with a younger brother, an ignominious defeat, when making his first attempt to inspect the nest of one of these birds. The Brown Thrush is jealous of the intrusion of other birds of its own species to a too close proximity to its nesting-place, and will assert its love of seclusion by stout battles. In Louisiana the construction of the nest is commenced quite early in March; in Pennsylvania, not until May; and in the New England States in the latter part of that month. The nest is usually not more than two or three feet from the ground. It is built in a low bush, on a cluster of briers or among vines. I have known it to be placed in the interior of a heap of brushwood loosely thrown together. I have never met with the nest built upon the ground, but in Springfield, and in other dry and sandy localities, this is by no means an uncommon occurrence. These nests are frequently placed in close proximity to houses, and sometimes in the very midst of villages. The nest of the Thrasher is large, and roughly but strongly built. The base is usually made of coarse twigs, sticks, and ends of branches, firmly interwoven. Within this is constructed an inner nest, composed of dried leaves, strips of bark, and strong black fibrous roots. These are lined with finer roots, horse-hair, an occasional feather, etc. The eggs are usually four, sometimes five, and rarely six, in number. They vary both in the tints of the ground color, in those of their markings, and slightly in their shape. Their length varies from .99 to 1.12 inches, with a mean of 1.05. Their breadth ranges from .76 to .87 of an inch; mean breadth, .81. The ground color is sometimes white, marked with fine reddish-brown dots, confluent at the larger end, or forming a broad ring around the crown. In others the markings have a yellowish-brown tint. Sometimes the ground color is a light green. Harporhynchus rufus, var. longirostris, CABAN. TEXAS THRASHER. _Orpheus longirostris_, LAFR. R. Z. 1838, 55.—IB. Mag. de Zool. 1839, Ois. pl. i. _Toxostoma longirostre_, CAB. Wiegm. Arch. 1847, I. 207. _Mimus longirostris_, SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1856, 294 (Cordova). _Harporhynchus longirostris_, CAB. Mus. Hein. 1850, 81.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 352, pl. lii.—IB. Rev. 44.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 339; IB. 1864, 172 (City of Mex.); IB. Catal. 1861, 8, no. 47. SP. CHAR. Similar to _H. rufus_, the rufous of back much darker. Wings much rounded; second quill shorter than the secondaries. Exposed portion of the bill as long as the head; the lower edge decidedly decurved or concave. Above rather dark brownish-rufous; beneath pale rufous-white; streaked on the sides of the neck and body, and across the breast, with very dark brownish-black, nearly uniform throughout, much darker than in _rufus_. Two rather narrow white bands on the wings. The concealed portion of the quills dark brown. Length, 10.50; wing, 4.00; tail, 5.00; tarsus, 1.40. HAB. Eastern Mexico; north to Rio Grande, Texas. Cordova, SCL. Orizaba (temperate region), SUMICHRAST. Specimens from the Rio Grande to Mirador and Orizaba are quite identical, with, of course, differences among individuals. This “species” is not, in our opinion, separable from the _H. rufus_ specifically; but is a race, representing the latter in the region given above, where the _rufus_ itself is never found. The relations of these two forms are exactly paralleled in the _Thryothorus ludovicianus_ and _T. berlandieri_, the latter being nothing more than the darker Southern representation of the former. The Texas Thrasher appears to belong only to the Avifauna of the Southwest. It first appears as a bird of the valley of the Rio Grande, and extends from thence southward through Eastern Mexico to Cordova and Orizaba. In Arizona it is replaced by _H. palmeri_, _H. lecontei_, and _H. crissalis_, in California by _H. redivivus_, and at Cape St. Lucas by _H. cinereus_, while in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains it is represented by its nearer ally _H. rufus_. HABITS. The eggs of this species are hardly distinguishable from those of the common Brown Thrasher (_H. rufus_), of the Atlantic States. The color of their ground is a greenish-white, which is thickly, and usually completely, covered with fine markings of a yellowish-brown. They have an average length of 1.13 inches, by .79 in breadth. So far as I have had an opportunity of observing, they do not vary from these measurements more than two per cent in length or one per cent in breadth. Their nests are usually a mere platform of small sticks or coarse stems, with little or no depression or rim, and are placed in low bushes, usually above the upper branches. In regard to the distinctive habits of this species I have no information. Harporhynchus cinereus, XANTUS. CAPE ST. LUCAS THRASHER. _Harporhynchus cinereus_, XANTUS, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1859, 298.—BAIRD, IB., 303; Review, 46.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 8, no. 49.—ELLIOT, Illust., I. pl. i.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 19. SP. CHAR. Bill as long as the head; all the lateral outlines gently decurved from the base. Bristles not very conspicuous, but reaching to the nostrils. Wings considerably shorter than the tail, much rounded. First primary broad, nearly half the length of the second; the third to the seventh quills nearly equal, their tips forming the outline of a gentle curve; the second quill shorter than the ninth. Tail considerably graduated, the lateral feathers more than an inch the shorter. Legs stout; tarsi longer than middle toe, distinctly scutellate, with seven scales. Above ashy brown, with perhaps a tinge of rusty on the rump; beneath fulvous-white, more fulvous on the flanks, inside of wing, and crissum. Beneath, except chin, throat, and from middle of abdomen to crissum, with well-defined V-shaped spots of dark brown at the ends of the feathers, largest across the breast. Loral region hoary. Wings with two narrow whitish bands across the tips of greater and middle coverts; the quills edged externally with paler. Outer three tail-feathers with a rather obsolete white patch in the end of inner web, and across the tips of the outer. Spring specimens are of rather purer white beneath, with the spots more distinct than as described. Length of 12,960 (skin), 10.00; wing, 4.10; tail, 4.65; first primary, 1.60; second, 2.50; bill from gape, 1.40, from above, 1.15, from nostril, .90; tarsus, 1.26; middle toe and claw, 1.12; claw alone, .30. HAB. Cape St. Lucas, Lower California. This species is curiously similar in coloration to _Oreoscoptes montanus_, from which its much larger size, much longer and decurved bill, and the graduated tail, of course readily distinguish it. It agrees in some respects with _H. rufus_ and _H. longirostris_, but is smaller, the bill longer and more curved; the upper parts are ashy olivaceous-brown instead of rufous, etc. HABITS. So far as is at present known in regard to this species it appears to be confined exclusively to the peninsula of Lower California. It has, at least, been met with nowhere else. Mr. Xantus found it quite numerous in the vicinity of Cape St. Lucas, in a region which, as he describes it, was singularly unpropitious. This was a sandy shore, extending about a quarter of a mile inland, whence a cactus desert stretched about six miles up to a high range of mountains. Throughout this tract the ground is covered with a saline efflorescence. There is no fresh water within twenty-eight miles. Mr. Xantus speaks of the habits of this bird as being similar to those of the _Oreoscoptes montanus_. It was a very abundant species at this cape, where he found it breeding among the cactus plants in large numbers. He mentions that as early as the date of his arrival at the place, April 4, he found them already with full-fledged young, and states that they continued to breed until the middle of July. He was of the impression that the eggs of this species more nearly resemble those of the common Mocking-Bird than any others of this genus. The aggravatingly brief notes that accompanied his collections show that the general position of the nest of this species was on low trees, shrubs, and most usually, cactus plants, and in no instance at a greater elevation from the ground than four feet. Their nests were flat structures, having only a very slight depression in or near their centre. They were about 5 inches in diameter, and were very little more than a mere platform. The eggs vary somewhat in their ground color, but exhibit only slight variations in size or shape. Their greatest length is 1.13 inches, and their average 1.12 inches. Their mean breadth is .77 inch, and their maximum .79 inch. The ground color is a greenish-white, profusely marked with spots of mingled purple and brown. In others the ground color is a bluish-green. In some specimens the spots are of a yellowish-brown, and in some the markings are much lighter. Harporhynchus curvirostris, CABAN. GRAY CURVE-BILL THRASHER. _Orpheus curvirostris_, SWAINSON, Philos. Mag. 1827, 369 (Eastern Mexico).—M’CALL, Pr. A. N. Sc. May, 1848, 63. _Mimus curvirostris_, GRAY, Genera, 1844-49. _Toxostoma curvirostris_, BONAP. Conspectus, 1850, 277.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1857, 212. _Harporhynchus curvirostris_, CAB. Mus. Hein. I. 1850, 81.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 351, pl. li.; IB. Rev. 45.—HEERMANN, P. R. R. Rep. X, Parke’s Rep. 1859, 11.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 339; IB. Catal. 1861, 7, no. 46.—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 483. _Pomatorhinus turdinus_, TEMM. Pl. Col. 441. _? Toxostoma vetula_, WAGLER, Isis, 1831, 528. SP. CHAR. Exposed portion of the bill about as long as the head; considerably decurved. Above uniform grayish-brown, or light ash; beneath dull white; the anal region and under tail-coverts tinged with brownish-yellow. The under parts generally, except the chin, throat, middle of the belly, and under coverts, with rounded sub-triangular, quite well-defined spots, much like the back. These are quite confluent on the breast. Two narrow bands on the wing-coverts, and the edges of primaries and alulæ, are white. The tail-feathers, except the middle, are conspicuously tipped with white. Length of female, 10 inches; wing, 4.00; tail, 4.55; tarsus, 1.20. HAB. Adjacent regions of United States and Mexico, southward. Cordova, Orizaba, Mirador; Mazatlan, Colima, Oaxaca. Specimens from the Rio Grande across to Mazatlan represent one species; but those from the latter locality are somewhat darker in colors, though this may be owing, in part, to the fact that they are winter birds. Considerable differences in proportions may often be noticed between individuals, but nothing strikingly characteristic of any particular region. The specimens of the Mazatlan series (37,326 ♂, 51,523, and 51,525 ♂) have tails considerably longer than any of those from the Rio Grande, the excess amounting in the longest to nearly an inch; but one from the same locality has it _shorter_ than any of the Texas specimens. In its perfect plumage, this species has both rows of coverts distinctly tipped with white; but in the faded condition of midsummer, the bands thus produced are hardly discernible, and the spots below become very obsolete. HABITS. This interesting species appears to be common in Western Texas, the valley of the Rio Grande, and Western Mexico. It was met with in these regions on the several railroad surveys, and is described by Dr. Heermann as possessing musical powers surpassed by few other birds. When alarmed it immediately hides itself in a thick covert of underbrush, whence it is almost impossible to dislodge it. Its food consists of fruit and berries when in their season, of insects and their larvæ, and of worms. These it collects both among the trees and from the ground, on the latter of which it spends much of its time. Mr. J. H. Clark states that the nest of this bird is very similar to that of the Mocking-Bird, but is finer and much more compact. He adds that it is oftener found among the _Opuntia_ than elsewhere. It is a quiet bird, rather shy, and keeps closely within the clumps of the chaparral. For a bird of its size it makes an unusual noise in flying. At Ringgold Barracks Mr. Clark’s tent was pitched under a como-tree in which there was a nest of these birds. They were at first shy and seemed quite disposed to abandon their nest, but, however, soon became accustomed to their new neighbor, and went on with their parental duties. The position of their nest had been very judiciously selected, for it was during the season of the black fruit of the como, which is somewhat in the shape and size of a thimble, with a pleasant milky pulp. These constituted their principal food. The eggs in this nest were five in number. Lieutenant Couch met with it from Brownsville to Durango, where it had already paired as early as February. He describes it as exceedingly tame and gentle in its habits, and with a song remarkably melodious and attractive. Perched on the topmost bough of a flowering mimosa, in the presence of his consort, the male will pour forth a volume of most enchanting music. Their nest is generally very nearly flat, measuring nearly six inches in circumference, and scarcely more than an inch in its greatest thickness. It has hardly any distinct cavity, and hollows but very slightly from the rim to the centre, its greatest depression having barely the depth of half an inch. The nests are composed of long coarse fibrous roots, rudely, but somewhat compactly interwoven. The inner framework is constructed of the same materials intermixed with the finer stems of grasses. Mr. H. E. Dresser states that in the vicinity of Matamoras these birds are fond of frequenting small villages, and that he frequently found their nests within the gardens and court-yards of the houses, and near the road. The eggs of this Thrush vary considerably in size, ranging from 1.20 to 1.03 inches in length, and from .84 to .77 of an inch in breadth. Their mean length is 1.12 inches, and their average breadth .80. They have a light green ground-color, generally, though not thickly, covered with fine brown spots. Harporhynchus curvirostris, var. palmeri, RIDGWAY. PALMER’S THRASHER. _Harporhynchus curvirostris_, var. _palmeri_, RIDGWAY, Report King’s Expedition, V, 1872. SP. CHAR. Bill slender, moderately curved; fifth quill longest; fourth and sixth just perceptibly shorter, and equal; second equal to ninth; first 1.55 shorter than longest. General plumage uniform grayish-umber, paler below, becoming almost dirty whitish on the throat and abdomen; lower part of the breast and abdomen with a very few just discernible irregular specks of a darker tint; lower tail-coverts dilute isabella-brown, more ochraceous at their margins; anal region and lower part of abdomen light ochraceous. No bands on wings, and tail-feathers only diluted at the tips. Maxillary stripe whitish with transverse bars of dusky. “Iris orange.” ♂ (No. 8,128, “New Mexico” = Arizona, Dr. Heermann): wing, 4.30; tail, 5.00; bill (from nostril), 1.00; tarsus, 1.30; middle toe (without claw), 1.00. ♀(49,723, Camp Grant, Tucson, Arizona, March 12, 1867; Dr. E. Palmer; with eggs): wing, 4.15; tail, 4.85; bill, .95; tarsus, 1.25; middle toe, .90. HAB. Eastern Arizona (Tucson). This very curious race seems to unite the characters of _curvirostris_ and _lecontei_; in fact, it is so exactly intermediate between the two, that we are almost in doubt as to which it is most nearly related. Having the stout form and larger size, as well as the spots on the abdomen, of the former, it has also the uniform colors and general appearance of _lecontei_. Were it not that the nest and eggs, with the parent accompanying, had been received from Dr. Palmer, we might be tempted to consider it a hybrid between these two species, its habitat being exactly between them, too. We have great pleasure in dedicating this curious form to Dr. Edward Palmer, who has added very much to our knowledge of the Natural History of the interesting region where the present bird is found. _Description of nest and eggs._—(13,311, Camp Grant, Arizona; Dr. E. Palmer). Nest very bulky,—9 inches in height by 6 in width. Very elaborately constructed. The true nest, of symmetrical form, and composed of thin grass-stalks and flax-like fibres, is enclosed in an outer case of thorny sticks, thinly but strongly put together. This inner nest has a deep cavity measuring 4 inches in diameter by 3 in depth. Eggs (two in number) measure 1.16 by .85; in shape exactly like those of _C. curvirostris_; pale blue (deeper than in _curvirostris_), rather thinly sprinkled with minute, but distinct dots of pale sepia-brown. Markings more distinct than those of _curvirostris_. R. R. The nest was situated in a cactus-bush, four and a half feet above the ground. Dr. Palmer remembers nothing special concerning its habits, except that the bird was very shy, and kept much on the ground, where it was seen running beneath the bushes. Harporhynchus redivivus, var. lecontei, BONAP. LECONTE’S THRASHER. _Toxostoma lecontei_, LAWR. Ann. N. Y. Lyc. V, Sept. 1851, 109 (Fort Yuma). _Harporhynchus lecontei_, BONAP. C. R. XXVIII, 1854, 57.—IB. Notes Delattre, 39.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 350, pl. 1; IB. Review, 47.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 17. SP. CHAR. Bill much curved. Second quill about equal to the tenth; exposed portion of the first more than half the longest; outer tail-feather an inch shortest. General color above light grayish-ash, beneath much paler; the chin and throat above almost white; the sides behind brownish-yellow or pale rusty-yellow ash, of which color is the crissum and anal region. Tail-feathers rather dark brown on the under surface, lighter above; the outer edges and tips of exterior ones obscurely paler. Quills nearly like the back. HAB. Gila River; Fort Yuma; Fort Mojave. Since the description of the type, a second specimen (40,718 ♂, Fort Mojave, 20 miles from Colorado River, Sept. 30, 1865) has been obtained by Dr. Coues. This skin differs slightly from the type in size, being somewhat larger, measuring, wing 3.90, tail 5.30, bill (from nostril) 1.05; while the other measures, wing 3.70, tail 4.70, bill .98. This difference in size very probably represents that between the sexes, the type most likely being a female, though the sex is not stated. Owing to the different seasons in which the two specimens were obtained, they differ somewhat in plumage also. Dr. Coues’s specimen is somewhat the darker, and the plumage has a softer, more blended aspect, and a more ashy tinge of color; the ochraceous of the crissal region is also slightly deeper. No other differences are appreciable. HABITS. Leconte’s Thrasher is a new and comparatively little known species. A single specimen was obtained by Dr. Leconte near Fort Yuma, and described by Mr. Lawrence in 1851, and remained unique for many years. In 1861 Dr. Cooper presented a paper to the California Academy of Sciences, in which this bird is given among a list of those new to that State. He then mentions that he found it common about the Mojave River, and that he procured two specimens. Dr. Coues, in his valuable paper on the birds of Arizona, speaks of obtaining, in 1865, a specimen of this rare species on a dry plain covered thickly with mesquite and cactus, near Fort Mojave. This bird was very shy and restless, fluttered hurriedly from one cactus to another, until he at last shot it where it seemed to fancy itself hidden among the thick fronds of a large yucca. Its large stout feet admirably adapt it for its partially terrestrial life, and it apparently spends much of its life upon the ground, where it runs rapidly and easily. Its flight he describes as swift but desultory, and accompanied by a constant flirting of the tail. He considers this species as inhabiting the whole valley of the Colorado and Gila, and thinks that it does not leave the vicinity of these streams for the mountains. Dr. Cooper found a nest of this species, but without eggs, built in a yucca, and similar to that of _H. redivivus_. In his Report on the Birds of California, Dr. Cooper speaks of finding this bird common on the deserts, along the route between the Colorado Valley, wherever there was a thicket of low bushes surrounded by sand-hills. Its notes, habits, and general appearance were like those of _H. redivivus_. Harporhynchus redivivus, CABAN. CALIFORNIA THRASHER. _Harpes rediviva_, GAMBEL, Pr. A. N. S. II, Aug. 1845, 264. _Toxostoma rediviva_, GAMBEL, J. A. N. Sc. 2d ser. I, 1847, 42.—CASSIN, Illust. I, 1855, 260, pl. xlii. _Harporhynchus redivivus_, CABANIS, Archiv Naturg. 1848, 98.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 349; Rev. 48.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 339.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 15. SP. CHAR. Wing much rounded; the second quill shorter than the secondaries. Tail much graduated. Bill much decurved, longer than the head. Above brownish-olive, without any shade of green; beneath pale cinnamon, lightest on the throat, deepening gradually into a brownish-rufous on the under tail-coverts. The fore part of the breast and sides of the body brown-olive, lighter than the back. An obscure ashy superciliary stripe, and another lighter beneath the eye. Ear-coverts and an indistinct maxillary stripe dark brown; the shafts of the former whitish. Ends and tips of tail-feathers obsoletely paler. Length, 11.50 inches; wing, 4.20; tail, 5.75; tarsus, 1.55. HAB. Coast region of California. HABITS. The California Thrasher appears to have a somewhat restricted distribution, being confined to the coast region of California, where, however, it is quite abundant. It was first met with by Dr. Gambel, near Monterey. The specimens were obtained on the ground where they were searching for coleopterous insects. Dr. Heermann afterwards found this bird abundant in the southern part of California. It was difficult of approach, diving into the thick bushes, running some distance on the ground, and becoming afterwards unapproachable. He speaks of its song as a flood of melody equalled only by the song of the Mocking-Bird (_Mimus polyglottus_). Colonel McCall also describes its song as of exquisite sweetness, “placing it almost beyond rivalry among the countless songsters that enliven the woods of America.” He also states that it is as retiring and simple in its manners as it is brilliant in song. In the character of its flight it is said to strongly resemble the Brown Thrasher (_H. rufus_) of the Eastern States. Their harsh, scolding notes, when their nest is approached, their motions and attitudes, are all very similar to those of _H. rufus_ under like circumstances. Colonel McCall ranks the song of this species as far superior to that of any other Thrush. Without possessing the powerful voice or imitative faculties of the Mocking-Bird, its notes are described as having a liquid mellowness of tone, with a clearness of expression and volubility of utterance that cannot be surpassed. A nest of this bird found by Dr. Heermann was composed of coarse twigs, and lined with slender roots, and not very carefully constructed. Mr. Hepburn writes that a nest found by him was in a thick bush about five feet from the ground. It was a very untidy affair, a mere platform of sticks, almost as carelessly put together as that of a pigeon, in which, though not in the centre, was a shallow depression about 4 inches in diameter, lined with fine roots and grass. It contained two eggs with a blue ground thickly covered with soot-colored spots confluent at the larger end, and in coloring not unlike those of the _Turdus ustulatus_. The eggs measured 1.19 inches by .81 of an inch. Dr. Cooper gives their measurement as 1.10 of an inch by .85. Two eggs belonging to the Smithsonian Institution (2,040, _a_ and _b_) measure, one 1.19 by .81, the other 1.14 by .93. The former has a bluish-green ground sparsely spotted with olive-brown markings; the other has a ground of a light yellowish-green, with numerous spots of a russet brown. The general character of their nest is, as described, a coarse, rudely constructed platform of sticks and coarse grass and mosses, with but a very slight depression. Occasionally, however, nests of this bird are more carefully and elaborately made. One (13,072) obtained near Monterey, by Dr. Canfield, has a diameter of 6 inches, a height of 3, with an oblong-oval cavity 2 inches in depth. Its outside was an interweaving of leaves, stems, and mosses, and its lining fine long fibrous roots. These birds are chiefly found frequenting the dense chaparral that lines the hillsides of California valleys, forming thickets, composed of an almost impenetrable growth of thorny shrubs, and affording an inviting shelter. In such places they reside throughout the year, feeding upon insects, for the procuring of which their long curved bills are admirably adapted, as also upon the berries which generally abound in these places. Their nests usually contain three eggs. Dr. Cooper states that their loud and varied song is frequently intermingled with imitations of other birds, though the general impression appears to be that they are not imitative, and do not deserve to be called, as they often are, a mocking-bird. [Illustration: PLATE IV. 1. Harporhynchus crissalis, _Henry_. Cal., 11533. 2. “ cinereus, _Xantus_. C. St. L., 26343. 3. “ lecontei, _Bonap._ Ariz., 40718. 4. “ redivivus, _Caban._ Cal., 3732.] Harporhynchus crissalis, HENRY. RED-VENTED THRASHER. _Harporhynchus crissalis_, HENRY, Pr. A. N. Sc. May, 1858.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 350, pl. lxxxii; Review, 47.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 18. SP. CHAR. Second quill about as long as the secondaries. Bill much curved; longer than the head. Above olive-brown, with a faint shade of gray; beneath nearly uniform brownish-gray, much paler than the back, passing insensibly into white on the chin; but the under tail-coverts dark brownish-rufous, and abruptly defined. There is a black maxillary stripe cutting off a white one above it. There do not appear to be any other stripes about the head. There are no bands on the wings, and the tips and outer edges of the tail-feathers are very inconspicuously lighter than the remaining portion. Length, 11 inches; wing, 4.00; tail, 5.80; tarsus, 1.25. HAB. Region of the Gila River, to Rocky Mountains; Southern Utah (St. George, Dr. Palmer). A second specimen (11,533) of this rare species is larger than the type, but otherwise agrees with it. Its dimensions are as follows:— Length before skinning, 12.50; of skin, 12.50; wing, 3.90; tail, 6.50; its graduation, 1.45; first quill, 1.50; second, .41; bill from forehead (chord of curve), 1.65, from gape, 1.75, from nostril, 1.30; curve of culmen, 1.62; height of bill at nostril, .22; tarsus, 1.30; middle toe and claw, 1.12. The bill of this species, though not quite so long as in _redivivus_, when most developed, is almost as much curved, and much more slender,—the depth at nostrils being but .22 instead of .26. The size of this specimen is equal to the largest of _redivivus_ (3,932); the tail absolutely longer. The feet are, however, considerably smaller, the claws especially so; the tarsus measures but 1.30, instead of 1.52; the middle claw .29, instead of .36. With these differences in form, however, it would be impossible to separate the two generically. A third specimen (No. 60,958 ♀, St. George, Utah, June 9, 1870), with nest and eggs, has recently been obtained by Dr. Palmer. This specimen, being a female, is considerably smaller than the type, measuring only: wing, 3.90; tail, 6.00; bill, from nostril, 1.15. The plumage is in the burnt summer condition, and has a peculiar reddish cast. HABITS. Of this rare Thrush little is known. So far as observed, its habits appear to be nearly identical with those of the Californian species (_H. redivivus_). It is found associated in the same localities with _H. lecontei_, which also it appears to very closely resemble in all respects, so far as observed. The first specimen was obtained by Dr. T. C. Henry, near Mimbres, and described by him in May, 1858, in the Proceedings of the Philadelphia Academy of Sciences. A second specimen was obtained by H. B. Möllhausen, at Fort Yuma, in 1863. Dr. Coues did not observe it at Fort Whipple, but thinks its range identical with that of _H. lecontei_. Dr. Cooper found this species quite common at Fort Mojave, but so very shy that he only succeeded in shooting one, after much watching for it. Their song, general habits, and nest he speaks of as being in every way similar to those of _H. redivivus_. The eggs remained unknown until Dr. E. Palmer had the good fortune to find them at St. George, Southern Utah, June 8, 1870. The nest was an oblong flat structure, containing only a very slight depression. It was very rudely constructed externally of coarse sticks quite loosely put together; the inner nest is made of finer materials of the same. The base of this nest was 12 inches long, and 7 in breadth; the inner nest is circular, with a diameter of 4½ inches. The eggs are of an oblong-oval shape, one end being a little less obtuse than the other. In length they vary from 1.15 to 1.12 inches, and in breadth from .84 to .82 of an inch. They are of a uniform blue color, similar to the eggs of the common Robin (_Turdus migratorius_), only a little paler or of a lighter tint. In the total absence of markings they differ remarkably from those of all other species of the genus. GENUS MIMUS, BOIE. _Mimus_, BOIE, Isis, Oct. 1826, 972. (Type _Turdus polyglottus_, LINN.) _Orpheus_, SWAINSON, Zoöl. Jour. III, 1827, 167. (Same type.) [Line drawing: _Mimus polyglottus._ 8159] GEN. CHAR. Bill not much more than half the length of the head; gently decurved from the base, notched at tip; commissure curved. Gonys straight, or slightly concave. Rictal bristles quite well developed. Wings rather shorter than the tail. First primary about equal to, or rather more than, half the second; third, fourth, and fifth quills nearly equal, sixth scarcely shorter. Tail considerably graduated; the feathers stiff, rather narrow, especially the outer webs, lateral feathers about three quarters of an inch the shorter in the type. Tarsi longer than middle toe and claw by rather less than an additional claw; tarsi conspicuously and strongly scutellate; broad plates seven. Of this genus there are many species in America, although but one occurs within the limits of the United States. The single North American species _M. polyglottus_ is ashy brown above, white beneath; wings and tail black, the former much varied with white. Mimus polyglottus, BOIE. MOCKING-BIRD. _Turdus polyglottus_, LINN. Syst. Nat. 10th ed. 1758, 169; 12th ed. 1766, 293.—_Mimus polyglottus_, BOIE, Isis, 1826, 972.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1856, 212.—IB. 1859, 340.—IB. Catal. 1861, 8, no. 51.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 344.—IB. Rev. 48.—SAMUELS, 167.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 21.—GUNDLACH, Repertorio, 1865, 230 (Cuba).—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 230.—COUES, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1866, 65 (Arizona).—_? Orpheus leucopterus_, VIGORS, Zoöl. Beechey, 1839. Figures: WILSON, Am. Orn. II, 1810, pl. x, fig. 1.—AUD. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, pl. xxi.—IB. Birds Amer. II, 1841, pl. 137. SP. CHAR. Third and fourth quills longest; second about equal to eighth; the first half or more than half the second. Tail considerably graduated. Above ashy brown, the feathers very obsoletely darker centrally, and towards the light plumbeous downy basal portion (scarcely appreciable, except when the feathers are lifted). The under parts are white, with a faint brownish tinge, except on the chin, and with a shade of ash across the breast. There is a pale superciliary stripe, but the lores are dusky. The wings and tail are dark brown, nearly black, except the lesser wing-coverts, which are like the back; the middle and greater tipped with white, forming two bands; the basal portion of the primaries white; most extended on the inner primaries. The outer tail-feather is white, sometimes a little mottled; the second is mostly white, except on the outer web and towards the base; the third with a white spot on the end; the rest, except the middle, very slightly or not at all tipped with white. The bill and legs are black. Length, 9.50; wing, 4.50; tail, 5.00. [Illustration: _Mimus polyglottus._] _Young._ Similar, but distinctly spotted with dusky on the breast, and obsoletely on the back. HAB. North America, from about 40° (rare in Massachusetts, Samuels), south to Mexico. Said to occur in Cuba. The Mocking-Birds are closely allied, requiring careful comparison to distinguish them. A near ally is _M. orpheus_, of Jamaica, but in this the outer feather is white, and the 2d, 3d, and 4th tail-feathers are marked like the 1st, 2d, and 3d of _polyglottus_, respectively. We have examined one hundred and fourteen specimens, of the present species, the series embracing large numbers from Florida, the Rio Grande, Cape St. Lucas, and Mazatlan, and numerous specimens from intermediate localities. The slight degree of variation manifested in this immense series is really surprising; we can discover no difference of color that does not depend on age, sex, season, or the individual (though the variations of the latter kind are exceedingly rare, and when noticed, very slight). Although the average of Western specimens have slightly longer tails than Eastern, a Florida example (No. 54,850, ♂, Enterprise, Feb. 19), has a tail as long as that of the longest-tailed Western one (No. 8,165, Fort Yuma, Gila River, Dec.). Specimens from Colima, Mirador, Orizaba, and Mazatlan are quite identical with Northern ones. HABITS. The Mocking-Bird is distributed on the Atlantic coast, from Massachusetts to Florida, and is also found to the Pacific. On the latter coast it exhibits certain variations in forms, but hardly enough to separate it as a distinct species. It is by no means a common bird in New England, but instances of its breeding as far north as Springfield, Mass., are of constant occurrence, and a single individual was seen by Mr. Boardman near Calais, Me. It is met with every year, more or less frequently, on Long Island, and is more common, but by no means abundant, in New Jersey. It is found abundantly in every Southern State, and throughout Mexico. It has also been taken near Grinnell, Iowa. A warm climate, a low country, and the vicinity of the sea appear to be most congenial to their nature. Wilson found them less numerous west of the Alleghany than on the eastern side, in the same parallels. Throughout the winter he met with them in the Southern States, feeding on the berries of the red cedar, myrtle, holly, etc., with which the swampy thickets abounded. They feed also upon winged insects, which they are very expert in catching. In Louisiana they remain throughout the entire year, approaching farmhouses and plantations in the winter, and living about the gardens and outhouses. They may be frequently seen perched upon the roofs of houses and on the chimney-tops, and are always full of life and animation. When the weather is mild the old males may be heard singing with as much spirit as in the spring or summer. They are much more familiar than in the more northern States. In Georgia they do not begin to sing until February. The vocal powers of the Mocking-Bird exceed, both in their imitative notes and in their natural song, those of any other species. Their voice is full, strong, and musical, and capable of an almost endless variation in modulation. The wild scream of the Eagle and the soft notes of the Bluebird are repeated with exactness and with apparently equal facility, while both in force and sweetness the Mocking-Bird will often improve upon the original. The song of the Mocking-Bird is not altogether imitative. His natural notes are bold, rich, and full, and are varied almost without limitation. They are frequently interspersed with imitations, and both are uttered with a rapidity and emphasis that can hardly be equalled. The Mocking-Bird readily becomes accustomed to confinement, and loses little of the power, energy, or variety of its song, but often much of its sweetness in a domesticated state. The mingling of unmusical sounds, like the crowing of cocks, the cackling of hens, or the creaking of a wheelbarrow, while they add to the variety, necessarily detracts from the beauty of his song. The food of the Mocking-Bird is chiefly insects, their larvæ, worms, spiders, etc., and in the winter of berries, in great variety. They are said to be very fond of the grape, and to be very destructive to this fruit. Mr. G. C. Taylor (Ibis, 1862, p. 130) mentions an instance that came to his knowledge, of a person living near St. Augustine, Florida, who shot no less than eleven hundred Mocking-Birds in a single season, and buried them at the roots of his grape-vines. Several successful attempts have been made to induce the Mocking-Bird to rear their young in a state of confinement, and it has been shown to be, by proper management, perfectly practicable. In Texas and Florida the Mocking-Bird nests early in March, young birds appearing early in April. In Georgia and the Carolinas they are two weeks later. In Pennsylvania they nest about the 10th of May, and in New York and New England not until the second week of June. They select various situations for the nest; solitary thorn-bushes, an almost impenetrable thicket of brambles, an orange-tree, or a holly-bush appear to be favorite localities. They often build near the farm-houses, and the nest is rarely more than seven feet from the ground. The base of the nest is usually a rudely constructed platform of coarse sticks, often armed with formidable thorns surrounding the nest with a barricade. The height is usually 5 inches, with a diameter of 8. The cavity is 3 inches deep and 5 wide. Within the external barricade is an inner nest constructed of soft fine roots. The eggs, from four to six in number, vary in length from .94 to 1.06 inches, with a mean length of .99. Their breadth varies from .81 to .69 of an inch, mean breadth .75. They also exhibit great variations in the combinations of markings and tints. The ground color is usually light greenish-blue, varying in the depth of its shade from a very light tint to a distinct blue, with a slight greenish tinge. The markings consist of yellowish-brown and purple, chocolate-brown, russet, and a very dark brown. GENUS GALEOSCOPTES, CABANIS. _Galeoscoptes_, CABANIS, Mus. Hein. I, 1850, 82. (Type _Muscicapa carolinensis_, L.) GEN. CHAR. Bill shorter than the head, rather broad at base. Rictal bristles moderately developed, reaching to the nostrils. Wings a little shorter than the tail, rounded; secondaries well developed; fourth and fifth quills longest; third and sixth little shorter; first and ninth about equal, and about the length of secondaries; first quill more than half the second, about half the third. Tail graduated; lateral feather about .70 shorter than the middle. Tarsi longer than middle toe and claw by about an additional half-claw; scutellate anteriorly, more or less distinctly in different specimens; scutellæ about seven. The conspicuous naked membranous border round the eye of some Thrushes, with the bare space behind it, not appreciable. [Line drawing: _Galeoscoptes carolinensis._ 2596] There is little difference in form between the single species of _Galeoscoptes_ and _Mimus polyglottus_, beyond the less degree of definition of the tarsal plates; and but for the difference in coloration (uniform plumbeous instead of gray above and white beneath), we would hardly be inclined to distinguish the two generically. The single species known is lead-colored, with black cap, and chestnut-red under tail-coverts. Galeoscoptes carolinensis, CABAN. THE CATBIRD. _Muscicapa carolinensis_, LINN. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 328. _Turdus carolinensis_, LICHT. Verz. 1823, 38.—D’ORBIGNY, La Sagra’s Cuba, Ois. 1840, 51. _Orpheus carolinensis_, JONES, Nat. Bermuda, 1859, 27 (breeds). _Mimus carolinensis_, GRAY, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1859, 346.—BRYANT, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1867, 69 (Inagua).—LORD, Pr. R. Art. Inst. (Woolwich), IV, 1864, 117 (east of Cascade Mts.). _Galeoscoptes carolinensis_, CAB. Mus. Hein. I, 1850, 82 (type of genus).—IB. Jour. Orn. 1855, 470 (Cuba).—GUNDLACH, Repert. 1865, 230 (Cuba, very common).—SCLATER, Catal. Birds, 1861, 6, no. 39.—SCL. & SALV. Pr. 1867, 278 (Mosquito Coast).—BAIRD, Rev. 1864, 54.—SAMUELS, 172.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 23. Figures: AUD. B. A. II, pl. 140.—IB. Orn. Biog. II, pl. 28.—VIEILLOT, Ois. Am. Sept. II, pl. lxvii.—WILSON, Am. Orn. II, pl. xiv, f. 3. SP. CHAR. Third quill longest; first shorter than sixth. Prevailing color dark plumbeous, more ashy beneath. Crown and nape dark sooty-brown. Wings dark brown, edged with plumbeous. Tail greenish-black; the lateral feathers obscurely tipped with plumbeous. The under tail-coverts dark brownish-chestnut. Female smaller. Length, 8.85; wing, 3.65; tail, 4.00; tarsus, 1.05. [Illustration: _Galeoscoptes carolinensis._] HAB. United States, north to Lake Winnipeg, west to head of Columbia, and Cascade Mountains (Lord); south to Panama R. R.; Cuba; Bahamas; Bermuda (breeds). Accidental in Heligoland Island, Europe. Oaxaca, Cordova, and Guatemala, SCLATER; Mosquito Coast, SCL. & SALV.; Orizaba (winter), SUMICHRAST; Yucatan, LAWR. Western specimens have not appreciably longer tails than Eastern. Central American examples, as a rule, have the plumbeous of a more bluish cast than is usually seen in North American skins. HABITS. The Catbird has a very extended geographical range. It is abundant throughout the Atlantic States, from Florida to Maine; in the central portion of the continent it is found as far north as Lake Winnepeg. On the Pacific coast it has been met with at Panama, and also on the Columbia River. It is occasional in Cuba and the Bahamas, and in the Bermudas is a permanent resident. It is also found during the winter months abundant in Central America, It breeds in all the Southern States with possibly the exception of Florida. In Maine, according to Professor Verrill, it is as common as in Massachusetts, arriving in the former place about the 20th of May, about a week later than in the vicinity of Boston, and beginning to deposit its eggs early in June. Near Calais it is a less common visitant. The Northern migrations of the Catbird commence early in February, when they make their appearance in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. In April they reach Virginia and Pennsylvania, and New England from the 1st to the 10th of May. Their first appearance is usually coincident with the blossoming of the pear-trees. It is not generally a popular or welcome visitant, a prejudice more or less wide spread existing in regard to it. Yet few birds more deserve kindness at our hands, or will better repay it. From its first appearance among us, almost to the time of departure in early fall, the air is vocal with the quaint but attractive melody, rendered all the more interesting from the natural song being often blended with notes imperfectly mimicked from the songs of other birds. The song, whether natural or imitative, is always varied, attractive, and beautiful. The Catbird, when once established as a welcome guest, soon makes itself perfectly at home. He is to be seen at all times, and is almost ever in motion. They become quite tame, and the male bird will frequently apparently delight to sing in the immediate presence of man. Occasionally they will build their nest in close proximity to a house, and appear unmindful of the presence of the members of the family. The Catbird’s power of mimicry, though limited and imperfectly exercised, is frequently very amusing. The more difficult notes it rarely attempts to copy, and signally fails whenever it does so. The whistle of the Quail, the cluck of a hen calling her brood, the answer of the young chicks, the note of the Pewit Flycatcher, and the refrain of Towhee, the Catbird will imitate with so much exactness as not to be distinguished from the original. The Catbirds are devoted parents, sitting upon their eggs with great closeness, feeding the young with assiduity, and accompanying them with parental interest when they leave the nest, even long after they are able to provide for themselves. Intruders from whom danger is apprehended they will boldly attack, attempting to drive away snakes, cats, dogs, and sometimes even man. If these fail they resort to piteous cries and other manifestations of their great distress. Towards each other they are affectionate and devoted, mutually assisting in the construction of the nest; and as incubation progresses the female, who rarely leaves the nest, is supplied with food, and entertained from his exhaustless vocabulary of song, by her mate. When annoyed by an intruder the cry of the Catbird is loud, harsh, and unpleasant, and is supposed to resemble the outcry of a cat, and to this it owes its name. This note it reiterates at the approach of any object of its dislike or fear. The food of the Catbird is almost exclusively the larvæ of the larger insects. For these it searches both among the branches and the fallen leaves, as well as the furrows of newly ploughed fields and cultivated gardens. The benefit it thus confers upon the farmer and the horticulturist is very great, and can hardly be overestimated. The Catbird can with proper painstaking be raised from the nest, and when this is successfully accomplished they become perfectly domesticated, and are very amusing pets. They construct their nests on clusters of vines or low bushes, on the edges of small thickets, and in retired places, though almost always near cultivated ground. The usual materials of their nests are dry leaves for the base, slender strips of long dry bark, small twigs, herbaceous plants, fine roots, and finer stems. They are lined with fine dry grasses, and sedges. Their nests average 4 inches in height by 5 in diameter. The diameter and depth of the cavity are 3½ inches. The eggs are of a uniform deep bluish-green, and measure .97 in length and .69 of an inch in breadth. FAMILY CINCLIDÆ.—THE DIPPERS. On page 2 will be found the characteristics of this family, which need not be here repeated. There is only a single genus, _Cinclus_, with four American species, and several from Europe and Asia. GENUS CINCLUS, BECHSTEIN. _Hydrobata_, VIEILLOT, Analyse, 1816 (Ag.).—BAIRD, B. N. A. 229. _Cinclus_, BECHSTEIN, Gemein. Naturg. 1802. (Not of Moehring, 1752. Type _Sturnus cinclus_, L.)—SALVIN, Ibis, 1867, 109. (Monograph.) [Line drawing: _Cinclus mexicanus._ 8117] GEN. CHAR. Bill without any bristles at the base; slender, subulate; the mandible bent slightly upward; the culmen slightly concave to near the tip, which is much curved and notched; the commissural edges of the bill finely nicked towards end. Feet large and strong, the toes projecting considerably beyond the tail; the claws large. Lateral toes equal. Tail very short and even; not two thirds the wings, which are concave and somewhat falcate. The first primary is more than one fourth the longest. Eggs white. [Illustration: _Cinclus mexicanus._] The slightly upward bend of the bill, somewhat as in _Anthus_, renders the culmen concave, and the commissure slightly convex. The maxilla at base is nearly as high as the mandible; the whole bill is much compressed and attenuated. The lateral claws barely reach the base of the middle one, which is broad; the inner face extended into a horny lamina, with one or two notches or pectinations somewhat as in _Caprimulgidæ_. The stiffened sub-falcate wings are quite remarkable. The tail is so short that the upper coverts extend nearly to its tip. The species are all dull-colored birds, usually brown, sometimes varied with white on the head, back, or throat. They inhabit mountainous subalpine regions abounding in rapid streams, and always attract attention by their habit of feeding under water, searching among the gravel and stones for their insect prey. The only other species at all allied to the single North American one are the _C. ardesiacus_ of Central America, and _C. pallasi_ of Eastern Asia. They may be easily distinguished by the following characters:— Plumage beneath scarcely lighter than that above; head and neck brownish, darkest above. Wing, 4.00; tail, 2.15; bill, .50; tarsus, 1.20; middle toe, .85. Legs (in life), pinkish white (8,496 Fort Mass. N. M.). HAB. Mountains of Middle Province from Sitka, south to Guatemala … var. _mexicanus_. Plumage beneath much lighter than that above,—very light along the median line; head not brownish, the contrast in shade between upper and lower surfaces very marked. Wing, 3.50; tail, 2.05; bill, .45; tarsus, 1.30; middle toe, .90. Legs yellow. (42,788 ♂ Costa Rica). HAB. Guatemala and Costa Rica. … var. _ardesiacus_.[24] Plumage uniform dusky-brown, middle of belly blackish; _back and rump squamated with black_; wings and tail blackish-brown. Total length, 8.00; wing, 4.00; tail, 2.50; tarsus, 1.25; bill (to rictus), 1.10 (Salvin). HAB. Lake Baikal to Kamtschatka; Amoorland; S. E. Siberia; Japan (Salvin) … var._pallasi_.[25] Cinclus mexicanus, SWAINS. AMERICAN DIPPER; WATER OUZEL. _Cinclus pallasi_, BON. Zoöl. Jour. II, 1827, 52 (not the Asiatic species). _Cinclus mexicanus_, SW. Phil. Mag. 1827, 368.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 10.—SALVIN, Ibis, 1860, 190; 1867, 120 (Guatemala).—BAIRD, Review, 60.—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska).—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 25. _Hydrobata mexicana_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 229.—COOPER & SUCKLEY, Rep. P. R. R, XII, II, 1859, 175 (nest). _Cinclus americanus_, RICH. F. B. A. II, 1831, 273. _Cinclus unicolor_, BON.; _C. mortoni_, TOWNS.; _C. townsendi_, “AUD.” TOWNS. Figures: BONAPARTE, Am. Orn. II, 1828, pl. xvi, fig. 1.—AUD. Orn. Biog. pl. ccclxx, 435.—IB. Birds Amer. II, pl. cxxxvii. SP. CH. Above dark plumbeous, beneath paler; head and neck all round a shade of clove or perhaps a light sooty-brown; less conspicuous beneath. A concealed spot of white above the anterior corner of the eye and indications of the same sometimes on the lower eyelid. Immature specimens usually with the feathers beneath edged with grayish-white; the greater and middle wing-coverts and lesser quills tipped with the same. The colors more uniform. Length, 7.50; wing, 4.00; tail, 2.55. _Young._ Similar to the adult, but much mixed with whitish medially beneath; this in form of longitudinal suffusions. Autumnal and winter specimens have numerous transverse crescents of whitish on lower parts and wings,—these very especially conspicuous posteriorly; the secondaries are also conspicuously terminated with a white crescent. Bill brown, paler toward base of lower mandible. In spring and summer the bill entirely black, and the whitish markings almost entirely disappear; the young bird has a greater amount of white beneath than the adult in winter dress, and this white is disposed in longitudinal, not transverse, suffusions. The color of the legs appears to be the same at all seasons. [Illustration: PLATE V. 1. Cinclus mexicanus, _Sw._ N. M., 8496. 2. Sialia mexicana, _Sw._ Cal., 10623. 3. “ sialis, _Baird_. D. C., 28245. 4. “ arctica, _Sw._ Rocky Mts., 18319. 5. Phyllopneuste borealis. Alaska, 45909. 6. Saxicola œnanthe, _Bechst._ France, 18959. 7. Regulus cuvieri, _Aud._ (From Aud.’s plate.) 8. “ satrapa, _Licht._ D. C., 1160. 9. “ calendula, _Licht._ Penn., 736.] Specimens, of any age, from the coast of Oregon and the Cascade Mountains, have the head more deeply brownish than those from other regions. HAB. Found through the mountainous region of the central and western part of North America, from Fort Halkett south into Mexico and Guatemala. Orizaba (Alpine region) SUMICH. None received from the coast region of California. Abundant on the N. W. coast, Laramie Peak and Deer Creek, Neb. This species has a wide range along the mountainous region of North and Middle America. Mexican specimens are darker. HABITS. This interesting bird inhabits exclusively the mountainous portions of North America west of the Mississippi from Alaska south to Guatemala. It does not appear to have been obtained on the coast of California, nor in the valley of the Mississippi. In the British Possessions specimens have been procured on Fraser’s River, at Fort Halkett, and at Colville. At the latter place Mr. J. K. Lord states that a few remain and pass the winter. They are found among the mountain streams of Vera Cruz, and probably throughout Mexico, and no doubt may be met with in all the highlands between these extreme points. Dr. Newberry met with it in the rapid streams of the Cascade Mountains. He describes it as flitting along in the bed of the stream, from time to time plunging into the water and disappearing, to appear again at a distant point, up or down the stream, skipping about from stone to stone, constantly in motion, jerking its tail and moving its body somewhat in the manner of a wren. Dr. Cooper observed this species both on the Columbia and its tributaries, and also among the mountain streams of the Coast Range west of Santa Clara. At the latter place he found a pair mated as early as March 16th. At sunset he heard the male singing very melodiously, as it sat on one of its favorite rocks in the middle of the foaming rapids, making its delightful melody heard for quite a long distance above the sound of the roaring waters. “This bird,” adds Dr. Cooper, “combines the form of a sandpiper, the song of a canary, and the aquatic habits of a duck. Its food consists almost entirely of aquatic insects, and these it pursues under water, walking and flying with perfect ease beneath a depth of several feet of water.” He also states that they do not swim on the surface, but dive, and sometimes fly across streams beneath the surface; that their flight is rapid and direct, like that of a sandpiper; also that they jerk their tails in a similar manner, and generally alight on a rock or log. Dr. Cooper on the 5th of July found a nest of this bird at a saw-mill on the Chehalis River, built under the shelving roots of an enormous arbor-vitæ that had floated over, and rested in a slanting position against the dam. The floor was of small twigs, the sides and roof arched over it like an oven, and formed of moss, projecting so as to protect and shelter the opening, which was large enough to admit the hand. Within this nest was a brood of half-fledged young. The parents were familiar and fearless, and had become accustomed to the society of the millers. They had previously raised another brood that season. The same observant naturalist, some time afterwards, in May, found the nest of another pair, a few miles north of Santa Clara. This was built near the foot of a mill-dam, resting on a slight ledge under an overhanging rock, from which water was continually dropping. It was, in shape, like an oven, with a small doorway, and it was built externally of green moss, which, being still living, prevented the easy discovery of the nest. It was lined with soft grass, and contained young. These birds are found singly or in pairs, and never more than two together. They are never found near still water, and frequent only wild mountain-streams, cascades, eddies, and swift currents. According to Mr. Dall’s observations in Alaska, the species is essentially solitary. He obtained several specimens in January, February, and March, always near some open, unfrozen spots in the Nulato River. It was only found in the most retired spots, and almost invariably alone. When disturbed, it would dive into the water, even in midwinter. Mr. Ridgway describes the Dipper as remarkably quick, as well as odd, in its movements,—whether walking in the shallow bed of the stream, or standing on a stone along the edge, continually tilting up and down, now chattering as it flies rapidly along the stream, again alighting into the water, in which it wades with the greatest facility. Its flight is remarkably swift and well sustained, and in manner is very unusual, the bird propelling itself by a rapid buzzing of the wings, following in its flight every undulation in the course of the stream into which it drops suddenly. Its song is described as remarkably sweet and lively, in modulation resembling somewhat that of the _Harporhynchus rufus_, but less powerful, though sweeter in effect. Dr. E. Baldamus, of Halle, who possesses specimens of the eggs of this species, describes them as pure white in color, oval in shape, and hardly distinguishable from those of the European _C. aquaticus_. A nest of this bird obtained by Mr. J. Stevenson, of Hayden’s Expedition, in Berthoud’s Pass, Colorado, is a hemisphere of very uniform contour built on a rock, on the edge of a stream. Externally it was composed of green moss, in a living state; within is a strong, compactly built apartment, arched over, and supported by twigs, with a cup-like depression at the bottom, hemispherical and composed of roots and twigs firmly bound together. The structure is 7 inches in height externally, and has a diameter of 10½ inches at the base. Within, the cavity has a depth of 6 inches; the entrance, which is on one side, is 3½ in breadth by 2½ in height. The eggs were three in number, uniform, dull white, and unspotted. They measure 1.04 inches by .70. They have an elongated oval shape, and are much pointed at one end. FAMILY SAXICOLIDÆ.—THE SAXICOLAS. The general characters of this family have already been given on p. 2, as distinguished from the _Turdidæ_. The relationships are very close, however, and but little violence would be done by making it a subfamily of _Turdidæ_ or even a group of _Turdinæ_, as was done in the “Birds of North America.” While the group is very well represented in the Old World, America has but one peculiar genus _Sialia_, and another _Saxicola_, represented by a single species, a straggler, perhaps, from Greenland on the one side and Siberia on the other. The diagnostic characters of these are as follows, including _Turdus_ to show the relationships of the three genera:— Turdus. Tarsi long, exceeding the middle toe; wings reaching to the middle of the tail, which is about four fifths the length of the wings. Bill stout; its upper outline convex toward the base. Second quill shorter than fifth. Saxicola. Tarsi considerably longer than the middle toe, which reaches nearly to the tip of the tail. Tail short, even; two thirds as long as the lengthened wings, which reach beyond the middle of the tail. Second quill longer than fifth. Bill attenuated; its upper outline concave towards the base. Sialia. Tarsi short; about equal to the middle toe. Wings reaching beyond the middle of the tail. Bill thickened. GENUS SAXICOLA, BECHSTEIN. _Saxicola_, BECHSTEIN, Gemeinnützige Naturg. 1802. (Type, _S. œnanthe_.) [Line drawing: _Saxicola œnanthe_, Bechst.] GEN. CHAR. Commissure slightly curved to the well-notched tip. Culmen concave for the basal half, then gently decurving. Gonys straight. Bill slender, attenuated; more than half the length of head. Tail short, broad, even. Legs considerably longer than the head; when outstretched reaching nearly to the tip of tail. Third quill longest; second but little shorter. Claws long, slightly curved; hind toe rather elongated. As already stated, America possesses but a single member of this group of birds, so well represented in the Old World. The color is bluish-gray, with wings, a stripe through the eye, and the middle of exposed tail-feathers black. Saxicola œnanthe, BECHST. THE WHEAT-EAR. _Motacilla œnanthe_, LINN. Syst. Nat. I, 1758, 186. _Saxicola œnanthe_, BECHST. “Gemein. Naturg. 1802,” and of European authors.—HOLBÖLL, Orn. Grœn. (Paulsen ed.), 1846, 23 (Greenland).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 220 (Europe); Review, 61.—JONES, Nat. Bermuda, 1859, 28 (Bermuda).—COUES, Pr. A. N. S. 1861, 218 (Labrador).—REINHARDT, Ibis, 1861, 5 (Greenland).—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska). _Saxicola œnanthoides_, VIGORS, Zoöl. Blossom, 1839, 19 (N. W. America).—CASSIN, Ill. I, 1854, 208, pl. xxxiv (Nova Scotia). SP. CHAR. (Description from European specimen.) Male in spring, forehead, line over the eye, and under parts generally white; the latter tinged with pale yellowish-brown, especially on the breast and throat. A stripe from the bill through, below, and behind the eye, with the wings, upper tail-coverts, bill and feet, black. Tail white, with an abrupt band of black (about .60 of an inch long) at the end, this color extending further up on the middle feather. Rest of upper parts ash-gray; quills and greater coverts slightly edged with whitish. Length, 6.00; wing, 3.45; tail, 2.50; tarsus, 1.05. Autumnal males are tinged with rusty; the black markings brown. The female in spring is reddish-gray; lores and cheeks brown; the black markings generally brownish, and not well defined. Eggs pale light blue. Nest on ground. HAB. An Old World species (Europe, Northern Africa, and Asia), abundant in Greenland, found probably as an autumnal migrant in Labrador, Canada, Nova Scotia, Bermuda, etc. Occurs also on Norton Sound, near Behring’s Straits. Very occasional in the Eastern States: Long Island. [Illustration: _Saxicola œnanthe._ 18075] This bird appears to be abundant in Norton Sound, from which region Mr. Dall has recently brought specimens in full spring plumage. These are decidedly smaller than birds from Labrador and Greenland, but not distinguishable, and seem to agree precisely with skins from Central Europe. HABITS. The well-known Wheat-ear is entitled to a place in our fauna, not only as an accidental visitor, but also as an occasional resident. Dr. H. R. Storer, of Boston, found them breeding in Labrador in the summer of 1848, and procured specimens of the young birds which were fully identified by Dr. Samuel Cabot as belonging to this species. In the following year Andrew Downs, of Halifax, gave me the specimen described and figured by Mr. Cassin. This was secured late in the summer near Cape Harrison, Labrador, where it had evidently just reared its brood. In 1860 Mr. Elliott Coues obtained another specimen on the 25th of August, at Henley Harbor. It was in company with two others, and was in immature plumage. Its occurrence in considerable numbers on the coast of Labrador is further confirmed by a writer (“W. C.”) in “The Field,” for June 10, 1871, who states that when in that region during the months of May and June he saw a number of “White Ears,” the greater proportion of them being males. He inferred from this that they breed in that country, the apparent scarcity of females being due to their occupation in nesting. Mr. Lawrence has one in his cabinet from Long Island, and the Smithsonian Institution one from Quebec. Specimens have also been obtained in the Bermudas. Holböll, in his paper on the fauna of Greenland, is of the opinion that the individuals of this species that occur there come from Europe, make their journey across the Atlantic without touching at Iceland, and arrive in South Greenland as early in the season as it does at the former place, the first of May. It reaches Godhaven a month later, at times when all is snowbound and the warmth has not yet released the insects on which it feeds. It is found as far north as the 73d parallel, and even beyond. In September it puts on its winter dress and departs. Mr. Dall states that several large flocks of this species were seen at Nulato, May 23 and 24, 1868, and a number of specimens obtained. They were said to be abundant on the dry stony hill-tops, but were rare along the river. The Wheat-ear is one of the most common birds of Europe, and is found, at different seasons, throughout that continent as well as in a large portion of Western Asia. It breeds throughout the British Islands as well as in the whole of Northern Europe and Asia. Its food is principally worms and insects, the latter of which it takes upon the wing, in the manner of a fly-catcher. The male bird is said to sing prettily, but not loudly, warbling even when on the wing, and hovering over its nest or over its partner. In confinement its song is continued by night as well as by day. The Wheat-ear begins to make its nest in April, usually concealing it in some deep recess beneath a huge stone, and often far beyond the reach of the arm. Sometimes it is placed in old walls, and is usually large and rudely constructed, made of dried bents, scraps of shreds, feathers, and rubbish collected about the huts, generally containing four pale blue eggs, uniform in color, and without spots, which measure .81 of an inch in length by .69 in breadth. GENUS SIALIA, SWAINSON. _Sialia_, SWAINSON, Zoöl. Jour. III, Sept. 1827, 173. (Type _Motacilla sialis_, L.) [Line drawing: _Sialia sialis._ 1289] GEN. CHAR. Bill short, stout, broader than high at the base, then compressed; slightly notched at tip. Rictus with short bristles. Tarsi not longer than the middle toe. Claws considerably curved. Wings much longer than the tail; the first primary spurious, not one fourth the longest. Tail moderate; slightly forked. Eggs plain blue. Nest in holes. The species of this genus are all well marked, and adult males are easily distinguishable. In all, blue forms a prominent feature. Three well-marked species are known, with a fourth less distinct. The females are duller in color than the males. The young are spotted and streaked with white. Synopsis of Species. COMMON CHARACTERS. Rich blue above, duller in the female. Beneath reddish or blue in the male, reddish or light drab in the female. Young with wings and tails only blue, the head and anterior parts of body with numerous whitish spots. A. _Breast reddish, or chestnut._ 1. S. sialis. No chestnut on the back; throat reddish; abdomen and crissum white. Blue of a rich dark purplish shade. Tail about 2.75. _Hab._ Eastern Province United States, Cuba, and Bermudas … var. _sialis_. Blue of a greenish shade. Tail about 3.20. _Hab._ East Mexico and Guatemala … var. _azurea_.[26] 2. S. mexicana. Chestnut, in greater or less amount, on the back; throat blue; abdomen and crissum blue. _Hab._ West and South Middle Province United States, south to Jalapa, Cordova, and Colima. B. _Breast blue (light drab in ♀)._ 3. S. arctica. Entirely rich greenish-blue; abdomen white. _Hab._ Middle Province United States; Fort Franklin, British America. Sialia sialis, BAIRD. EASTERN BLUEBIBD. _Motacilla sialis_, LINN. S. N. 1758, 187 (based on CATESBY, I, pl. xlvii). _Sialia sialis_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 222; Rev. 62.—BOARDMAN, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1862, 124 (Calais, Me.; very rare).—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 465 (Texas, winter).—SAMUELS, B. N. Eng., 175. _Sialia wilsoni_, SWAINSON, Zoöl. Jour. III, 1827, 173.—CAB. Jour. 1858, 120.—GUNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 324; Repertorio, 1865, 230.—JONES, Nat. Bermuda, 1859, 28, 66 (resident in Bermuda). _Sylvia sialis_, LATH.; _Ampelis sialis_, NUTT.; _Erythraca wilsoni_, SW. Figures: VIEILLOT, Ois. Am. Sept. II, pl. ci, cii, ciii.—WILS. I, pl. iii.—AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cxiii.—IB. B. A. II, pl. cxxxiv.—DOUGHTY, Cab. I, pl. xii. SP. CHAR. Entire upper parts, including wings and tail, continuous and uniform azure-blue; the cheeks of a duller tint of the same. Beneath reddish-brown; the abdomen, anal region, and under tail-coverts white. Bill and feet black. Shafts of the quills and tail-feathers black. Female with the blue lighter, and tinged with brown on the head and back. Length, 6.75; wing, 4.00; tail, 2.90. _Young._ Males of the year dull brown on head and back; and lesser coverts streaked, except on head, with white. Throat and fore part of breast streaked with white. Tertials edged with brown. Rest of coloration somewhat like adult. HAB. Eastern United States; west to Fort Laramie, Milk River; north to Lake Winnipeg; resident in Bermuda; Cuba (rare), GUNDLACH. A specimen from Guatemala (50,411 ♂, Van Patten) referrible to the var. _azurea_ is undistinguishable in color from North American examples; the wings and tail are longer, however, measuring respectively 4.20 and 3.00. [Illustration: _Sialia sialis._] HABITS. The Bluebird is abundant throughout the eastern portion of North America, breeding in nearly every part, from Georgia and Louisiana to the Arctic regions, with only this exception, that near the seaboard its migrations do not extend so far to the north as in the interior. It is very rarely to be met with beyond the Penobscot, although Professor Verrill mentions it as very common in the western part of Maine. It is found throughout the year in the Bermudas, and occasionally in Cuba. The Selkirk Settlement is the most northern locality to which it has been traced. It is not known to occur farther west than the highlands west of the Mississippi. Through all the Eastern States the Bluebird is one of the most familiar and welcome of the earliest visitors of spring, usually making its appearance as early as the first of March. In mild seasons they come in the latter part of February, long before there is any apparent relaxation of the severity of winter. In 1857, in consequence of the unusual mildness of the season, Bluebirds appeared in large numbers as early as the 15th of February, and remained apparently without suffering any inconvenience, although the weather subsequently became quite severe. In 1869 their first appearance was observed as early as the 28th of January, the earliest period of which I can find any record. In the Middle States, with every mild winter’s day, the Bluebirds come out from their retreats, and again disappear on the return of severer weather. Later in the season, or early in March, they return and make a permanent stay. When well treated, as the Bluebirds almost universally are, they return year after year to the same box, coming always in pairs. The marked attentions of the male bird are very striking, and have been noticed by all our writers. He is very jealous of a rival, driving off every intruder of his own species who ventures upon the domain he calls his own. Occasionally the pair suffer great annoyance from vexatious interferences with their domestic arrangements by the house wren, who unceremoniously enters their homestead, despoils it of its carefully selected materials, and departs. At other times the wren will take possession of the premises and barricade the entrance, making the return of its rightful owners impossible. The song of the Bluebirds is a low warble, soft and agreeable, repeated with great constancy and earnestness, and prolonged until quite late in the season. Just before their departure, late in October, the sprightliness of their song nearly ceases, and only a few plaintive notes are heard instead. The food of the Bluebird consists principally of the smaller coleopterous insects, also of the larvæ of the smaller lepidoptera. In the early spring they are very busy turning over the dry leaves, examining the trunks and branches of trees, or ransacking posts and fences for the hiding-places of their prey. In the fall their food partakes more of a vegetable character. The Bluebird selects as a suitable place for its nest a hollow in the decayed trunk of a tree, or boxes prepared for its use. Their early arrival enables them to select their own site. The nest is loosely constructed of soft materials, such as fine grasses, sedges, leaves, hair, feathers, etc. These are rarely so well woven together as to bear removal. The eggs are usually five and sometimes six in number. There are usually three broods in a season. Before the first brood are able to provide for themselves, the female repairs her nest and commences incubation for a second family. The young birds are, however, by no means left to shift for themselves. The male bird now shows himself as devoted a parent as in the earlier spring he had proved himself an attentive mate. He watches over the brood even after the second family appears and claims his attention. We often find him dividing his cares in the latter part of the season with two broods, and at the same time supplying his mate with food, and occasionally taking her place on the nest. The eggs of the Bluebird are of a uniform pale blue, measuring about .81 of an inch in length by .62 in breadth. In Guatemala is found a local race differing in its lighter under colors and in the greenish tinting of its blue (_S. azurea_). The _S. sialis_ is also found in the more open districts of the elevated regions where it is numerous. It is there known as “_El azulejo_.” Sialia mexicana, SWAINS. CALIFORNIA BLUEBIRD. _Sialia mexicana_, SW. F. B. Am. II, 1831, 202.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1856, 293 (Cordova): 1857, 126 (California); 1859, 362 (Xalapa).—IB. Catal. 1861, 11, no. 66.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 223; Review, 63.—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. XII, II, 1859, 173.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 28. _Sialia occidentalis_, TOWNS., AUD.; _Sialia cæruleocollis_, VIGORS. Figures: AUD. B. A. II, pl. cxxxv.—IB. Orn. Biog. V, pl. cccxciii.— VIGORS, Zoöl. Beechey’s, Voy. 1839, pl. iii. SP. CHAR. Bill slender. Head and neck all round, and upper parts generally bright azure blue. Interscapular regions, sides and fore part of the breast, and sides of the belly, dark reddish-brown. Rest of under parts (with tail-coverts) pale bluish, tinged with gray about the anal region. Female duller above; the back brownish; the blue of the throat replaced by ashy-brown, with a shade of blue. Length, 6.50; wing, 4.25; tail, 2.90. _Young._ Tail and wing as in adult; head, neck, back, and breast, dull brown; each feather, except on the crown, streaked centrally with white. HAB. Western United States, from the Rocky Mountains to Pacific. Not noticed on the Missouri plains, Central British America, or at Cape St. Lucas. Found at Xalapa and Cordova, Mex., SCLATER. Popocatapetl (Alpine region), SUMICHRAST. As in the others, the colors of this species are much duller in fall and winter. No. 53,319, ♂ (Carson City, Nevada, Feb. 21) differs from others in the following respects: there is hardly any chestnut on the back, there being only just a tinge along each side of the interscapular region; that on the breast is interrupted in the middle, and thrown into a patch on each side of the breast, thus connecting the blue of the throat and abdomen; the blue of the throat is unusually deep. HABITS. This Bluebird belongs to western North America, its proper domain being between the Rocky Mountains and Pacific, from Mexico to Washington Territory. Mr. Nuttall first met with this species among the small rocky prairies of the Columbia. He speaks of its habits as exactly similar to those of the common Bluebird. The male is equally tuneful throughout the breeding-season, and his song is also very similar. Like the common species he is very devoted to his mate, alternately feeding and caressing her and entertaining her with his song. This is a little more varied, tender, and sweet than that of the Eastern species, and differs in its expressions. Nuttall describes this as an exceedingly shy bird, so much so that he found it very difficult to obtain a sight of it. This he attributes to the great abundance of birds of prey. Afterwards, in the vicinity of the village of Santa Barbara, Mr. Nuttall again saw them in considerable numbers, when they were tame and familiar. Dr. Cooper states that these Bluebirds seem to prefer the knot-holes of the oaks to the boxes provided for them. He does not confirm Mr. Nuttall’s description of its song, which he regards as neither so loud nor so sweet as that of the Eastern species. He describes it as a curious performance, sounding as if two birds were singing at once and in different keys. Many of this species remain in Washington Territory during the winter, where Dr. Cooper met with them in December. They associated in flocks, frequented roadsides and fences, and fed upon insects and berries. Dr. Gambel found this species throughout the Rocky Mountains, and always in company with the _Sialia arctica_, being by far the more abundant species. Dr. Kennerly mentions finding this species very abundant during his march up the Rio Grande. Through the months of November, December, and January they were always to be seen in large flocks near small streams. The Western Bluebird constructs a nest usually of very loose materials, consisting chiefly of fine dry grasses. These are not woven into an elaborate nest, but are simply used to line the hollows in which the eggs are deposited. Near San Francisco Mr. Hepburn found a pair making use of the nest of the _Hirundo lunifrons_. On another occasion the Bluebirds had not only taken possession of the nest of this swallow, but actually covered up two fresh eggs with a lining of dry grasses, and laid her own above them. The eggs, usually four in number, are of uniform pale blue of a slightly deeper shade than that of the _S. sialis_. They measure .87 of an inch in length by .69 in breadth. Dr. Cooper’s subsequent observations of this species in California enabled him to add to his account of it in his report on the birds of that State. He found it abundant in all the wooded districts, except high in the mountains, and thinks they reside through the summer even in the hot valley of the Rio Grande, where he found them preparing a nest in February. On the coast they are numerous as far north as the 49th parallel. He found a nest under the porch of a dwelling-house at Santa Barbara, showing that, like our Eastern species, they only need a little encouragement to become half domesticated. They raise two broods in a season, the first being hatched early in April. At Santa Cruz he found them even more confiding than the Eastern species, building their nests even in the noisiest streets. One brood came every day during the grape season, at about noon, to pick up grape-skins thrown out by his door, and was delightfully tame, sitting fearlessly within a few feet of the open window. In regard to their song Mr. Ridgway states that he did not hear, even during the pairing season, any note approaching in sweetness, or indeed similar to, the joyous spring warble which justly renders our Eastern Bluebird (_S. sialis_) so universal a favorite. The two Western species of _Sialia_, though associating during the winter in the region along the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada, are seldom seen together during the breeding-season; the _S. arctica_ returning to the higher portions of the thinly wooded desert mountains, while the _S. mexicana_ remains in the lower districts, either among the cottonwoods of the river valleys or among the pines around the foot-hills of the Sierra. Sialia arctica, SWAINS. ROCKY MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD. _Erythraca (Sialia) arctica_, SWAINS. F. B. A. II, 1831, 209, pl. xxxix. _Sialia arctica_, NUTTALL, Man. II, 1832, 573.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 224; Rev. 64.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 11, no. 67.—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 478. (Texas, winter, very abundant.)—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 29. _Sialia macroptera_, BAIRD, Stansbury’s Rept. 1852, 314 (larger race with longer wings). SP. CHAR. Greenish azure-blue above and below, brightest above; the belly and under tail-coverts white; the latter tinged with blue at the ends. Female showing blue only on the rump, wings, and tail; a white ring round the eye; the lores and sometimes a narrow front whitish; elsewhere replaced by brown. Length, 6.25; wing, 4.36; tail, 3.00. (1875.) _Young._ Male birds are streaked with white, as in _S. sialis_, on the characteristic ground of the adult. HAB. Central table-lands of North America, east to mouth of Yellowstone. One individual collected at Fort Franklin, Great Bear Lake. Not common on the Pacific slope; the only specimens received coming from Simiahmoo, Fort Crook, and San Diego. Not recorded as found in Mexico. W. Arizona, COUES. As already stated, the blue of this species is greener, more smalt-like than in _sialis_. The females are distinguished from those of the other species by the greener blue, entire absence of rufous, and longer wings. In autumn and winter the blue of the male is much soiled by amber-brown edges to the feathers, this most conspicuous on the breast, where the blue is sometimes almost concealed; the plumage of the female, too, at this season is different from that of spring, the anterior lower parts being soft isabella-color, much less grayish than in spring. HABITS. This Bluebird belongs chiefly to the Central fauna, and occupies a place in the Eastern only by its appearance on its borders. It was first procured by Sir John Richardson, at Fort Franklin, in July, 1825. It is abundant throughout the central table-lands of North America, between the Pacific and the mouth of the Yellowstone, from Great Bear Lake to the lower portions of California. In the latter State it is not common. Mr. Nuttall met with this species in the early part of June, northwest of Laramie Fork. The female uttered a low complaint when her nest was approached. This was constructed in a hole in a clay cliff. Another was found in the trunk of a decayed cedar. In one of these the young were already hatched. The nest was composed of dried grasses, but in very insignificant quantity. Mr. Nuttall found them much more shy than the common species, and describes them as feeding in very nearly the same manner. He afterwards found a nest of the same species in a cliff of the Sandy River, a branch of the Colorado. Both parents were feeding their brood. The female was very uneasy at his approach, chirping, and at intervals uttering a plaintive cry. He states that the male bird has a more plaintive and monotonous song than that of the common Bluebird, and that it has the same warbling tone and manner. He afterwards observed the same species in the winter, at Fort Vancouver, associating with the Western Bluebird. Dr. Woodhouse found the Arctic Bluebird quite common in the vicinity of Santa Fé, in New Mexico, where they breed about the houses in boxes put up for them by the inhabitants for the purpose. Mr. Townsend found this species in the vicinity of the Platte River, near the Black Hills, and also on the banks of the Columbia. They confined themselves to the fences in the neighborhood of settlements, occasionally lighting upon the ground and scratching for minute insects. He describes their song as a delightful warble. Its notes resemble those of the common Bluebird, but are so different as to be easily recognized; they are equally sweet and clear, but have much less power. Neither Dr. Gambel nor Dr. Heermann found this species in California excepting during the winter, and were of the opinion that none remain there to breed. Dr. Kennerly observed them at different points among the Rocky Mountains, where they frequented the vicinity of his camp early in the morning, at some times in pairs and at others in flocks of four or five. Mr. J. K. Lord states that he found this Bluebird very abundant between the Cascades and the Rocky Mountains, where they arrive in June and leave in September. After nesting they assembled in large flocks, and fed on the open plains. The eggs are of a very light blue, paler than those of the other species. They measure .89 of an inch in length by .66 in breadth. Mr. Ridgway states that he found the Rocky Mountain Bluebird nesting in Virginia City in June. Its nests were built about the old buildings, and occasionally in the unused excavations about the mines. At Austin he also found it common in July, in similar localities. On the East Humboldt Mountains it was very numerous, especially on the more elevated portions, where it nested among the rocks and, though more rarely, in the deserted excavations of woodpeckers in the stunted piñon and cedar trees. He describes it as generally very shy and difficult to obtain, seldom permitting a very near approach. In its habits it is much less arboreal than either _S. mexicana_ or _S. sialis_, always preferring the open mountain portions in the higher ranges of the Great Basin. In regard to its notes Mr. Ridgway says: “The common note of this species would, from its character, be at once recognized as that of a Bluebird. Its autumnal note, however, lacks entirely the peculiar plaintiveness so characteristic of that of our Eastern species, and is much more feeble, consisting of a simple weak _chirp_. Like the _S. mexicana_, the _S. arctica_ was also never heard to give utterance to anything resembling the lovely spring warbling of the _S. sialis_.” FAMILY SYLVIIDÆ.—THE SYLVIAS. CHAR. Bill much shorter than head, slender, broad, and depressed at the base, distinctly notched and decurved at the tip. Culmen sharp-ridged at base. Frontal feathers reaching to the nostrils, which are oval, with membrane above, and overhung—not concealed—by a few bristles or by a feather. Rictal bristles extending beyond nostrils. Tarsi booted or scutellate. Basal joint of middle toe attached its whole length externally, half-way internally. Primaries ten; spurious primary about half the second, which is shorter than the seventh. Lateral toes equal. The birds of this family are readily distinguished from the _Paridæ_ by the slender bill, notched and decurved at tip; much bristled gape, sharp-ridged culmen, exposed oval nostrils, less adherent toes, etc. They are much smaller than the _Turdidæ_ and _Saxicolidæ_, with much more slender, depressed bill, longer rictal bristles, etc. The short outer primary, with the primaries ten in number, distinguish them from the _Sylvicolidæ_. The following synopsis will serve to characterize the American forms of their respective subfamilies. The species are all among the most diminutive in size with the exception of the Humming-Birds:— A. Wings longer than the nearly even and emarginate tail. Scutellæ of tarsus scarcely or not at all appreciable. General color olivaceous above. No white on tail. Nostrils naked. Scutellæ distinct on inner face of tarsus only. Head plain. … _Sylviinæ._ Nostrils overhung by bristly feathers. Scutellæ of tarsus not appreciable. Head with a colored central crest … _Regulinæ._ B. Wings about equal to the graduated tail. Tarsal scutellæ distinct. Above bluish; tail with white spots or patches. Nostrils uncovered. Head plain; either bluish or black above.… _Polioptilinæ._ SUBFAMILY SYLVIINÆ. CHAR. Size and form of _Sylvicolinæ_, but with a spurious first primary about one third the second quill. Wings considerably longer than the nearly even or emarginate tail. Feathers of frontal region with bristly points; but not covering the nostrils. Tarsi scutellate anteriorly, but indistinct externally. (Characters drawn with reference to the American form.) The introduction of this subfamily into the present work is required to accommodate a species of _Phyllopneuste_ collected on the Yukon by the Russian Telegraph Expedition, the first known instance of the existence in North America of a group of birds characteristic of the northern parts of the Old World. Among the smallest of the class, they are eminently sociable, and feed entirely on insects, which they capture mostly on the wing, like flycatchers. The nest is placed on the ground, and is of an oval or spherical form with a round opening on one side. The sexes are similar, and the young differ very little from the parents. GENUS PHYLLOPNEUSTE, MEYER & WOLF. _Phyllopneuste_, MEYER & WOLF, Taschenbuch, 1822.—DEGLAND et GERBE, Ornith. Europ. I, 1867, 543. [Line drawing: _Phyllopneuste borealis._ 45909] GEN. CHAR. Bill shorter than the head; straight, slender, and depressed, notched at tip. Nostrils open. Tarsi lengthened; exceeding the middle toe; scutellate anteriorly, but with the plates indistinct, claws short, much curved. Wings pointed, longer than tail, and reaching at least to its middle; spurious quill extending farther than the upper covert. Tail emarginate. Olivaceous above; yellowish or whitish beneath. [Illustration: _Phyllopneuste borealis._] For the purpose of distinguishing this genus from any other North American, it is enough to say that, of the general appearance of the warblers, it has a short spurious first primary, as in the Thrushes, and some _Vireonidæ_. The single species found as yet within our limits resembles at first sight an immature _Dendroica æstiva_, but is easily distinguished by the wing formula, the yellowish stripe over the eye, and the brown tail-feathers. Phyllopneuste borealis, BLAS. ALASKA WILLOW WARBLER. _Phyllopneuste borealis_, BLAS. Ibis, 1862, 69. _Phyllopneuste_, KENN., BAIRD, Trans. Chicago Acad. Sci. I, ii, p. 313, pl. xxx, fig. 2, 1869. SP. CHAR. (Description of specimen No. 45,909.) Plumage in August: above olive-green, with a slight shade of brown on top of head, rather lighter behind; beneath white, tinged with greenish-yellow; more olive on the throat and breast; and more yellow behind, inside the wing and on thighs; axillars purer yellow. A well-marked greenish-yellow line from nostrils over the eye to the nape (extending behind the eye nearly as far as from eye to tip of bill), beneath this an olivaceous streak through the eye, running into the mixed olive and yellowish of the cheeks. Quills and tail-feathers brown, edged with olivaceous; the outer edges of primaries more yellowish than those of secondaries; the greater coverts tipped externally with greenish-yellow, so as to form a distinct band across the wing. Bill rather dark brown; paler beneath. Legs dark olive; toes not sensibly different. Nest probably on ground, and domed. Eggs white, spotted with pink. Spurious quill in length about one fourth the second, which about equals the sixth, or very slightly exceeds it; third and fourth longest; fifth a little shorter. Dimensions (fresh specimen before being skinned): total length, 4.75; expanse of wings, 6.00; wing from carpal joint, 2.50. Dimensions (prepared specimen): total length, 4.60; wing, 2.40; tail, 2.00. Exposed portion of first primary, 0.42; of second, 1.56; of longest (measured from exposed base of first primary), 1.85. Bill: length from above, 0.38; from nostril, 0.29; along gape, 1.55. Legs: tarsus, 0.66; middle toe and claw, 0.55; claw alone, 0.16; hind toe and claw, 0.36; claw alone, 0.20. HAB. Northeast Asia (China, East Siberia); adjacent to Behring’s Straits and Alaska. This species, in general appearance, apparently comes nearer to _P. trochilus_ than to any other of its congeners. It is, however, more olivaceous-green above, and more yellow beneath, and has a distinct band across the wing. The superciliary light stripe is more distinct and longer; the bill and legs are darker, and the toes not sensibly different in color from the tarsus. The proportion of the quills is much the same, except that the interval between the tips of the fifth and sixth quills is greater, and the second is almost inappreciably longer than the latter, not reaching nearly midway between the two. The first or spurious quill is rather shorter. A single specimen of this species was obtained August 16, 1866, on St. Michael’s Island, in Norton Sound, Alaska, by Mr. Charles Pease. Mr. Bannister met with no other specimen in that locality, and from this it is inferred that this is not an abundant species there. It was described as a new species under the name of _P. kennicottii_ (Baird), but has been ascertained by Mr. Tristram, to whom it was sent for examination, (Ibis, 1871, p. 231,) to be identical with _P. borcalis_ of Blasius. Dr. Blasius also states (Naumannia, 1858, p. 303) that a specimen of this species has been obtained on the island of Heligoland, showing it to be also an accidental visitant to Western Europe. HABITS. Mr. R. Swinhoe, who describes this among the birds of Formosa as _P. sylvicultrix_, states it to be a summer visitant to Southern China, passing in large numbers through Amoy in its autumnal migrations southeastward, probably to the Philippine Islands, touching at Southwestern Formosa and Twaiwanfoo, where he found them abundant. This was for a few days in October, but he neither saw any before nor afterwards, nor did he meet with any at Tamsuy (Ibis, 1863, p. 307). The same writer (Ibis, 1860, p. 53) speaks of this bird as very abundant in Amoy during the months of April and May, but passing farther north to breed. We have no information in reference to its habits, and nothing farther in regard to its distribution. As it bears a very close resemblance to the Willow Wren of Europe, _P. trochilus_, it is quite probable that its general habits, nest, and eggs will be found to correspond very closely with those of that bird. The European warblers of the genus _Phyllopneuste_ are all insect-eating birds, capturing their prey while on the wing, and also feeding on their larvæ. They frequent the woodlands during their breeding-season, but at all other times are much more familiar, keeping about dwellings and sheepfolds. The _P. trochilus_ is a resident throughout the entire year in Southern Europe and in Central Asia. That species builds at the foot of a bush on the ground, and constructs a domed nest with the entrance on one side. Their eggs are five in number, have a pinkish-white ground, and are spotted with well-defined blotches of reddish-brown, measuring 0.65 by 0.50 inch, and are of a rounded oval shape. SUBFAMILY REGULINÆ. CHAR. Wings longer than the emarginated tail. Tarsi booted, or without scutellar divisions. This subfamily embraces but a single well-defined North American genus. GENUS REGULUS, CUV. _Regulus_, CUV. “Leçons d’Anat. Comp. 1799, 1800.” (Type _Motacilla regulus_, LINN.) _Reguloides_, BLYTH. 1847. (Type “_R. proregulus_, PALL.” GRAY.) _Phyllobasileus_, CAB. Mus. Hein. I, 1850, 33. (Type _Motacilla calendula_, LINN.)—_Corthylio_, CAB. Jour. Orn. I, 1853, 83. (Same type.) [Line drawing: _Regulus satrapa._ 28784. ♂] GEN. CHAR. Bill slender, much shorter than the head, depressed at base, but becoming rapidly compressed; moderately notched at tip. Culmen straight to near the tip, then gently curved. Commissure straight; gonys convex. Rictus well provided with bristles; nostril covered by a single bristly feather directed forwards (not distinct in _calendula_). Tarsi elongated, exceeding considerably the middle toe, and without scutellæ. Lateral toes about equal; hind toe with the claw, longer than the middle one by about half the claw. Claws all much curved. First primary about one third as long as the longest; second equal to fifth or sixth. Tail shorter than the wings, moderately forked, the feathers acuminate. Colors olive-green above, whitish beneath. Size very small. We are unable to appreciate any such difference between the common North American _Reguli_ as to warrant Cabanis in establishing a separate genus for the _calendula_. The bristly feather over the nostril is perhaps less compact and close, but it exists in a rudimentary condition. The following synopsis will serve as diagnoses of the species:— Head with entire cap in adult plain olivaceous, with a concealed patch of crimson. _Hab._ Whole of North America; south to Guatemala; Greenland … _calendula._ Head with forehead and line over the eye white, bordered inside by black, and within this again is yellow, embracing an orange patch in the centre of the crown. _Hab._ Whole of North America … _satrapa._ Head with forehead and line through the eye black, bordered inside by whitish, and within this again by black, embracing an orange-red patch in the centre of the crown. _Hab._ Banks of Schuylkill River, Pennsylvania … _cuvieri._ Regulus satrapa, LICHT. GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET. _Regulus satrapa_, LICHT. Verz. 1823, no. 410.—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska).—LORD (Vancouver Isl.).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1859, 227; Review, 65.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1857, 212 (Orizaba).—BÆDEKER, Cab. Jour. IV, 33, pl. i, fig. 8 (eggs, from Labrador).—PR. MAX. Cab. Jour. 1858, 111.—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. R. XII, II, 1859, 174 (winters in W. Territory).—LORD, R. Art. Inst. Wool. 1864, 114 (nest?).—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 476 (Texas, winter).—SAMUELS, 179.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 32. _Sylvia regulus_, WILS.; _Regulus cristatus_, VIEILL.; _R. tricolor_, NUTT., AUD. Figures: AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. cxxxii.—IB. Orn. Biog. II, pl. clxxxiii.—VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. II, pl. cvi. SP. CHAR. Above olive-green, brightest on the outer edges of the wing; tail-feathers tinged with brownish-gray towards the head. Forehead, a line over the eye and a space beneath it, white. Exterior of the crown before and laterally black, embracing a central patch of orange-red, encircled by gamboge-yellow. A dusky space around the eye. Wing-coverts with two yellowish-white bands, the posterior covering a similar band on the quills, succeeded by a broad dusky one. Under parts dull whitish. Length under 4 inches; wing, 2.25; tail, 1.80. _Female_ without the orange-red central patch. Young birds without the colored crown. HAB. North America generally. On the west coast, not recorded south of Fort Crook. Orizaba, SCLATER; W. Arizona, COUES. [Illustration: _Regulus satrapa._] Specimens of this bird from the far West are much brighter and more olivaceous above; the markings of the face are also somewhat different in showing less dusky about the eye. These may form a variety _olivaceus_. The _Regulus cristatus_ of Europe, a close ally of our bird, is distinguished by having shorter wings and longer bill; the flame-color of the head is more extended, the black border is almost wanting anteriorly. The back and rump, too, are more yellow. HABITS. The Golden-crested Kinglet, or Wren, as it is often called, occurs over nearly the whole of the North American continent. It is abundant from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and throughout the British Provinces, where it chiefly occurs in its breeding-season. In Massachusetts it is a winter resident from October until May. In Maine it is met with in spring and fall, chiefly as a migratory visitor; a few also remain, and probably breed, in the dense _Thuja_ swamps of that State. They are most abundant in April, and again in October. In the vicinity of Calais the Golden-crest is a common summer resident, and, without doubt, breeds there. Dr. Woodhouse mentions finding this species in abundance in New Mexico and Texas, associated with Nuthatches and Titmice. Dr. Cooper found it abundant in Washington Territory, particularly in the winter, and ascertained positively that they breed there, by seeing them feeding their young near Puget Sound, in the month of August. According to Mr. Ridgway it is much less numerous in the Great Basin than the _R. calendula_. The food of this lively and attractive little bird during the summer months is almost exclusively the smaller winged insects, which it industriously pursues amid the highest tree-tops of the forest. At other seasons its habits are more those of the titmice, necessity leading it to ransack the crevices of the bark on the trunks and larger limbs of the forest-trees. It is an expert fly-catcher, taking insects readily upon the wing. But little is known with certainty regarding its breeding-habits, and its nest and eggs have not yet been described. The presumption, however, is that it builds a pensile nest, not unlike the European congener, and lays small eggs finely sprinkled with buff-colored dots on a white ground, and in size nearly corresponding with those of our common Humming-Bird. We must infer that it raises two broods in a season, from the fact that it spends so long a period, from April to October, in its summer abode, and still more because while Mr. Nuttall found them feeding their full-fledged young in May, on the Columbia, Dr. Cooper, in the same locality, and Mr. Audubon, in Labrador, observed them doing the same thing in the month of August. According to the observations of Mr. J. K. Lord, this species is very common on Vancouver’s Island and along the entire boundary line separating Washington Territory from British Columbia, where he met with them at an altitude of six thousand feet. He states that they build a pensile nest suspended from the extreme end of a pine branch, and that they lay from five to seven eggs. These he does not describe. Most writers speak of this Kinglet as having no song, its only note being a single chirp. But in this they are certainly greatly in error. Without having so loud or so powerful a note as the Ruby-crown (_R. calendula_), for its song will admit of no comparison with the wonderful vocal powers of that species, it yet has a quite distinctive and prolonged succession of pleasing notes, which I have heard it pour forth in the midst of the most inclement weather in February almost uninterruptedly, and for quite an interval. Bischoff obtained a large number of this species at Kodiak, and also at Sitka, where it seemed to replace the Ruby-crown. Regulus cuvieri, AUD. CUVIER’S KINGLET. _Regulus cuvieri_, AUD. Orn. Biog. I, 1832, 288, pl. lv, etc.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1859, 228; Rev. Am. Birds, 66. SP. CHAR. Size and general appearance probably that of _R. satrapa_. A black band on the forehead passing back, through and behind the eye, separated by a grayish band from another black band on the crown, which embraces in the centre of the crown an orange patch. Length, 4.25 inches; extent of wings, 6. HAB. “Banks of Schuylkill River, Penn. June, 1812.” AUD. This species continues to be unknown, except from the description of Mr. Audubon, as quoted above. It appears to differ mainly from _R. satrapa_ in having two black bands (not one) on the crown anteriorly, separated by a whitish one; the extreme forehead being black instead of white, as in _satrapa_. The specimen was killed in June, 1812, on the banks of the Schuylkill River, in Pennsylvania. Regulus calendula, LICHT. RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. _Motacilla calendula_, LINN. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 337. _Regulus calendula_, LICHT. Verz. 1823, no. 408.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 226; Rev. 66.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1857, 202.—IB. 1858, 300 (mountains of Oaxaca).—IB. 1859, 362 (Xalapa).—IB. 1864, 172 (City of Mex.).—SAMUELS, 178.—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska).—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 33.—IB. Ibis, I, 1859, 8 (Guatemala).—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. XII, II, 1859, 174.—REINHARDT, Ibis, 1861, 5 (Greenland).—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 475 (Texas, winter). _Corthylio calendula_, CAB. Jour. Orn. I, 1853, 83 (type of genus). _Regulus rubineus_, VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. II, 1807, 49, pl. civ, cv. Other figures: WILS. Am. Orn. I, 1808, pl. v, fig. 3.—DOUGHTY, Cab. II, pl. vi.—AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cxcv.—IB. Birds Am. II, pl. cxxxiii. SP. CHAR. Above dark greenish-olive, passing into bright olive-green on the rump and outer edges of the wings and tail. The under parts are grayish-white tinged with pale olive-yellow, especially behind. A ring round the eye, two bands on the wing-coverts, and the exterior of the inner tertials white. _Male._ Crown with a large concealed patch of scarlet feathers, which are white at the base. Female and young without the red on the crown. Length, 4.50; wing, 2.33; tail, 1.85. HAB. Greenland; whole of North America, and south to Guatemala. Oaxaca (high region, November), SCLATER. Xalapa and Guatemala, SCLATER. This species of _Regulus_ appears to lack the small feather which, in _satrapa_, overlies and conceals the nostrils, which was probably the reason with Cabanis and Blyth for placing it in a different genus. There is no other very apparent difference of form, however, although this furnishes a good character for distinguishing between young specimens of the two species. HABITS. Much yet remains to be learned as to the general habits, the nesting, and distribution during the breeding-season of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. It is found, at varying periods, in all parts of North America, from Mexico to the shores of the Arctic seas, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific; and, although its breeding-places are not known, its occurrence in the more northern latitudes, from Maine to the extreme portions of the continent, during the season of reproduction, indicate pretty certainly its extended distribution throughout all the forests from the 44th parallel northward. None of our American ornithologists are known to have met with either its eggs or its nest, but we may reasonably infer that its nest is pensile, like that of its European kindred, and from being suspended from the higher branches, from its peculiar structure and position has thus far escaped observation. In the New England States they are most abundant in the months of October and April. A few probably remain in the thick evergreen woods throughout the winter, and in the northern parts of Maine they are occasionally found in the summer, and, without doubt, breed there. In the damp swampy woods of the islands in the Bay of Fundy, the writer heard their remarkable song resounding in all directions throughout the month of June. The song of this bird is by far the most remarkable of its specific peculiarities. Its notes are clear, resonant, and high, and constitute a prolonged series, varying from the lowest tones to the highest, terminating with the latter. It may be heard at quite a distance, and in some respects bears more resemblance to the song of the English Skylark than to that of the Canary, to which Mr. Audubon compares it. Their food appears to be chiefly the smaller insects, in pursuit of which they are very active, and at times appear to be so absorbed in their avocation as to be unmindful of the near presence of the sportsman or collector, and unwarned by the sound of the deadly gun. They are also said by Wilson to feed upon the stamens of the blossoms of the maple, the apple, peach, and other trees. Like the other species, they are expert insect-takers, catching them readily on the wing. They are chiefly to be met with in the spring among the tree-tops, where the insects they prefer abound among the expanding buds. In the fall of the year, on their return, they are more commonly met with among lower branches, and among bushes near the ground. Although presumed to be chiefly resident, during the summer months, of high northern regions, Wilson met with specimens in Pennsylvania during the breeding-season; and it is quite probable that they may occur, here and there, among the high valleys in the midst of mountain ranges, in different parts of the country. In the winter it is most abundant in the Gulf States, and especially in that of Louisiana. Dr. Woodhouse found it quite abundant throughout Texas, New Mexico, and the Indian Territory. Dr. Cooper found it in Washington Territory, but did not there meet with it in summer. Dr. Suckley, however, regarded it as a transient visitor, rather than a winter resident of that region, and far more abundant from about the 8th of April to the 20th of May, when it seemed to be migrating, than at any other time. Dr. Kennerly found these birds in abundance near Espia, Mexico, and afterwards, during January, among the Aztec Mountains, and again, in February, along the Bill Williams Fork. He describes them as lively, active, and busy in the pursuit of their insect food. They seem to be equally abundant at this season in California, Arizona, and Colorado. Mr. Ridgway found them common in June and July among the coniferous woods high upon the Wahsatch Mountains in Utah, and has no doubt that they breed there. Mr. Dall found this species abundant at Nulato, Alaska, in the spring of 1868, preferring the thickets and alder-bushes away from the river-bank. They appeared very courageous. A pair that seemed about to commence building a nest in a small clump of bushes tore to pieces one half finished, belonging to a pair of _Scolecophagus ferrugineus_, and, on the blackbirds’ return, attacked the female and drove her away. This was early in June, and Mr. Dall was compelled to leave without being able to witness the sequel of the contest. A straggling specimen of this bird was taken in 1860 at Nenortatik, in Greenland, and sent in the flesh to Copenhagen. SUBFAMILY POLIOPTILINÆ. The characters of this subfamily will be found on page 69. GENUS POLIOPTILA, SCLAT. _Polioptila_, SCLATER, Pr. Zoöl. Soc. 1855, 11. (Type, _Motacilla cærulea_.) [Line drawing: _Polioptila cærulea._ 10213] CHAR. Bill slender, attenuated, but depressed at the base; nearly as long as the head, distinctly notched at the tip, and provided with moderate rictal bristles. Nostrils rather elongated, not concealed, but anterior to the frontal feathers. Tarsi longer than the middle toe, distinctly scutellate; the toes small; the hinder one scarcely longer than the lateral; its claw scarcely longer than the middle. Outer lateral toe longer than the inner. First primary about one third the longest; second equal to the seventh. Tail a little longer than the wings, moderately graduated; the feathers rounded. Nest felted and covered with moss or lichens. Eggs greenish-white, spotted with purplish-brown. The species all lead-color above; white beneath, and to a greater or less extent on the exterior of the tail, the rest of which is black. Very diminutive in size (but little over four inches long). Synopsis of Species. _Top of head plumbeous._ Two outer tail-feathers entirely white. A narrow frontal line, extending back over the eye, black. _Hab._ North America … _P. cærulea._ Outer tail-feather, with the whole of the outer web (only), white. No black on the forehead, but a stripe over the eye above one of whitish. _Hab._ Arizona … _P. plumbea._ _Top of head black._ Edge only of outer web of outer tail-feather white. Entire top of head from the bill black. _Hab._ Rio Grande and Gila … _P. melanura._ Species occur over the whole of America. One, _P. lembeyi_, is peculiar to Cuba, and a close ally of _P. cærulea_. Polioptila cærulea, SCLAT. BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER; EASTERN GNATCATCHER. _Motacilla cærulea_, LINN. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 337 (based on _Motacilla parva cærulea_, EDW. tab. 302). _Culicivora cærulea_, CAB. Jour. 1855, 471 (Cuba).—GUNDLACH, Repert. 1865, 231. _Polioptila cærulea_, SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1855, 11.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 380.—IB. Rev. 74.—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 231.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 35. _Motacilla cana_, GM. S. N. I, 1788, 973. _? Culicivora mexicana_, BON. Consp. 1850, 316 (not of CASSIN), female. _Polioptila mexicana_, SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 363, 373. Figures: VIEILL. Ois. II, pl. lxxxviii.—WILSON, Am. Orn. II, pl. xviii, fig. 3.—AUD. Orn. Biog. I, pl. lxxxiv; IB. Birds Am. I, pl. lxx. SP. CHAR. Above grayish-blue, gradually becoming bright blue on the crown. A narrow frontal band of black extending backwards over the eye. Under parts and lores bluish-white tinged with lead-color on the sides. First and second tail-feathers white except at the extreme base, which is black, the color extending obliquely forward on the inner web; third and fourth black, with white tip, very slight on the latter; fifth and sixth entirely black. Upper tail-coverts blackish-plumbeous. Quills edged externally with pale bluish-gray, which is much broader and nearly white on the tertials. Female without any black on the head. Length, 4.30; wing, 2.15; tail, 2.25. (Skin.) HAB. Middle region of United States, from Atlantic to Pacific, and south to Guatemala; Cape St. Lucas. Cuba, GUNDLACH and BRYANT. Bahamas, BRYANT. HABITS. The Blue-gray Flycatcher is a common species from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast, although not met with in the New England States. It is less abundant on the coast than at a distance from it, and has a more northern range in the interior, being met with in Northern Ohio, Michigan, and the British Provinces. Specimens occur in the Smithsonian Institution collection from New York to Mexico and Guatemala, and from Washington Territory to California. They appear in Pennsylvania early in May, and remain there until the last of September. They are observed in Florida and Georgia early in March, but are not known to winter in that latitude. All the specimens in the Smithsonian collection were obtained between April and October, except one from Southern California, which was taken in December. [Illustration: _Polioptila cærulea._] Near Washington, Dr. Coues states the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher to be a summer resident, arriving during the first week of April, and remaining until the latter part of September, during which time they are very abundant. They are said to breed in high open woods, and, on their first arrival, to frequent tall trees on the sides of streams and in orchards. In California and Arizona this species occurs, but is, to some extent, replaced by a smaller species, peculiarly western, _P. melanura_. There they seem to keep more about low bushes, hunting minute insects in small companies or in pairs, and their habits are hardly distinguishable from those of Warblers in most respects. The food of this species is chiefly small winged insects and their larvæ. It is an expert insect-catcher, taking its prey on the wing with great celerity. All its movements are very rapid, the bird seeming to be constantly in motion as if ever in quest of insects, moving from one part of the tree to the other, but generally preferring the upper branches. Nuttall and Audubon, copying Wilson, speak of the nest of this Gnatcatcher as a very frail receptacle for its eggs, and as hardly strong enough to bear the weight of the parent bird. This, however, all my observations attest to be not the fact. The nest is, on the contrary, very elaborately and carefully constructed; large for the size of the bird, remarkably deep, and with thick, warm walls composed of soft and downy materials, but abundantly strong for its builder, who is one of our smallest birds both in size and in weight. Like the nests of the Wood Pewee and the Humming-Bird, they are models of architectural beauty and ingenious design. With walls made of a soft felted material, they are deep and purse-like. They are not pensile, but are woven to small upright twigs, usually near the tree-top, and sway with each breeze, but the depth of the cavity and its small diameter prevent the eggs from rolling out. Externally the nest is covered with a beautiful periphery of gray lichens, assimilating it to the bark of the deciduous trees in which it is constructed. Occasionally these nests have been found at the height of ten feet from the ground, but they are more frequently built at a much greater elevation, even to the height of fifty feet or more. They are made in the shape of a truncated cone, three inches in diameter at the base and but two at the top, and three and a half inches in height. The diameter of the opening is an inch and a half. In Northern Georgia they nest about the middle of May, and are so abundant that the late Dr. Gerhardt would often find not less than five in a single day, and very rarely were any of them less than sixty feet from the ground. Dr. Gerhardt, who was an accurate and careful observer, speaks of these as the best built nests he had met with in this country, both in regard to strength and its ingeniously contrived aperture, so narrowed at the top that it is impossible for the eggs to roll out even in the severest wind. They have two broods in the season in the Southern States, one in April and again in July. This Flycatcher lays usually five eggs. These are of a short oval form, somewhat pointed at one end and rounded at the other, and measure .56 of an inch in length by .44 in breadth. Their ground-color is a greenish-white, marked and dotted with small blotches and spots of varying and blending shades of reddish-brown, lilac, and slate. Polioptila plumbea, BAIRD. LEAD-COLORED GNATCATCHER; ARIZONA GNATCATCHER. _Polioptila plumbea_, BAIRD, Pr. A. N. Sc. VII, June, 1854, 118.—IB. Birds N. Am. 1858, 382, pl. xxxiii, fig. 1; Review, 74.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 37. SP. CHAR. Above bluish-gray; the forehead uniform with the crown. Eyelids white. A pale grayish-white line over the eye, above which is another of black, much concealed by the feathers, and which does not reach to the bill. Lower parts dull white, tinged with bluish on the sides and with brownish behind. Tail-feathers black; the first and second edged and tipped with white, involving the entire outer web of the first, and most of that of the second; the third with only a very faint edging of the same. Female duller, without the black superciliary line. Length, 4.40; wing, 1.80; tail, 2.30 (7,189). HAB. Arizona. This species differs from _P. cærulea_, in having the ash above less bluish, especially on the forehead; the black superciliary streak is only a horizontal bar, not reaching the bill, whereas in _cærulea_ it not only reaches the bill, but also extends across the forehead; the light superciliary stripe is more distinct. The tail is entirely different, the lateral feathers being almost entirely black, instead of the reverse. From immature specimens of _P. melanura_ it may be distinguished by larger size and purer white lower parts, and greater amount of white on outer webs of lateral tail-feathers. HABITS. But little is known in regard to the distribution or history of this species. It appears to be peculiar to Arizona and Mexico. There is no good reason to suppose that it differs materially in any of its habits from the other species of this genus. Dr. Cooper, who observed this species at Fort Mojave, states that it is a winter resident of that region in small numbers; and, so far as he observed, is undistinguishable either in habit or general appearance from either of the other species which at that season are also found there. Its cry of alarm resembles that of the common wren. Polioptila melanura, LAWR. BLACK-CAPPED GNATCATCHER. _Culicivora atricapilla_, LAWRENCE, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. V, Sept. 1851, 124 (not of SWAINSON). _Culicivora mexicana_, CASSIN, Illust. I, 1854, 164, pl. xxvii (not of BON.). _Polioptila melanura_, LAWRENCE, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. VI, Dec. 1856, 168.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 382; Review, 68.—HEERMANN, P. R. R. R. vol. X (Williamson), 1859, 39.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 37. SP. CHAR. Above plumbeous-blue. Whole crown, to bill and eyes, with tail, lustrous blue-black. Beneath pale bluish-gray, almost white on chin and anal region; the flanks and crissum tinged with brown. Edge of eyelids, and margin and tip of outer web of first and second lateral tail-feathers, white. Female and young without the black of the crown. Length, 4.15; wing, 1.85; tail, 2.10. HAB. San Diego to Fort Yuma and Cape St. Lucas. Arizona, COUES. Specimens of this species from Cape St. Lucas differ from those of San Diego described in the P. R. R. Report (7,191) in having the whole of the outer web of the outer tail-feather white, and in a rather larger white tip. The colors beneath are a little less ashy, though not of a pure white. The ash of the back is rather lighter and purer. The lores are rather lighter. The first primary is a little larger and broader. It is possible that the restriction of the white of the outer web of the exterior tail-feather to the outer half only is an unusual circumstance, as both Mr. Cassin and Mr. Lawrence, in their descriptions, speak of the entire outer web being white,—the second feather being of the former character. Under these circumstances there will be little specific difference between the tails of _P. melanura_ and _plumbea_. The female birds will then be separated by the light superciliary line and much shorter tarsi of _P. plumbea_,—the latter measuring .63 instead of nearly .70 of an inch. HABITS. This species was first noticed as belonging to the North American fauna by Captain McCown, who obtained it near Ringgold Barracks in 1850. It has since been noticed at Fort Yuma and at San Diego, and obtained in greater abundance at Cape St. Lucas. It is also found in Mexico. Dr. Cooper says that it is common all winter both at San Diego and at Fort Mohave. It has been traced as far north as latitude 30° in the Sierra Nevada. Its song he describes as a harsh ditty of five parts, something like a wren’s song, with notes like those of a swallow, and also closely resembling the song of _Vireo belli_. Their scolding note is a faint mew, like that of a cat. The habits of this species appear to be not unlike those of the peculiar family to which it belongs. All its members are among our smallest birds, are almost exclusively inhabitants of woods, and resemble the _Reguli_ in their restless activity in pursuit of the smallest insects on which they feed. This bird is described as particularly active, quick in its movements, searching with great activity for its food, and preferring low trees and bushes. At times it will dart about in the air in pursuit of small insects. Mr. John Xantus found these birds to be quite abundant at Cape St. Lucas, and obtained several of their nests. They were generally built among the interlacing tendrils of a wild vine (_Antigonon leptopus_), and so closely interwoven with the smaller branches as to be inseparable. The nests, like those of all this family, are structures of great beauty and delicacy. They have a height and an external diameter of about 2¼ inches. The cavity is 1½ inches wide at the rim, and fully two inches deep. This great proportionate depth of the nest seems to be characteristic of this genus. The external portion of this nest is composed of a composite blending of various vegetable materials, fine hempen fibres of plants, strips of delicate bark from smaller shrubs, silken fragments of cocoons and downy cotton-like substance, all very closely impacted and felted together, somewhat after the manner of the Humming-Bird. The whole is very softly and warmly lined with a beautifully interwoven and silky fabric composed of the soft down of various plants. The walls of the nest, though of the softest materials, are so thick and so firmly impacted as to make it a structure remarkably firm and secure against accidents. The eggs, four in number, measure .55 of an inch in length by .45 in breadth. They are of an oblong-oval shape, their ground-color is a pale greenish-white sprinkled over the entire surface with fine dottings of purple, reddish-brown, and black. FAMILY CHAMÆADÆ.—THE GROUND-TITS. CHAR. Bill compressed, short, rather conical, not notched nor decurved. Culmen sharp-ridged. Nostrils linear, with an incumbent scale. Rictal bristles reaching beyond nostrils, which are scantily overhung by bristly feathers. Loral feathers bristly and directed forwards. Tarsi booted, or covered with a continuous plate anteriorly, with faint indications of scutellæ on the inner side. Basal joint of middle toe attached for about half its length on either side. Primaries ten; sixth quill longest. Plumage very lax. [Line drawing: _Chamæa fasciata._ 5924] We have found it impossible to assign the genus _Chamæa_ to any recognized family of American birds, and have accordingly been obliged to give it independent rank in this respect, although it may properly belong to some Old World group with which we are not acquainted. In its general appearance it approaches the _Paridæ_ in loose plumage, bristly lores, want of notch to bill, etc.; but differs in the very much bristled rictus, sharp-ridged culmen, linear nostrils, booted tarsi, less amount of adhesion of the toes, etc. It approaches the _Sylviidæ_ in the sharp-ridged culmen and bristly gape, but is otherwise very different. The excessively rounded wing is a peculiar feature, the sixth primary being the longest. [Illustration: _Chamæa fasciata._] The family may, perhaps, be best placed between the _Sylviidæ_ and _Paridæ_. This family has but one representative (_Chamæa fasciata_), and this confined to the coast region of California. The characters of the genus are those of the family. GENUS CHAMÆA, GAMBEL. _Chamæa_, GAMBEL, Pr. A. N. Sc. Phil. III, 1847, 154. (Type, _Parus fasciatus_.) But one species of this genus has as yet been described. Chamæa fasciata, GAMB. GROUND-TIT; WREN-TIT. _Parus fasciatus_, GAMBEL, Pr. A. N. Sc. Aug. 1845, 265 (California). _Chamæa fasciata_, GAMBEL, Pr. A. N. Sc. III, 1847, 154.—IB. J. A. N. Sc. 2d series, I, 1847, 34, pl. viii, fig. 3.—CABANIS, Wiegmann’s Archiv, 1848, I, 102.—CASSIN, Illust. I, 1853, 39, pl. vii.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 370.—IB. Review, 76.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 39. SP. CHAR. Wings scarcely two thirds the length of the tail; both very much graduated. Upper and outer parts generally (including the whole tail) olivaceous-brown, tinged with gray on the head; beneath pale brownish-cinnamon, with obsolete streaks of dusky on the throat and breast. Sides and under tail-coverts tinged with olive-brown. Lores and a spot above the eye obscurely whitish. Tail-feathers with obsolete transverse bars. Total length, 6.20; wing, 2.30; tail, 3.50, graduation, 1.20; exposed portion of first primary, .85, of second, 1.30, of longest, sixth (measured from exposed base of first primary), 1.80; length of bill from forehead, .52, from nostril, .30; along gape, .60; tarsus, 1.05; middle toe and claw, .78; claw alone, .23; hind toe and claw, .55; claw alone, .30. Eggs light blue, unspotted; nest on low bushes. HAB. Coast region of California. HABITS. This very interesting species, which seems to combine within itself the principal characteristics of the Wren and the Titmouse, was first described by the late Dr. Gambel of Philadelphia. So far as is now known, it is confined to the coast country of California, from Fort Tejon to the shore and from San Diego to the Sacramento. Dr. Gambel’s attention was first directed to it by the continued sound of a loud, crepitant, grating scold which he was constantly hearing in fields of dead mustard-stalks and other similar places. He at last discovered it to be this species, which from its peculiar habits he called a Wren-tit. It kept close to the ground, was difficult to be seen, and eluded pursuit by diving into the thickest bunches of weeds, uttering, when approached, its peculiar grating wren-like notes. When quietly watched it could be seen to search for insects, climbing twigs and dry stalks sideways, jerking its long tail, or holding it erect in the manner of a wren, which, in this position, it very much resembles. He describes it as at times uttering a slow, monotonous singing note like a chick-a-dee, represented by _pee-pee-pee-peep_. At other times its song is a varied succession of whistling. In spring it was heard, in pairs, calling and answering, in a less solemn strain, and in a manner not unlike a sparrow, with a brief _pit-pit-pit_, ending with a prolonged trill. If disturbed, they at once resumed their usual scolding cries. Mr. Bell found this species chiefly frequenting damp places, and speaks of it as of pert habit, and not easily frightened. Its white iris, when observed in its native retreats, makes it easily recognized. This feature is as conspicuous in this bird as it is in the White-eyed Vireo. Its skin is remarkably strong, the muscles of the thighs powerful and well developed, and its whole muscular system exhibits an unusual strength and firmness. Dr. Cooper’s observations in regard to this bird are a little different in some respects. He found it common everywhere west of the Sierra Nevada on dry plains and hillsides, among the shrubby undergrowth, but not in the forests. Instead of preferring damp places, he found it living where there is no water, except occasional fogs, for six or eight months at a time. Their movements can be observed by patient watching and keeping perfectly quiet, when they seem attracted by curiosity to such a degree as to approach one within a few feet, and fearlessly hop round him as if fascinated. Dr. Cooper found their nests near San Diego built about three feet from the ground in low shrubs. They were composed of straw and twigs mixed with feathers and firmly interwoven. The cavity, about two inches wide and an inch and three fourths deep, is lined with grass and hair. The eggs, three or four in number, are of a pale greenish-blue, and measure .70 by .52 of an inch. FAMILY PARIDÆ.—THE TITMICE. CHAR. Bill generally short, conical, not notched nor decurved at tip. Culmen broad and rounded, not sharp-ridged at base. Nostrils rounded, basal, and concealed by dense bristles or bristly feathers. Loral feathers rough and bristly, directed forwards. Tarsi distinctly scutellate; basal joints of anterior toes abbreviated, that of middle toe united about equally for three fourths its length to the lateral: in _Parinæ_ forming a kind of palm for grasping; outer lateral toe decidedly longer than the inner. Primaries ten, the first much shorter than the second. Tail-feathers with soft tips. Nest in holes of trees; eggs white, spotted with reddish. With Cabanis we include the Nuthatches in the same family with the Titmice, and have prepared the above diagnosis to embrace both groups. They agree in having a conical bill, not notched nor decurved, with much rounded culmen, and nearly straight commissure, and rounded nostrils covered with dense bristles. These characters will readily distinguish them, in connection with the ten primaries, and tarsi with scutellæ on the anterior half only (as compared with _Alaudidæ_), from any other American _Oscines_. The two subfamilies may be thus distinguished:— Parinæ. Body compressed. Bill shorter than the head. Wings rounded, equal to or shorter than the rounded tail. Second quill as short as the tenth. Tarsus longer than the middle toe and claw, which are about equal to the hinder; soles of toes widened into a palm. Plumage rather soft and lax. Sittinæ. Body depressed. Bill about equal to or longer than the head. Wings much pointed, much longer than the nearly even tail. Tarsus shorter than the middle toe and claw, which are about equal to the hinder. Plumage more compact. SUBFAMILY PARINÆ. The characters of the subfamily will be found sufficiently detailed above. The genera are as follows:— _Bill with curved outlines._ Head with a long pointed crest. Wings and tail rounded. Body full and large. Tail about equal to wings … _Lophophanes._ Head with feathers full, but not crested. Wings and tail rounded. Body full. Tail about equal to wings; rounded … _Parus._ Body slender. Tail much longer than wings; much graduated … _Psaltriparus._ _Bill with outlines nearly straight._ Head with compact feathers. Wings pointed. Body slender. Tail rather shorter than the wings; nearly even … _Auriparus._ [Illustration: PLATE VI. 1. Lophophanes bicolor, _Bon._ Ill., 29679. 2. “ atricristatus, _Cass._ Tex., 12107. 3. “ inornatus, _Cass._ Cal., 37051. 4. “ wollweberi, _Bon._ Ariz., 40742. 5. Polioptila cærulea, _Scl._ Ill., 10213. 6. “ plumbea, _Baird_. Ariz., 11541. 7. “ melanura, _Lawr._ Cal., 7191. 8. Chamæa fasciata, _Gamb._ Cal., 5924.] GENUS LOPHOFHANES, KAUP. _Lophophanes_, KAUP, Entw. Gesch. Europ. Thierwelt, 1829. (Type, _Parus cristatus_.) _Bæolophus_, CABANIS, Mus. Hein. 1850, 1851, 91. (Type, _Parus bicolor_, L.) GEN. CHAR. Crown with a conspicuous crest. Bill conical; both upper and lower outlines convex. Wings graduated; first quill very short. Tail moderately long and rounded. Nests in hollow trees; eggs white with fine red dottings. [Line drawing: _Lophophanes bicolor._ 823 ♂] Of this genus there are several North American species, all agreeing in general characters. One of these, the _L. wollweberi_, is given by Cabanis as typical, while he separates the _L. bicolor_ generically under the name of _Bæolophus_, as having a rather different form of crest, stouter bill and feet, and longer wings. All of our species, however, vary in these characters, each one showing a different combination, so that we prefer to consider all as belonging to the same genus with _P. cristatus_. The species, all of which have the under parts uniform whitish, may be arranged as follows:— L. bicolor. Above plumbeous; forehead black; crown much like the back. _Hab._ Eastern Province United States. L. atricristatus. Above plumbeous; forehead whitish; crown black. _Hab._ East Mexico, north to Rio Grande. L. inornatus. Above olivaceous; forehead and crown like the back. _Hab._ South of Middle and Western Provinces of United States. L. wollweberi. Sides of head banded black and white; crown ash; throat black. _Hab._ S. Rocky Mountains of United States; Mexico to Oaxaca. Lophophanes bicolor, BONAP. TUFTED TITMOUSE; BLACK-FRONTED TITMOUSE. _Parus bicolor_, LINN. Syst. Nat. 12th ed. I, 1766, 340 (based on _Parus cristatus_, CATESBY, I, pl. lvii).—PR. MAX. Cab. Jour. VI, 1858, 118. _Lophophanes bicolor_, BON. List Birds Europe, 1842.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 384; Review, 78.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 14, no. 87. _Bæolophus bicolor_, CAB. Mus. Hein. I, 1850, 91 (type of genus). _Lophophanes missouriensis_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 384 (var. from Missouri River). Figures: WILSON, Am. Orn. I, pl. viii, fig. 5.—AUD. Orn. Biog. I, pl. ccci; IB. Birds Am. II, pl. cxxv. SP. CHAR. Above ashy; a black frontal band. Beneath dull whitish; sides brownish-chestnut, of more or less intensity. Length, 6.25 inches; wing, 3.17. HAB. United States, from Missouri Valley eastward. [Illustration: _Lophophanes inornatus._] Feathers of the crown elongated into a flattened crest, which extends back as far as the occiput. Bill conical; lower edge of upper mandible nearly straight at the base. Fourth and fifth quills equal; third a little shorter than seventh; second rather shorter than the secondaries. Tail nearly even, the outer about .20 of an inch shorter than the longest. Upper parts ash-color, with a tinge of olivaceous. Forehead dark sooty-brown. The feathers of the upper part of the head and crest obscurely streaked with lighter brown. Under parts of head and body, sides of head, including auriculars, and a narrow space above the eye, dirty yellowish-white, tinged with brown; purest on the side of head, the white very distinct in the loral region, and including the tuft of bristly feathers over the nostrils, excepting the tips of those in contact with the bill, which are blackish. The sides of the body and the under tail-coverts are tinged with yellowish-brown. The quills and tail-feathers are edged with the color of the back, without any whitish. Bill black. Feet lead-color. Specimens from the West are larger, the colors all more strongly marked. HABITS. The Tufted Titmouse is a common and well-known species in the Southern States, from the seaboard to the Rocky Mountains. Its northern limits are in Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Kansas. Farther north than this its occurrence appears to be only occasional and accidental. The statement of Mr. Audubon that they are found in the Northern States, even to Nova Scotia, was evidently a mistake. They do not occur in Massachusetts, nor, so far as I am aware, have they been met with in any part of New England. They are abundant in Northern Georgia, where, according to the observations of Dr. Gerhardt, they are among the first birds to breed, having fledglings fully grown as early as the first of May. Dr. Woodhouse found them very common in the Indian Territory, but none of the other exploring parties met with it farther west, where it is replaced by its kindred species. It is perhaps the most abundant bird in Southern Illinois, where it is resident, being excessively numerous in winter, and in that season often a positive nuisance from their impertinent vehement scolding as they appear to follow the hunter in troops through the woods. In winter it is a constant inhabitant of the door-yards and shrubbery, particularly fruit-trees in the towns, where it is associated with the Carolina Chickadee (_Parus carolinensis_) and other winter birds, but exceeding them all in familiarity and boldness. (Ridgway.) Mr. Nuttall, who never met with this bird north of Pennsylvania, found it very common in the winter and spring in the Southern States, where it displayed all the habits and uttered the usual notes of the family. In the dreariest solitudes of the Southern States these birds were his constant and amusing companions. Their sprightly movements and their varied musical talents made it even more peculiarly interesting at a time when all the other tenants of the forest were silent. The notes of this bird, which, when expressed by this writer on paper, seem only quaint and eccentric articulations, were characterized by him as lively, cheering, and varied, delivered with a delicacy, energy, pathos, and variety of expression to which it was far beyond the power of description to do justice. These notes, at times, even partook of the high-echoing and clear tones of the Oriole. The usual song of this Titmouse is presented by Mr. Nuttall by the following characteristics: “_Whip-tom-killy-killy-dāy-dāy-dā-it-tshica-dēē-dee_,” varied with “_Kāī-tee-did-did-did_,” etc., etc. Later in the season, under the milder influences of spring, these Titmice pursued the insects from branch to branch, calling restlessly and with loud and echoing voices, _peto-peto-peto_, with frequent quaint variations too numerous to be repeated. Their song even consisted of successions of playful, pathetic, or querulous calls, never exhibiting any trills after the manner of the Warblers, yet the compass and tones of their voice, their capricious variety, and their general effect are described as quite as pleasing as the more exquisite notes of our summer songsters. When wounded this Titmouse resists with great spirit any attempt to take him alive, but soon becomes tame and familiar in confinement, subsisting on seeds, broken nuts, etc. Impatient of restraint, it incessantly attempts to work its way out of its cage. The general habits of these birds correspond closely with those of the large family to which they belong. They move usually in small flocks of from five to ten through the branches of trees and bushes in quest of insects, examine the cracks and crevices of the bark, hang on the under side of small branches, move sideways around the trunks of trees, probe the openings in acorns, pine-cones, nuts, etc., for its food, and retain apparently the family group until the spring, when they separate into pairs. One of these birds kept in confinement by Dr. Bachman of Charleston was in the habit of hiding its food in the corner of its cage, in a small crevice, and of creeping at night into a small box, where it lay doubled up like a ball till the first light of the morning, when it resumed its restless habits. The Tufted Titmouse passes its nights and days, when the weather is inclement, in the hollows of decayed trees or the deserted holes of the woodpeckers. In such places it also builds its nests. It has been known to excavate a hole for itself even in hard sound wood. Its nest is simply a rude lining of the selected cavity, composed of various soft and warm materials. In this are deposited from six to eight eggs. But a single brood is raised in a season. The young birds, as soon as they are fledged, hunt in company with their parents, and remain associated with them until the following spring. The eggs of this bird have a length of .75 of an inch and a breadth of .56. They are of a rounded oval in shape, and are thickly sprinkled with fine rust-colored dots, intermingled with a few larger markings of lilac, on a white ground. Lophophanes atricristatus, CASSIN. BLACK-TUFTED TITMOUSE; TEXAS TITMOUSE. _Parus atricristatus_, CASSIN, Pr. A. N. Sc. Phil. V, 1850, 103, pl. ii (Texas). _Lophophanes atricristatus_, CASSIN, Ill. Birds Texas, etc. I, 1853, 13, pl. iii.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 385; Review, 78.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 43. SP. CHAR. Crest very long and pointed (1.25 inches). Above ash-colored. A broad band on the forehead dirty white, rest of head above, with crest, black, tinged with ash on the sides. Color of the back shading insensibly into the dull ashy-white of the under parts. Sides of body pale brownish-chestnut. Female with the crest duller black. Iris dark brown. Length, about 5.25 inches; wing, 3.00. HAB. Valley of Rio Grande, south, into Mexico. San Antonio. Texas. Vera Cruz, SCLATER. This species is not rare in Texas, where it has been noticed as far east as San Antonio. HABITS. So far as known, the Black-crested Titmouse is restricted in its distribution to the valley of the Rio Grande, including portions of Mexico and Western Texas. It was first met with in the latter State by John W. Audubon, and described by Mr. Cassin in the Proceedings of the Philadelphia Academy. In its general appearance and in all its habits it is mentioned as having so close a resemblance to the common Tufted Titmouse as to be hardly distinguishable from that bird. Dr. Woodhouse met with this species near San Antonio, Texas, in March, 1851. While his party was encamped on the Rio Salado he observed these birds busily engaged in capturing insects among the trees on the banks of the stream. Like all the members of this family, it was incessantly in motion and very noisy. Later in the season, on the 8th of May, the same party, when encamped on the Quihi, again found this species very abundant among the oaks. The young males, then fully grown, closely resembled the adult females, both wanting the black crest that distinguishes the mature male. He afterward noticed this species occurring at intervals along his route as far as the head waters of the Rio San Francisco in New Mexico. He observed it almost exclusively among the trees that bordered streams of water. The females and the young males invariably had crests of the same cinereous color as their general plumage, but in the latter slightly tinged with brown. They occurred in small parties, were very lively and sociable in their habits, and in their general appearance and even in their notes so very closely resembled the Eastern species as, at a short distance, to be hardly distinguishable from it. Dr. Heermann, in his report on the birds of Lieutenant Parke’s survey, mentions having first observed this species near Fort Clarke, in Texas, where it was very abundant. He describes it as sprightly and active in its movements, searching with great assiduity for insects in the crevices of the bark and among the branches of trees. While thus engaged it keeps up a chattering note, varied with an occasional low and plaintive whistle. Its habits appeared to him to resemble most those of the common _Parus atricapillus_. Dr. Heermann states that it builds its nest in the hollow of trees, and that it lays from twelve to sixteen eggs. He does not, however, say that he ever met with its eggs, nor does he give any description of them. The nest, he states, is composed of fine dry grasses, feathers, wool, mosses, etc. General Couch’s description of this species and its habits is very similar. He observed it in the province of New Leon, in Mexico, where he found it very abundant along the San Juan into the Sierra Madre. He describes it as a very lively bird, with a very perfect whistle of a single note. Mr. Henry A. Dresser sought very diligently for its nest and eggs near San Antonio and Houston, in Texas, where he found the bird very common, and where he was sure many pairs remained to breed, but its nest was very hard to find, and the birds very wary. He succeeded in finding one nest, in a hollow tree, near the head springs of the San Antonio River, but it contained young. The nest he does not describe, nor does he mention the number of young it contained. Lophophanes inornatus, CASSIN. GRAY-TUFTED TITMOUSE; CALIFORNIA TITMOUSE. _Parus inornatus_, GAMBEL, Pr. A. N. Sc. Phil. Aug. 1845, 265 (Upper California).—IB. J. A. N. Sc. new ser. I, 1847, 35, pl. vii. _Lophophanes inornatus_, CASSIN, Ill. 1853, 19.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 386; Review, 78.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 14, no. 88.—ELLIOT, Illust. I, pl. iii.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 42. SP. CHAR. Crest elongated. Color above olivaceous-ashy, beneath whitish. Sides of body and under tail-coverts very faintly tinged with brownish, scarcely appreciable. Sides of head scarcely different from the crown. Forehead obscurely whitish. Length, 5 inches; wing, 2.55. HAB. Southern United States, from Rocky Mountains to Pacific; Western Nevada (RIDGWAY). W. Arizona (COUES). The bill and feet of this species are lead-color. The third, fourth, and fifth quills are longest; the third and eighth about equal; the second is shorter than the shortest primaries. The lateral tail-feathers are a little shorter than the others. A specimen from Fort Thorn has the crest longer than in other specimens before me, measuring 1.35 inches from base of bill to its tip. This may be a characteristic of the male, the sexes being otherwise alike. HABITS. The Gray Titmouse belongs essentially to the Pacific coast, coming eastward only as far as the banks of the Rio Grande in Texas. It was first discovered and described by Dr. Gambel, in his Birds of California. It has since been met with not only throughout California, but also in all the southern portions of the Rocky Mountains, in New Mexico, and from Mimbres to the Rio Grande. Dr. Woodhouse met with this species in the San Francisco Mountains, near the Little Colorado River, New Mexico. He found it very abundant, feeding among the tall pines in company with the _Sitta pygmæa_, _S. aculeata_, and _Parus montanus_. Dr. Gambel first noticed this species near Monterey on the 20th of November. It was flitting actively about among the evergreen oaks of that vicinity in company with large flocks of several kindred species. They were all in restless activity, searching every branch for insects. As well as he could distinguish its notes among those of the busy throng in the midst of which he observed it, they appeared to resemble very closely those of the common _P. atricapillus_. Upon his following it up, it would utter a loud scolding outcry, erect its high and pointed crest, and appear as angry as possible at the intrusion. He found it very common, frequenting tall bushes in small flocks, searching branches of low trees, uttering weak and slender cries, resembling the syllables _tsēē dāy-dāy_. Dr. Heermann found it one of the most common of the birds of California, where it is resident throughout the year. He describes their notes as possessing an almost endless variety, so much so that he was repeatedly prompted to follow it as a new species. He met with a nest of this bird in a deserted woodpecker’s hole, which contained young. Dr. Cooper has met with this species in February near San Diego, but not on the Colorado. They seem to prefer the evergreen-oak groves toward the middle of the State, but are not found in the higher Sierra Nevada. They are residents throughout the year in the evergreen oaks near San Francisco. He adds that they are seen in small parties, scattered about the trees, and calling to each other with a variety of sweet and loud notes, some of which are said to equal those of our best singers. It also has certain powers of imitation like the Eastern crested species and the same cry of _pēto-pēto_. It feeds on acorns as well as insects, and often goes to the ground in search of them. It cracks the acorns with its bill, and hammers at bark and decayed wood with the industry of a woodpecker. Mr. Ridgway met with this species among the pines of the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada, but nowhere in abundance. Among the cedars it was almost the only bird seen. He describes its manners as greatly resembling those of the other species. Its notes, though differing from those of the Eastern _L. bicolor_, being weaker and less distinct, retain its vehement and characteristic manner of utterance. Lophophanes wollweberi, BONAP. WOLLWEBER’S TITMOUSE; STRIPED-HEADED TITMOUSE. _Lophophanes wollweberi_, BON. C. R. XXXI, Sept. 1850, 478.— WESTERMANN, Bijdr. Dierkunde, III, 1851, 15, plate.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 386, pl. liii, fig. 1; Review, 79.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1858, 299 (Oaxaca, high lands).—IB. Catal. 1861, 14, no. 89.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 43. _Parus annexus_, CASSIN, Pr. A. N. Sc. V, Oct. 1850, 103, pl. i. _Lophophanes galeatus_, CABANIS, Mus. Hein. 1850, 1851, 90. SP. CHAR. Central portion of crest ash, encircled by black, commencing as a frontal band, and passing over the eye. Chin, throat, and a line from behind the eye and curving round the auriculars to the throat (bordered behind by white), as also some occipital feathers, black. A white line from above the eye margining the crest, with the cheeks below the eye and under parts generally white. A black half-collar on the nape. Upper parts of body ashy. Length, about 4.50; wing, 2.50. HAB. Southern Rocky Mountains of United States, and along table-lands through Mexico, to Oaxaca (high regions, SCLATER). Orizaba (Alpine regions, SUM.). HABITS. Wollweber’s Titmouse, so far as its distribution is known, is a bird of Western Texas, the high table-lands of Mexico, and of the whole of New Mexico. It was described by Bonaparte and by Cassin nearly simultaneously, in 1850. It bears a very close resemblance to the _Lophophanes cristatus_ of Europe. Although comparatively nothing is known in reference to the specific habits of this species, they may be very readily inferred from those of the other members of this genus, whose characteristics are all so well marked and so uniform. Dr. Kennerly is the only one of our naturalists who has mentioned meeting the species in its living form. In his Report upon the Birds of Lieutenant Whipple’s Survey he states that he found it in the thick bushes along the Pueblo Creek. Wherever noticed it was constantly in motion, hopping from twig to twig in search of its food. He also found it among the pines of the Aztec Mountains. No mention is made of its nest or eggs, and its nidification remains to be ascertained. GENUS PARUS, LINNÆUS. _Parus_, LINNÆUS, Syst. Nat. 1735. (Type, _P. major_.) GEN. CHAR. Head not crested. Body and head full. Tail moderately long, and slightly rounded. Bill conical, not very stout; the upper and under outlines very gently and slightly convex. Tarsus but little longer than middle toe. Head and neck generally black or brown, with sides white. Nest in holes. Eggs white, sprinkled with red. In the group, as defined above, are embraced several genera of modern systematists. The true black-capped American Titmice belong to the section _Pœcile_ of Kaup, and exhibit but three well-marked forms; one, _P. montanus_, with a white stripe over the eye; one, _atricapillus_, without it, with black head; and one, _hudsonicus_, also without it, and with brown head. The species may be arranged as follows:— 1. _Head and neck, above and beneath, black; their sides white._ A. A broad white stripe above the eye, meeting across forehead. 1. P. montanus. Edges of wing-coverts, secondaries, and tail scarcely paler than general tint above. Beneath ashy-whitish, medially. Wing, 2.85; tail, 2.50; bill (along culmen), .50; tarsus, .69; middle toe, .43; wing-formula, 45, 36, 7, 2; graduation of tail, .18. _Hab._ Mountain regions of Middle and Western United States. B. No white stripe above the eye. _a._ Tail as long as, or longer than, wing. Conspicuous white edgings to wing-coverts, secondaries, and tail-feathers. 2. P. atricapillus. Dorsal region yellowish-cinereous, wings and tail purer ash; sides light ochraceous. White edgings of tail-feathers _not_ margining their ends. Wing, 2.60; tail, 2.60; bill, .40; tarsus, .62; middle toe, .36; wing-formula, 4, 5, 6, 3, 7, 8, 29; graduation of tail, .30. (12,851 ♂: Brooklyn, N. Y.) _Hab._ Eastern Province of North America, north of about 39° … var. _atricapillus_. Dorsal region and sides with scarcely a perceptible yellowish tinge; white edgings of tail-feathers passing around their ends. Beneath whitish. Wing, 2.75; tail, 2.80; culmen, .35; tarsus, .65; middle toe, .40; wing-formula, 5, 4 = 6, 3 = 7, 8, 2 = 9; graduation of tail, .50. (3704 ♂? Salt Lake City, Utah.) _Hab._ Region of Missouri River and Rocky Mountains … var. _septentrionalis_. Colors as in _atricapillus_, but much darker. Beneath more ochraceous. Wing, 2.40; tail, 2.50; culmen, .40; tarsus, .60; middle toe, .40; wing-formula, 4th, 5th, and 6th equal, 3 = 7, 2 = 10; graduation of tail, .25. (6762 ♂? Fort Vancouver, Washington Territory.) _Hab._ Pacific Province of North America … var. _occidentalis_. _b._ Tail shorter than wing; no conspicuous white edgings to wings and tail. 3. P. meridionalis.[27] Beneath ashy (nearly dark as upper surface), whitish medially. Wing, 2.60; tail, 2.20; culmen, .40; tarsus, .63; middle toe, .40; wing-formula, 4, 5, 6, 3 = 7, 2 = 10; graduation of tail, .10. (10,203, Mexico.) _Hab._ Eastern Mexico. 4. P. carolinensis. Beneath pale soiled ochraceous-whitish, scarcely lighter medially. Wing, 2.55; tail, 2.30; culmen, .35; tarsus, .53; middle toe, .38; wing-formula, 5, 4, 6, 7, 3, 8, 2 = 9; graduation of tail, .10. (706 ♂, Washington, D. C.) _Hab._ Eastern Province of United States, south of about 40°. 2. _Head and neck, above and beneath, brown, the throat darkest; their sides white._ C. Back, scapulars, rump, and sides rusty-chestnut. 5. P. rufescens. Side of neck pure white. Wing, 2.35; tail, 2.00; tarsus, .61; middle toe, .40. Tail scarcely graduated. _Hab._ Pacific coast of North America. D. Back, etc., grayish or ochraceous brown. 6. P. hudsonicus. Side of neck grayish. Back, etc., smoky-gray. Sides dark rusty-brown. Wing, 2.45; tail, 2.45; tarsus, .62; middle toe, .35; graduation of tail, .30. (17,101, Halifax, N. S.) _Hab._ Arctic America; south to northern boundary of the United States (except to westward). 7. P. sibiricus.[28] Side of neck white. Back, etc., rusty ochraceous-gray. Sides rusty ochraceous. Wing, 2.70; tail, 2.80; tarsus, .66; middle toe, .36; graduation of tail, .30. _Hab._ Europe. Parus montanus, GAMBEL. MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE: WHITE-BROWED CHICKADEE. _Parus montanus_, GAMBEL, Pr. A. N. S. Phila. April, 1843, 259; Journ. A. N. Sc. 2d Series, I, 1847, 35, pl. viii, f. 1.—BAIRD, B. N. A. 1858, 394; Review Am. B. I, 1864, 82.—ELLIOT, Illust.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 46. SP. CHAR. Head and neck above, with under part of head and throat, glossy black; forehead, stripe above the eye and band below it, involving the auriculars, white. These stripes embracing between them a black band through the eye and confluent with the black of the head. Above ashy; beneath similar, but paler; the upper part of breast and middle line of belly white. Length about 5 inches; wing, 2.60; tail, 2.40. HAB. Mountain region of Middle and Western United States. [Line drawing: _Parus atricapillus._ 12851] HABITS. The Mountain Chickadee was first met with by Dr. Gambel in journeying westward from Santa Fé, in New Mexico, and from thence was found in all the ranges of the Rocky Mountains nearly to California. Its notes and habits are said to closely resemble those of the common Chickadee, but weaker and more varied. It keeps more in low bushes, where it moves from branch to branch with untiring activity, searching each minutely for small insects. It also frequently descends to the ground to pick up small seeds. While thus occupied it will occasionally stop, look round, and, uttering a slender _te-de-de_, and then its usual note, _to-de-de-dait_, will fly to another bush. On the Rio Colorado they kept chiefly among the cotton-wood trees that grew along its banks, and its familiar notes were almost the only sounds heard. They were observed in large and busy flocks along the smaller streams in company with the Least Tit and the _Reguli_. Dr. Gambel did not find them, however, so abundant on the California sides of the ridge, where other species took their place. Dr. Heermann found this Titmouse abundant among the mountains surrounding the Volcano in the southern mines, and subsequently met with them on the summit of the Tejon Pass. He thinks their notes and habits very similar to those of the _atricapillus_. Dr. Suckley obtained a single specimen at Fort Dalles, but regarded it as extremely rare in that locality. Dr. Woodhouse found it quite abundant in the San Francisco Mountains of New Mexico, where it was feeding among the tall pines in company with kindred species. [Illustration: _Parus montanus._] Mr. Ridgway found this species in great abundance among the pines on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, as well as in all the extensive cedar-groves on the mountains to the eastward. Around Carson City this species was found throughout the winter. In its manners and notes, particularly the latter, it was hardly distinguishable from _P. carolinensis_. The notes are described as louder and more distinct, though their calls in spring are rather less clearly articulated. Parus atricapillus, LINN. EASTERN CHICKADEE; BLACK-CAPPED TITMOUSE. _Parus atricapillus_, LINN. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 341 (based on _Parus atricapillus canadensis_, BRISSON, III, 553, tab. xxix, fig. 1).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 390; Review, 80.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 13, no. 80.—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska).—SAMUELS, 182. _Pœcile atricapilla_, BON. Consp. 1850, 230. _Parus palustris_, NUTT. Man. I, 1832, 79. Figured by AUDUBON, WILSON, etc. SP. CHAR. Second quill as long as the secondaries. Tail very slightly rounded; lateral feathers about .10 shorter than middle. Back brownish-ashy. Top of head and throat black, sides of head between them white. Beneath whitish; brownish-white on the sides. Sides of outer tail-feathers, some of primaries, and secondaries conspicuously margined with white. Length, 5.00; wing, 2.50; tail, 2.50. HAB. Eastern North America, north of 39th parallel. In this species the first quill is spurious; the fourth quill is longest; the fifth and sixth successively a little shorter; the third is about equal to, or a little shorter than, the eighth; the second is a very little longer than the secondaries. The tail is a little rounded, the innermost feather longest, the rest successively a little shorter. The greatest difference in length of tail-feathers amounts to .30 of an inch. [Illustration: PLATE VII. 1. Parus atricapillus, _Linn._ ♂ N. York, 12851. 2. “ _var._ septentrionalis, _Harris_. Mission Valley. 3. “ _var._ occidentalis, _Baird_. Washington Territory. 4. “ carolinensis, _Aud._ ♂ D. C., 706. 5. “ montanus, _Gambel_. Nevada, 53456. 6. “ rufescens, _Towns._ Pacific coast, 45946. 7. “ hudsonicus, _Forst._ N. Scotia. 8. Psaltriparus melanotis, _Bon._ Mexico. 9. “ minimus, _Towns._ Cal., 22417. 10. “ _var._ plumbeus, _Baird_. Arizona. 11. Auriparus flaviceps, _Sund._ 42210.] The entire crown, from the bill to the upper part of the back, coming down on the sides to the lower level of the eye, is pure black, although the edge alone of the lower eyelid is of this color. A second black patch begins at the lower mandible and occupies the entire under surface of the head and throat, but not extending as far back within a quarter of an inch as that on the upper part of the neck. The space between these two patches, on the sides of the head and neck, is white, this color extending along the black of the back of the neck as far as its truncated extremity, but not bordering it behind. The middle of the breast and belly, as far as the vent, is dull white, that immediately behind the black of the throat a little clearer. The sides of the breast and body under the wings, with the under tail-coverts, are pale, dull brownish-white. The back, rump, and upper tail-coverts are of a dirty bluish-ash, washed with yellowish-brown, especially on the rump. The wings are brown; the outer edges of the third to the seventh primaries narrowly edged with whitish; the innermost secondaries more broadly and conspicuously edged with the same; larger coverts edged with dirty whitish. Outer webs of tail-feathers edged with white, purest and occupying half the web in the external one, narrowing and less clear to the central feathers, the basal portions, especially, assuming more the color of the back. HABITS. The common Chickadee or Black-capped Titmouse is so well known throughout the greater portion of the United States as to be generally accepted, by common consent, as the typical representative of its numerous family. Until recently it has been supposed to be universally distributed over the continent, and while this is now questioned, it is not quite clear where its limits occur. In Eastern Maine the _Parus hudsonicus_ and this species meet. In the District of Columbia it crosses the northern limits of _P. carolinensis_, and in the northern Mississippi Valley it mingles with the var. _septentrionalis_. It remains to be ascertained how far the species exceeds these bounds. A few individuals of this species were observed by Mr. Dall, December 12, at Nulato, where, however, it was not common. They were also obtained by Bischoff at Sitka and Kodiak. As in very many essential respects the whole family of _Paridæ_ are alike in their characteristics of habits, their manner of collecting food, their restless, uneasy movements, the similarity of their cries, their residence in hollow trees or branches, and their nesting in similar places, with the exception only of a few species that construct their own pouch-like nests, we have taken the best known as the common point of comparison. Except in the variations in plumage, the points of difference are never great or very noticeable. In New England the Black-Cap is one of our most common and familiar birds. In the vicinity of Calais, Mr. Boardman speaks of it as resident and abundant. The writer did not meet with it in Nova Scotia, nor even in the islands of the Bay of Fundy, where the _hudsonicus_ is a common bird. It is a resident species, nesting early in May, and having full-fledged nestlings early in June. While it seems to prefer the edges of woods as best affording the means of food and shelter, it by no means confines itself to these localities, not only appearing familiarly around the dwellings in the winter season, but also occasionally breeding in open and exposed places. A hollow post of a fence in the midst of open cultivated fields, a decayed stump near the side of a public highway, a hollow log in a frequented farmyard, and even the side of an inhabited dwelling, are localities these birds have been known to select in which to rear their young. In the winter they not unfrequently extend their visits, in search of food, into the very heart of large and crowded cities, where they seem as much at home and as free from alarm as in the seclusion of the forest, searching every crack where insect larvæ or eggs can be hid. On one occasion a pair had built its nest over a covered well which connects with the dwelling by a side door, through which water was drawn at all hours of the day by means of buckets and a rope, the wheel for which was in close proximity to their nest. They manifested, however, no uneasiness, and even after the young were ready to fly, the whole family would return to the place for shelter at night and during inclement weather. Their courage and devotion to their young is a remarkable trait with the whole race, and with none more than with the present species. On one occasion a Black-Cap was seen to fly into a rotten stump near the roadside in Brookline. The stump was so much decayed that its top was readily broken off and the nest exposed. The mother refused to leave until forcibly taken off by the hand, and twice returned to the nest when thus removed, and it was only by holding her in the hand that an opportunity was given to ascertain there were seven young birds in her nest. She made no complaints, uttered no outcries, but resolutely and devotedly thrust herself between her nestlings and the seeming danger. When released she immediately flew back to them, covered them under her sheltering wings, and looked up in the face of her tormentors with a quiet and resolute courage that could not be surpassed. The nest of the Chickadee is usually a warm and soft felted mass of the hair and fur of the smaller quadrupeds, downy feathers, fine dry grasses and mosses, lining the cavity in which it is placed and contracting it into a deep and purse-like opening if the cavity be larger than is necessary. Usually the site selected is already in existence, and only enlarged or altered to suit the wishes of the pair. But not unfrequently, at some pains, they will excavate an opening for themselves, not only in decaying wood, but even into limbs or trunks that are entirely sound. These birds in winter collect around the camps of the log-cutters, become very tame, and seek on all occasions to share with their occupants their food, often soliciting their portion with plaintive tones. Though nearly omnivorous in the matter of food, they prefer insects to everything else, and the amount of good conferred by them on the farmers and the owners of woodlands in the destruction of insects in all their forms—egg, caterpillar, larva, or imago—must be very great. No chrysalis is too large to resist their penetrating bill, and no eggs so well hidden that they cannot find them out. I have known one to attack and fly off with the chrysalis of a “Woolly-bear” or salt-marsh caterpillar (_Leucarctia acræa_). When thus foraging for their food they seem totally unconscious of the near presence of man, and unmindful of what is passing around them, so intent are they upon the object of their pursuit. The notes of the Chickadee exhibit a great variety of sounds and combinations. As they roam through the country in small flocks in quest of food, their refrain is a continued and lively succession of varying notes sounding like a quaint chant. When annoyed by any intrusion, their cry is louder and harsher. They are rarely thus disturbed by the presence of man, and even when their nest is approached by him they present only a passive and silent resistance. Not so when a cat or a squirrel is observed in unwelcome vicinity. These are pursued with great and noisy pertinacity and hoarse cries of _dāy, dāy, dāy_, in which they are often joined by others of the same species. So far as we have observed them, they are apparently affectionate, gentle, and loving to each other. We utterly discredit the accusation that they will treacherously beat out the brains of feeble birds of their own race. It is unsupported by testimony, and in the instance cited by Wilson he gives no evidence that this injury may not have been done by some other species, and not by one of its own kindred. Their nest is usually near the ground, and the number of eggs rarely if ever exceeds eight. They are said to have two broods in the season, but this statement seems to be contradicted by their continued presence after June in small flocks, evidently the parents and their first and only brood, who apparently remain together nine or ten months. The eggs of this species vary somewhat in regard to the distribution and number of the reddish-brown markings with which their white ground is more or less sprinkled. In some they are chiefly gathered in a ring about the larger end; in others they are distributed over the entire egg. Their eggs are smaller and a little less spherical in shape than those of the _septentrionalis_, averaging .58 by .47 of an inch. Parus atricapillus, var. septentrionalis, HARRIS. LONG-TAILED CHICKADEE. _Parus septentrionalis_, HARRIS, Pr. A. N. Sc. II, 1845, 300.—CASSIN, Illust. I, 1853, 17, 80, pl. xiv.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 389; Review, 79.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 14, no. 82. _Parus septentrionalis_, var. _albescens_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, xxxvii. _? Parus atricapillus_, PR. MAX. Cab. Jour. VI, 1858, 119. SP. CHAR. Length about 5.50 inches; wing, 2.70; tail about 3 inches. Head above and below black, separated by white on the sides of the head; back brownish-ash. Beneath white, tinged with pale brownish-white on the sides. Outer tail-feathers, primaries, and secondaries broadly edged with white, involving nearly the whole outer web of outer tail-feather. Tail much graduated; the outer feather about .50 of an inch shorter than the middle. Second quill about as long as the secondaries. HAB. Region of Missouri River to Rocky Mountains. This race is very similar to the _P. atricapillus_, but differs from it somewhat as _atricapillus_ does from _carolinensis_. Its size is much greater; the tail proportionally longer, and much more graduated; the white of wing and tail purer and more extended. The bill appears to be stouter and more conical. The back has, perhaps, a little more yellowish. The spurious or first primary is larger. It will be a difficult matter to retain this as a species distinct from _atricapillus_, in view of the insensible gradation from one form to the other; and it may be looked upon, with scarcely a doubt, as simply a long-tailed Western variety of the common species. _P. occidentalis_, and, probably, even _P. carolinensis_, may even fall under the same category, their peculiarities of color and size being precisely such as would _a priori_ be expected from their geographical distribution. HABITS. The Long-tailed Titmouse appears to have an extended distribution between the Mississippi Valley and the Rocky Mountains, from Texas into the British Possessions, specimens having been received from Fort Simpson and Lake Winnipeg. Among the notes of the late Robert Kennicott is one dated Lake Winnipeg, June 6, mentioning the dissection of a female of this species found to contain a full-sized egg. A memorandum made by Mr. Ross, dated at Fort William, May 15, speaks of this bird as abundant at Fort Simpson, from August until November, the last having been seen November 10. One was shot, June 2, on Winnipeg River, “a female, who was about to lay her egg.” In regard to its distinct individual history but little is as yet known. It was discovered and first described by the late Edward Harris, of New Jersey, who accompanied Mr. Audubon in his expedition to the upper branches of the Missouri River, and who obtained this bird on the Yellowstone, about thirty miles above its junction with the Missouri, on the 26th of July. He describes its notes as similar to those of the common _atricapillus_, but less harsh and querulous, and more liquid in their utterance. Subsequently specimens were obtained by Mr. Kern, artist to the exploring expedition under Fremont in 1846. It is the largest species of this genus in America. In its breeding-habits it is not different from the Eastern representatives. Mr. B. F. Goss found this species breeding abundantly at Neosho Falls, in Kansas. They nest in decayed stumps, hollow trees, branches, logs, etc., after the manner of the _atricapillus_. The excavation is usually ten or twelve inches, and even more, in depth. The nest is warmly made of a loose soft felt composed of the fur and fine hair of small quadrupeds, feathers, and the finer mosses. The eggs, usually five, occasionally eight, in number, are of a rounded oval shape, measuring .60 by .50 of an inch. They have a pure dull-white ground, and the entire egg is very uniformly and pretty thickly covered with fine markings and small blotches of red and reddish-brown intermingled with a few dots of purplish. Parus atricapillus, var. occidentalis, BAIRD. WESTERN CHICKADEE. _Parus occidentalis_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 391 (W. Territory); Review, 81.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 14, no. 82.—ELLIOT, Illust. 1, pl. viii.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 45. SP. CHAR. Tarsi lengthened. Tail graduated; outer feather about .25 of an inch shorter than the middle. Above dark brownish-ash; head and neck above and below black, separated on the sides by white; beneath light, dirty, rusty yellowish-brown, scarcely whiter along the middle of body. Tail and wings not quite so much edged with whitish as in _P. atricapillus_. Length about 4.75; wing, 2.40; tail, 2.40. HAB. Northwest coast region of the United States. This race is of the same size as _P. atricapillus_, and resembles it in its markings; the ashy of the back is, however, washed with a darker shade of yellowish-brown. The brown of the under parts is so much darker as to cause the predominant color there to be a pale yellowish-brown, instead of brownish-white. The fourth quill is longest; the fifth and sixth a little shorter than the third; the second is about as long as the secondaries. The tail is rounded, rather more so than in most _atricapillus_, the difference in the lengths of the feathers amounting to about .25 of an inch. The amount of light margining to the quills and tail-feathers is much as in _atricapillus_, but rather less, perhaps, on the tail. This seems to be the Pacific coast representative of the _P. atricapillus_, as _septentrionalis_ belongs to the middle region, corresponding in its differences with other Western representatives of Eastern species. HABITS. Dr. Cooper, in his Birds of Washington Territory, says of this variety: “The common Black-capped Chickadee, so abundant in the Eastern States, is, in Washington Territory, represented by the Western Titmouse, frequenting the low thickets and trees, where it is always busily employed seeking food.” He observed its nest near Puget Sound, burrowed in soft rotten wood. Dr. Suckley found it quite abundant in the valley of the Willamette, and also at Fort Vancouver during winter. In habits it closely resembles the Black-Cap of the Eastern States. It is chiefly found in Oregon and Washington Territory, visiting the northern part of California in winter, when it is also abundant near the Columbia River. At this season it is generally found among the deciduous trees along streams and oak groves, seeking its food among the branches. It feeds on seeds and insects, and is very fond of fresh meat, fat, and crumbs of bread. They migrate but little, remaining at the Columbia River even when the ground is covered with snow. The eggs are as yet unknown, but without doubt they closely resemble those of the Eastern species. Parus carolinensis, AUDUBON. SOUTHERN CHICKADEE. _Parus carolinensis_, AUD. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 474, pl. clx.—IB. Birds Am. II, 1841, 152, pl. cxxvii.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 392; Review, 81.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 13, no. 81. _Pœcile carolinensis_, BON. Consp. 1850, 230. SP. CHAR. Second quill appreciably longer than secondaries. Tail very little rounded. Length about 4.50 inches; wing less than 2.50; tail, 2.40. Back brownish-ash. Head above, and throat, black, separated on sides of head by white. Beneath white; brownish-white on sides. Outer tail-feathers, primaries, and secondaries, not edged with white. HAB. South Atlantic and gulf region of United States, north to Washington, D. C., Texas and the Mississippi Valley; north to Central Illinois; the only species in the southern portion of the latter State. This species is, in general, rather smaller than _P. atricapillus_, although the tail and wing appear to be of much the same size. The body and feet are, however, smaller, and the extent of wing is three quarters of an inch less. The bill is apparently shorter and stouter. The primaries are proportionally and absolutely considerably longer than the secondaries in the present species, the difference being .55 of an inch, instead of .45. The tail is rather more rounded, the feathers narrower. The tail is considerably shorter than the wing, instead of longer; the black of the throat extends much farther back, is more dense and more sharply defined behind, than in _atricapillus_. Taking into view these differences, and others of color, we feel justified in retaining this as a species distinct from _atricapillus_, and, in fact, having _meridionalis_ as its nearest relative (see Synoptical Table). Both this species and _atricapillus_ are found together in the Middle States, each preserving its characteristics. HABITS. South of the once famous line of Mason and Dixon this smaller counterpart of the Chickadee seems to entirely replace it, although in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and occasionally even as far to the north as New York City, the two occur together. Its range is presumed to be all the States south of the Potomac and the Ohio, as far to the west as the Rio Grande. It was probably this species, and not the _atricapillus_, which was met with by Dr. Woodhouse in the Indian Territory. Without much doubt it breeds in all the States south of Pennsylvania. In Southern Illinois, as far north in the Wabash Valley as the mouth of White River, this is the only species, unless the _P. atricapillus_ occasionally occurs in winter. Specimens from this region are undistinguishable from those taken in Georgia and the extreme Southern States, and do not present the peculiar features of _P. atricapillus_. It is a very abundant species, and resident, being in winter one of the most common, as well as one of the most familiar birds, inhabiting _all_ localities, giving preference neither to swampy woods nor to door-yards, for it is as often seen in one place as another. It is never gregarious, though many may often be seen or heard at the same moment. It begins incubation early in April, generally selecting the wild plum and red-bud trees in the woods. This species very often constructs its own nesting-places, and the soft wood of these trees is very easily excavated. The excavation is generally made in a horizontal dead limb, with the opening on the under side; this is neat and regular, and as elaborate as those of any of the woodpeckers. Sometimes, however, a natural cavity is selected, frequently in a prostrate stump or “snag.” The nest is almost always a very elaborate structure, being a strong compact cup or bed of “felt,” whose main material is rabbit-fur and cow-hair. In its habits it seems to resemble more closely the _P. palustris_ of Europe than the _atricapillus_, being generally found only in the immediate vicinity of ponds and deep, marshy, moist woods. It is also rarely found other than singly or in pairs, the parent birds, unlike most of this family, separating from their young soon after the latter are able to provide for themselves. It rarely or never moves in flocks. Their notes are said to be less sonorous and less frequent than those of our Black-capped Titmouse. In the winter a portion retire from the coast in South Carolina into the interior of the State and into Florida, where Mr. Audubon found them, in the winter of 1831 and 1832, much more abundant than he had ever seen them elsewhere. He found them breeding as early as February, occasionally in the nests deserted by the Brown-headed Nuthatch. A nest obtained by Dr. Bachman from a hollow stump, about four feet from the ground, was in form cup-shaped, measuring two inches internally in diameter at the mouth, and three externally, with a depth of two inches. It was constructed of cotton, fine wool, a few fibres of plants, and so elaborately felted together as to be of uniform thickness throughout. Mr. Audubon was in error in regard to the eggs, which he describes as pure white. Their ground-color is of pure crystalline whiteness, but they are freely and boldly marked all over with deep reddish-brown and red spots. These, so far as we have compared the eggs, are larger, more numerous, and more deeply marked than are any eggs of the _atricapillus_ we have ever met with. According to the observations of the late Dr. Alexander Gerhardt of Whitfield County, Georgia, these birds usually breed in holes that have been previously dug out by the _Picus pubescens_, or in decaying stumps not more than five or six feet from the ground. He never met with its nest in living trees. The eggs are from five to seven in number, and are usually deposited in Georgia from the 10th to the last of April. The eggs of this species are slightly larger than those of the _atricapillus_, and the reddish-brown blotches with which they are profusely covered are much more distinctly marked. They are of a spheroidal oval in shape, have a pure white ground, very uniformly and generally sprinkled with blotches of a reddish-brown. They measure .60 by .50 of an inch. Parus rufescens, TOWNS. CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE. _Parus rufescens_, TOWNSEND, J. A. N. Sc. Phil. VII, II, 1837, 190.—AUD. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 371, pl. cccliii.—IB. Birds Am. 1841, 158, pl. cxxix.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 394; Review, 83.—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. Rep. XII, II, 1859, 194 (nesting).—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 14, no. 86.—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska).—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 47. _Pœcile rufescens_, BONAP. Consp. 1850, 230. SP. CHAR. Whole head and neck above, and throat from bill to upper part of breast, sooty blackish-brown. Sides of head and neck, upper part of breast, and middle of body, white; back and sides dark brownish-chestnut. Length, 4.75 inches; wing, 2.36; tail, 2.16. HAB. Western United States, near Pacific coast. HABITS. The Chestnut-backed Titmouse was first obtained by Townsend on the banks of the Columbia River, and described in the Journal of the Philadelphia Academy. It is a resident, throughout the year, of the forests of the Columbia, and is found throughout California. Like all of this familiar family, they may be seen in small flocks, of all ages, in the autumn and winter, moving briskly about, uttering a number of feeble querulous notes, after the manner of the _atricapillus_, but never joining in anything like the quaint and jingling song of that bird. They occasionally have a confused warbling chatter. These busy little groups may be often seen in company with the _Parus occidentalis_ and the _Regulus satrapa_, moving through the bushes and thickets, carefully collecting insects, their larvæ and eggs, for a few moments, and then flying off for some other place. They are supposed to rear their young in the midst of the densest forests. Mr. Nuttall states that when the gun thins their ranks the survivors display surprising courage and solicitude, following their destroyer with wailing cries, entreating for their companions. Dr. Gambel found the young of this species in great abundance around Monterey in the fall and winter months. Dr. Heermann saw them in June, 1852, feeding their young in the vicinity of San Francisco, where, however, they are rare. In Washington Territory, Dr. Cooper found this the most abundant species. It preferred the dense evergreens, where large parties could be found at all seasons busily seeking food among the leaves and branches, ascending even to the highest tops. They were usually in company with the _Reguli_ and the other Titmice. Mr. Bischoff found them abundant at Sitka. They nest, like all the others of this genus, in holes in soft decayed trunks and large limbs of trees a few feet from the ground. Their eggs are not as yet known. Parus hudsonicus, FORST. HUDSON’S BAY CHICKADEE; BROWN-CAPPED CHICKADEE. _Parus hudsonicus_, FORSTER, Philos. Trans. LXII, 1772, 383, 430.— AUD. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 543, pl. cxciv.—IB. Birds Am. II, 1841, 155, pl. cxxviii.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 395; Review, 82.—SAMUELS, 185.—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska). _Parus hudsonicus_ var. _littoralis_, BRYANT, Pr. Bost. Soc. N. H. IX. 1863, 368. SP. CHAR. Above yellowish olivaceous-brown; top of head purer brown, not very different in tint. Chin and throat dark sooty-brown. Sides of head white. Beneath white; sides and anal region light brownish-chestnut. No whitish on wings or tail. Tail nearly even, or slightly emarginate and rounded. Lateral feathers about .20 shortest. Length about 5 inches; wing, 2.40; tail, 2.66. HAB. Northern portions of North America, from Atlantic to Pacific. Specimens from the most northern localities appear larger than those from Maine and Nova Scotia (_P. littoralis_, BRYANT), with proportionally longer tails (3.00 inches, instead of 2.40). We can, however, detect no other difference. The _Parus sibiricus_ of Europe is very similar in coloration and characters to the _P. hudsonicus_. The principal difference is seen in the cheeks, which in _sibiricus_ are pure white, this color extending along the entire side of the neck, widening behind, and extending round towards the back. In _hudsonicus_ the cheeks behind the eyes and sides of the neck are ash-gray, the white being confined to the region below or near the eye. The smoky-gray of the upper part of head and neck in _sibiricus_ is in a stronger contrast with the brighter rufescent-gray of the back, and is separated from it by an obscure, concealed, whitish dorsal half-collar, represented in _hudsonicus_ only by a dull grayish shade in the plumage. HABITS. This interesting species, one of the liveliest and most animated of its family, belongs to the northern and eastern sections of North America. It is found in the eastern and northern portions of Maine, and probably also in the northern parts of New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire. In the heavily wooded mountain-valley of Errol, in the latter State, Mr. Maynard met with this bird in the latter part of October, in company with the common _atricapillus_. In the same month he also obtained two birds in Albany, in the northwestern corner of Maine. A single specimen was taken at Concord, Massachusetts, October 29, by Mr. William Brewster. Near Calais it is resident, but not common. It is more abundant in the islands of the Bay of Fundy, where it takes the place, almost exclusively, of the _atricapillus_. The writer first met with these lively little wood-sprites in 1850, in the thick swampy woods which cover one of the small islands near Grand Menan. Their general appearance as they flitted through the woods, or rustled restlessly among the tangled débris of decaying trees and underbrush with which the forest was choked, was not unlike that of our common Black-Cap. Yet there was an indescribable something both in their cries and in their manners that at once suggested a difference of species. To my ear their cries were sharper, clearer, and a trifle harsher. There was none of that resonant jingle so full of charm in the Chickadee. Their notes, too, were more articulate, more like distinct words, and were brought out at certain times with an emphasis the effect of which was very striking. Beginning with _tschā-dēē_, the _dēē-dēē-dēē_ was reiterated with an almost incessant volubility. It seemed to be a more retiring bird, never frequenting the houses, but keeping closely to thick and retired woods. Yet it is not a timid species, but seemed entirely unmindful of our presence, or, when mindful of it, to resent it as an impropriety, rather than to fear it as a danger. They apparently had nests or young at the time of my visit, though I could not detect their locality. One pair became at last so annoyed at my prolonged presence as to manifest their uneasiness by keeping within a few feet of my head, following me wherever I went, and without ceasing from their close surveillance until I finally left their grove and emerged into the open country. All the time they brought out the cry of _dēē-dēē_ with a clear, ringing emphasis that was almost startling. A few days later, being at Halifax, Mr. Andrew Downes, the naturalist, took me to the nest of these birds in a small grove in the vicinity of that city. The nest was in a small beech-tree, and had been cut through the living wood. The excavation, which was not more than two feet from the ground, was about ten inches in depth, was in a horizontal position only about two inches, where it turned abruptly downward, and from a width of an inch and a half assumed a width of three, and a depth of seven or eight inches. This was warmly lined with feathers and soft fur. The nest contained young birds. These particulars we only ascertained when we had laid bare the excavation by a sharp hatchet. Though disappointed in our search for eggs, yet we witnessed a very touching manifestation of devotion on the part of the parents, and of neighborly solicitude in various other inmates of the grove, which was at once most interesting and a scene long to be remembered. With all the self-sacrificing devotion of the Black-Cap, these birds displayed a boldness and an aggressive intrepidity that at once commanded our respect and admiration. I never witnessed anything quite equal to it. They flew at our faces, assailed our arms as we wielded the invading hatchet, and it was difficult not to do them even unintentional injury without abandoning our purpose. Before we could examine the nest they had entered, and had to be again and again removed. As soon as we were satisfied that the nest of this heroic pair did not contain what we sought, we left them, and turned to look with equal admiration upon the indignant assembly of feathered remonstrants by which we were surrounded. The neighboring trees swarmed with a variety of birds, several of which we had never before seen in their summer homes. There were the Red-Poll Warbler, the Black and Yellow Warbler, and many others, all earnestly and eloquently crying out shame upon our proceedings. Dr. Bryant, in his Notes on the Birds of Yarmouth, N. S., etc., mentions finding quite a number of this species on Big Mud Island, near that place. A pair of these birds with their young were seen by him near Yarmouth on the 3d of July. Their habits seemed to him identical with those of the Black-Cap. The young were fully grown and could fly with ease, yet their parents were so solicitous about their safety that he could almost catch them with his hand. Their notes appeared to him similar to those of our common species, but sharper and more filing, and can be readily imitated by repeating, with one’s front teeth shut together, the syllables _tzēē-dēē-dēē-dēē_. Mr. Audubon found a nest of this Titmouse in Labrador. It was built in a decayed stump about three feet from the ground, was purse-shaped, eight inches in depth, two in diameter, and its sides an inch thick. It was entirely composed of the finest fur of various quadrupeds, chiefly of the northern hare, and all so thickly and ingeniously matted throughout as to seem as if felted by the hand of man. It was wider at the bottom than at the top. The birds vehemently assailed the party. Mr. Ross, in notes communicated to the late Mr. Kennicott, mentions that specimens of this species were shot at Fort Simpson, October 13, in company with _P. septentrionalis_, and others were afterwards seen towards the mountains. The notes he describes as harsher than those of the _septentrionalis_. The Smithsonian museum contains specimens from Fort Yukon and Great Slave Lake, besides the localities already referred to. Mr. Dall found it the commonest Titmouse at Nulato, abundant in the winter, but not present in the spring. The eggs of this species measure .56 by .47 of an inch, are of a rounded oval shape, and with a white ground are somewhat sparingly marked with a few reddish-brown spots. These are usually grouped in a ring around the larger end. GENUS PSALTRIPARUS, BONAP. _Psaltriparus_, BONAP. Comptes Rendus, XXXI, 1850, 478. (Type, _P. melanotis_.) _Ægithaliscus_, CABANIS, Museum Heineanum, 1851, 90. (Type, _Parus erythrocephalus_.) _Psaltria_, CASSIN, Ill. N. Am. Birds, 1853, 19. GEN. CHAR. Size very small and slender. Bill very small, short, compressed, and with its upper outline much curved for the terminal half. Upper mandible much deeper than under. Tail long, slender, much graduated; much longer than the wings; the feathers very narrow. Tarsi considerably longer than the middle toe. No black on the crown or throat. Eyes white in some specimens, brown in others. Nest purse-shaped; eggs unspotted, white. No bird of this genus belongs to the eastern portion of the United States. The three species may be defined as follows:— A. Head striped with black on the sides. P. melanotis. The stripes passing under the eye and uniting on the occiput. _Hab._ Eastern Mexico B. No stripes on the head. P. minimus. Back ashy; crown light brown. _Hab._ Pacific Province of United States … var. _minimus._ Back and crown uniform ashy. _Hab._ Middle Province and southern Rocky Mountains of United States … var. _plumbeus._ Psaltriparus melanotis, BONAP. BLACK-EARED BUSH-TITMOUSE. _Parus melanotis_, HARTLAUB, Rev. Zoöl. 1844, 216. _Pœcile melanotis_, BP. Consp. 1850, 230. _Ægithaliscus melanotis_, CAB. Mus. Hein. I, 1850, 1851, 90. _Psaltria melanotis_, WESTERMANN, Bijd. Dierk. 1851, 16, plate. _Psaltriparus melanotis_, BONAP. C. R. XXXVIII, 1854.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1858, 299.—IB. 1864, 172 (City Mex.).—SALVIN, Ibis, 1866, 190 (Guatemala).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 386, pl. liii, fig. 3; Review, 84. _Psaltriparus personatus_, BONAP. C. R. XXXI, Sept. 1850, 478. SP. CHAR. A black patch on each cheek, nearly meeting behind. Crown and edges of the wing and tail ash-gray; rest of upper parts yellowish-brown, lighter on the rump. Beneath whitish; anal region tinged with yellowish-brown. Length about 4 inches; wing, 1.90; tail, 2.30. HAB. Eastern Mexico; south to Guatemala; Oaxaca (high region), SCLATER. East Humboldt Mountains, Nevada? RIDGWAY. [Line drawing: _Psaltriparus minimus._ 29711 ♂] HABITS. In regard to the specific peculiarities and the distinct individual habits of the members of this pretty little species, little is at present known. Its mode of nesting has not been observed, and no mention is made, by those who have met with it, of its peculiarities of song, nor have we any information in regard to any of its habits. Its geographical distribution, so far as ascertained, is from the south side of the valley of the Rio Grande of Mexico to Guatemala, and there is no reliable evidence of its crossing the United States boundary line, unless Mr. Ridgway is correct in his assurance that he saw it in the East Humboldt Mountains of Nevada, near Fort Ruby. It was first described from Guatemalan specimens. Mr. O. Salvin (Ibis, 1866, p. 190) states that on more than one occasion he observed what he believed to be this species, in the pine-woods of the mountains near Solola, and above the lake of Atitlan. Psaltriparus minimus, var. minimus, BONAP. LEAST BUSH-TITMOUSE. _Parus minimus_, TOWNSEND, J. A. N. Sc. VII, ii, 1837, 190.—AUD. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 382, pl. ccclxxxii, figs. 5, 6.—IB. Birds Am. II, 1841, 160, pl. cxxx. _Pœcile minima_, BON. Consp. 1850, 230. _Psaltria minima_, CASSIN, Illust. 1853, 20. _Psaltriparus minimus_, BON. C. R. XXXVIII, 1854, 62.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 397; Review, 84.—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. Rep. XII, ii, 1859, 195.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 48. SP. CHAR. Tail long, feathers graduated. Above rather dark olivaceous-cinereous; top and sides of head smoky-brown. Beneath pale whitish-brown, darker on the sides. Length about 4 inches; wing, 1.90; tail, 2.25. HAB. Pacific coast of United States. There is quite an appreciable difference between specimens of this species from Washington Territory and California; the latter are smaller, the under parts paler. In the series before us, however, we see no grounds for specific distinction. [Illustration: _Psaltriparus minimus._] HABITS. This interesting little species was first added to our fauna by the indefatigable Mr. Townsend in 1837. It is abundant throughout the Pacific coast from Fort Steilacoom to Fort Tejon. Dr. Gambel found it exceedingly abundant both in the Rocky Mountains and throughout California. During the winter the otherwise cheerless woods were alive with the busy and noisy troops of these restless and industrious birds, gleaning their scanty fare in company with the _Reguli_, in every possible position and manner, from bush and tree. He describes their anxious solicitous search for food as quite curious. They kept up a continual twittering, and so intent were they in their employment that they appeared to lose sight of all danger, and it was by no means unusual to be so surrounded by a flock as almost to render it possible to catch them in the hand. Dr. Cooper found this species abundant in Washington Territory, but never met with it north of the Columbia River. Dr. Suckley says it is quite common at Fort Steilacoom. He could not, however, detect any difference in its habits from those of other species of this family. He saw none in Washington Territory during the winter, and presumes they all migrate to the South, though the _rufescens_ and the _occidentalis_ are found there throughout the winter. Townsend, however, speaks of it as a constant resident about the Columbia River, hopping around among the bushes, hanging from the twigs in the manner of other Titmice, twittering all the while with a rapid enunciation resembling the words _thshish tshist-tsee-twee_. Mr. Nuttall first observed their arrival on the banks of the Wahlamet River about the middle of May. They were very industriously engaged in quest of insects, and were by no means shy, but kept always in the low bushes in the skirts of the woods. On one occasion the male bird was so solicitous in regard to the safety of the nest as to attract him to the place where, suspended from a low bush, about four feet from the ground, hung their curious home. It was formed like a long purse, with a round hole for entrance near the top, and made of moss, down, lint of plants, and lined with feathers. The eggs were six in number, pure white, and already far gone toward hatching. In the following June, in a dark wood near Fort Vancouver, he saw a flock of about twelve, which, by imitating their chirping, he was able to call around him, and which kept up an incessant and querulous chirping. A nest of this bird presented by Mr. Nuttall to Audubon was cylindrical in form, nine inches in length and three and a half in diameter. It was suspended from the fork of a small twig, and was composed externally of hypnum, lichens, and fibrous roots so interwoven as to present a smooth surface, with a few stems of grasses and feathers intermingled. The aperture was at the top, and did not exceed seven eighths of an inch in diameter. The diameter of the internal passage for two thirds of its length was two inches. This was lined with the cottony down of willows and a vast quantity of soft feathers. The eggs were nine in number, pure white, .56 of an inch by .44 in their measurement. Dr. Cooper found them throughout the year near San Francisco. He found one of their nests at San Diego as early as the first of March. The nest is so large, compared with the size of the birds, as to suggest the idea that the flock unite to build it. He gives the measurements as eight inches in length and three in diameter, outside; the cavity five inches long, one and a half in diameter. It was cylindrical, and suspended by one end from a low branch. When one of these birds is killed, Dr. Cooper says that the others come round it with great show of anxiety, and call plaintively until they find it will not follow them, becoming so fearless as almost to allow of their being taken by the hand. Psaltriparus minimus, var. plumbeus, BAIRD. LEAD-COLORED BUSH-TITMOUSE. _Psaltria plumbea_, BAIRD, Pr. A. N. S. VII, June, 1854, 118 (Little Colorado). _Psaltriparus plumbeus_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 398, pl. xxxiii, fig. 2; Review, 84.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 398, no. 77.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 49. SP. CHAR. Tail long, feathers graduated. Above rather light olivaceous-cinereous. Top of head rather clearer; forehead, chin, and sides of head, pale smoky-brown. Beneath brownish-white, scarcely darker on the sides. Length about 4.20 inches; wing, 2.15; tail, 2.50. HAB. Southern Rocky Mountain region of United States, from mountains of West Arizona to Green River, Wyoming; west to Carson City, Nevada (RIDGWAY). This variety is very similar to the _Psaltriparus minimus_ of the west coast, which it represents in the Rocky Mountain region. It is, however, appreciably larger, the wings and tail proportionally longer. The top of the head is plumbeous, uniform with the back, instead of smoky-brown. The back is a paler ash, the under parts darker. HABITS. Of the history of this variety but little is known. It is found in the southern portion of the Rocky Mountain regions, within the United States, in Arizona and New Mexico. The extent of its area of distribution remains to be ascertained. Dr. Kennerly met with it on Little Colorado River, where he observed it among the scattered bushes along the banks of the river, occurring in large flocks. These passed rapidly from place to place, uttering their short, quick notes. He afterward met with them along the head waters of Bill Williams Fork, inhabiting the tops of the cotton-wood trees. When attracted to them by their notes, they could only be seen after a very careful search. He obtained no knowledge as to their mode of nesting, and no information, so far as we are aware, has been obtained in regard to their eggs. It may, however, be safely conjectured that they are white, and hardly distinguishable from those of the _minimus_. Dr. Coues found them common near Fort Whipple, Arizona. Mr. Ridgway met with this bird in especial abundance among the cañons of West Humboldt Mountains in September. He found it also in all suitable places westward to the very base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It was met with principally in the thick brushwood bordering the streams, in ever-restless companies, continually twittering as they flew from bush to bush, in single rows. Mr. Ridgway describes these birds as remarkably active in their movements. If unmolested, they were exceedingly unsuspicious and familiar. During November he found them inhabiting the cedars, always associating in scattered flocks. GENUS AURIPARUS, BAIRD. _Auriparus_, BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds, 1864, 85. (Type, _Ægithalus flaviceps_, SUND.) GEN. CHAR. Form sylvicoline. Bill conical, nearly straight, and very acute; the commissure very slightly and gently curved. Nostrils concealed by decumbent bristles. Wings long, little rounded; the first quill half the second; third, fourth, and fifth quills nearly equal, and longest. Tail slightly graduated. Lateral toes equal, the anterior united at the extreme base. Hind toe small, about equal to the lateral. Tarsus but little longer than the middle toe. This genus is closely allied to _Paroides_ of Europe, as shown in Birds of North America (p. 399), though sufficiently different. It is much more sylvicoline in appearance than the other American _Paridæ_. Auriparus flaviceps, BAIRD. YELLOW-HEADED BUSH-TITMOUSE; VERDIN. _Ægithalus flaviceps_, SUNDEVALL, Ofversigt af Vet. Ak. Förh. VII, v, 1850, 129. _Psaltria flaviceps_, SCL. P. Z. S. XXIV, March, 1856, 37. _Psaltriparus flaviceps_, SCL. Catal. Am. Birds, 1861, 13, no. 79. _Paroides flaviceps_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 400, pl. liii, fig. 2. _Auriparus flaviceps_, BAIRD, Review, 1864, 85.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 51. _Conirostrum ornatum_, LAWRENCE, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. May, 1851, 113, pl. v, fig. 1 (Texas). SP. CHAR. Above cinereous; head, all round, yellow; lesser wing-coverts chestnut; beneath brownish-white. Length, 4.50 inches; wing, 2.16; tail, 2.35. HAB. Valleys of the Rio Grande and Colorado; Cape St. Lucas. [Line drawing: _Auriparus flaviceps._ 6764] HABITS. This new and interesting little species was first added to our fauna by Mr. Lawrence in 1851, only a year after its first description as a bird of Mexico. Notwithstanding the abundance in which it has been in certain localities, less has been developed in regard to its habits and specific characteristics than we seem to have had a right to anticipate. It was found in Western Texas, in Mexico, in the lower valleys of New Mexico and Arizona, and is very abundant at Cape St. Lucas. Of the eighteen species of birds found by Mr. John Xantus breeding in the last-named locality, this one was regarded as the most abundant. In a letter from that gentleman, written in August, 1859, he mentioned that he had collected over one hundred eggs of this species, during that season, in the immediate vicinity of Cape St. Lucas. [Illustration: _Auriparus flaviceps._] Dr. Heermann, in his report on the birds observed in Lieutenant Williamson’s explorations, states that he first discovered this species in Southern California, at the terminus of the Mohave River. Owing to their extreme wildness, he was not able to obtain any specimens. In searching for their food, he states that they often remained suspended with their backs downward, after the manner of the Titmice. He found their nests quite abundant, though from the lateness of the season few of the birds were remaining, in the neighborhood of Fort Yuma. Dr. Heermann describes their nests as spherical, formed of twigs, and having the entrance on one side. The interior was lined with down and feathers, and contained usually from four to six eggs. These he describes as having, when fresh, a ground-color of pale blue, dashed all over with small black spots. Dr. Kennerly, in his Report on the Birds of the Mexican Boundary Survey, states that he met with this species in the vicinity of the Rio Grande. They were very wild, flew rapidly, and to quite a distance before they alighted. They seemed to frequent the low mezquite-bushes on the hillsides. Mr. Xantus found this species, when he first arrived at San Lucas, on the 4th of April, with young birds already fully fledged, although others were still breeding and continued to breed until the middle of July. Two fifths of all the eggs he collected that season, he writes, were of this species. This may, however, have been in part owing to the conspicuous prominence of their nests, as well as to their abundance. Xantus found the nest in various positions. In one instance it was suspended from a leafless branch not three feet from the ground, with its entrance nearly to the ground. In another instance it was on an acacia twenty feet from the ground. For the most part they are hung from low acacia-trees, on the extreme outer branches. In all cases the entrance to the nest was from the lower end, or towards the ground. Dr. J. G. Cooper, in his History of the Birds of California, speaks of finding a large number of this beautiful little bird during the whole winter frequenting the thickets of algarobia and other shrubs, and with habits intermediate between those of Titmice and Warblers, corresponding with their intermediate form. Their song resembles that of the Chickadee, and they also uttered a loud cry, as they sat on high twigs, with a triple lisping note resembling _tzee-tee-tee_. Dr. Cooper found a pair building on the 10th of March. They first formed a wall, nearly spherical in outline, of the thorny twigs of the algarobia, in which tree the nest was usually built. They then lined it with softer twigs, leaves, the down of plants, and feathers. They covered the outside with thorns, until it became a mass as large as a man’s head, or nine inches by five and a half on the outside. The cavity is four and a half inches by two, with an opening on one side just large enough for the bird to enter. On the 27th of March, Dr. Cooper found the first nest containing eggs. These were in all instances four in number, pale blue, with numerous small brown spots, chiefly near the larger end, though some had very few spots and were paler. Their size he gives as .60 by .44 of an inch. In one nest, which he closely observed, the eggs were hatched after about ten days’ incubation, and in two weeks more the young were ready to leave their nest. SUBFAMILY SITTINÆ. The characters of the _Sittinæ_ are expressed with sufficient detail on page 86. The section is represented in America by a single genus, confined mainly to the northern portion. GENUS SITTA, LINNÆUS. _Sitta_, LINNÆUS, Syst. Nat. 1735. (Agassiz.) [Line drawing: _Sitta carolinensis._ 1761 ♀] GEN. CHAR. Bill subulate, acutely pointed, compressed, about as long as the head; culmen and commissure nearly straight; gonys convex and ascending; nostrils covered by a tuft of bristles directed forward. Tarsi stout, scutellate, about equal to the middle toe, much shorter than the hinder, the claw of which is half the total length. Outer lateral toe much longer than inner, and nearly equal to the middle. Tail very short, broad, and nearly even; the feathers soft and truncate. Wings reaching nearly to the end of the tail, long and acute, the first primary one third of (or less) the third, or longest. Iris brown. Nest in holes of trees. Eggs white, spotted with reddish. The North American species may be arranged as follows:— A. Crown black. S. carolinensis. Belly white; no black stripe through eye. Bill, .70 long, .17 deep. Black spots on tertials sharply defined. _Hab._ Eastern Province North America … var. _carolinensis_. Bill, .80 long, .14 deep. Black spots on tertials obsolete. _Hab._ Middle and Western Province United States, south to Cordova, Mexico … var. _aculeata_. S. canadensis. Belly brownish-rusty. A black stripe through eye. _Hab._ Whole of North America. B. Crown not black. S. pusilla. Crown light hair-brown; hind toe much longer than the middle one. _Hab._ South Atlantic and Gulf States. S. pygmæa. Crown greenish-plumbeous; hind toe about equal to middle one. _Hab._ Western and Middle Province United States, south to Xalapa. Sitta carolinensis, var. carolinensis, LATH. WHITE-BELLIED NUTHATCH. _Sitta europæa_, var. γ, _carolinensis_, GM. S. N. I, 1788, 440. _Sitta carolinensis_, LATH. Ind. Orn. I, 1790, 262; also of all other American writers.—REICHENBACH, Handbuch, Abh. II, 1853, 153, tab. dxiii, figs. 3563, 3564.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 374, pl. xxxiii, fig. 4; Review, 86.—MAX. Cab. Jour. VI, 1858, 106. _Sitta melanocephala_, VIEILL. Gal. I, 1834, 171, pl. clxxi. Other figures: WILSON, Am. Orn. I, pl. ii, fig. 3.—AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. clii.—IB. B. A. IV, pl. ccxlvii. [Illustration: PLATE VIII. 1. Sitta carolinensis, _Gm._ ♂ Pa., 59324. 2. “ “ “ ♀ 3. Salpinctes obsoletus, _Say._ Cal., 7157. 4. Catherpes mexicanus, _Sw._, _var._ Mex., 53425. 5. Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus, _Lafr._ ♂ Cal., 7149. 6. “ affinis, _Xantus._ ♂ Cape St. Lucas, 12965. 7. Sitta canadensis, _Linn._ ♂ Pa., 818. 8. “ “ “ ♀ Pa., 2073. 9. “ pusilla, _Lath._ Ga., 1925. 10. “ pygmæa, _Vig._ Cal., 3342. 11. Certhia americana, _Bon._ ♂ Pa., 827.] SP. CHAR. Above ashy-blue. Top of head and neck black. Under parts and sides of head to a short distance above the eye white. Under tail-coverts and tibial feathers brown; concealed primaries white. Bill stout. Female with black of head glossed with ashy. Length about 6 inches; wing about 3.75. HAB. United States and British Provinces; west to the Valley of the Missouri. [Illustration: _Sitta aculeata._] HABITS. The common White-bellied Nuthatch has an extended distribution throughout nearly the whole of Eastern North America, from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains. West of the great central plains it is replaced by the var. _aculeata_. It has not been met with, so far as I am aware, farther north than Nova Scotia. It is a resident of Eastern Maine, and is quite common in the southern and western portions of the same State. In Massachusetts it is rather common than abundant, and more plentiful in the western than in the eastern portions of that State. The habits of this and the other species of Nuthatches partake somewhat of those of the smaller Woodpeckers and of the Titmice. Without the noisy and restless activity of the latter, they seek their food in a similar manner, and not unfrequently do so in their company, moving up or down the trunks and over or under the branches of trees, searching every crack and crevice of the bark for insects, larvæ, or eggs. Like the Woodpeckers, they dig industriously into decayed branches for the hidden grub, and like both Woodpeckers and Chickadees they industriously excavate for themselves a place for their nests in the decayed trunks of forest trees. Their nest, however, is usually at a greater elevation, often some twenty or thirty feet from the ground. The European Nuthatch is said to plaster up the entrance to its nest, to contract its opening and lessen the dangers of unfriendly intrusion. This habit has never been observed in any of the American species. All our ornithological writers have noticed the assiduities of the male bird to his sitting mate, and the attention with which he supplies her with food. He keeps ever in the vicinity of the nest, calls her from time to time to come to the mouth of the hole to take her food, or else to receive his endearments and caresses, and at the approach of danger fearlessly intervenes to warn her of it. When feeding together, the male bird keeps up his peculiar nasal cry of _hŏnk-hŏnk_, repeating it from time to time, as he moves around the trunk or over the branches. Their favorite food is insects, in every condition. With this, when abundant, they seem content, and rarely wander from their accustomed woods in summer. In winter, when snow or ice covers the branches or closes against them the trunks of trees, they seek the dwellings and out-houses for their necessary food, and will even alight on the ground in quest of seeds. In searching for food among the trees, they move as readily with their heads downward as in any other position. Their motion is a uniform and steady progression, somewhat in the manner of a mouse, but never, like the Woodpecker, by occasional hops. The European species collect and store away the fruit of the hazel and other nut-bearing trees. Our bird has been supposed to do the same thing, but this is by no means an indisputable fact. In some parts of the country absurd prejudices prevail against these interesting little birds. They are indiscriminately confounded with the smaller Woodpeckers, called, with them, Sap-Suckers, and because in the spring and fall they frequent old orchards are most unwisely, as well as unjustly, persecuted. They are among the most active and serviceable of the fruit-grower’s benefactors. His worst enemies are their favorite food. It is to be hoped that soon a better-informed public opinion will prevail, cherishing and protecting, rather than seeking to destroy, this useful, affectionate, and attractive species. Interesting accounts are given in English works of the confiding tameness of the European species. When kindly treated, it will come regularly for its food, approaching within a foot or two of the hand of its benefactor, and catching with its bill the food thrown to it before it can reach the ground. The pair work together in constructing the perforation in which they make their nest. When the excavation has been well begun, they relieve each other at the task. The one not engaged in cutting attends upon its mate, and carries out the chips as they are made. These nesting-places are often quite deep, not unfrequently from fifteen to twenty inches. Audubon states that they build no nest, but this does not correspond with my observations. In all the instances that have come to my knowledge, warm and soft nests were found, composed of down, fur, hair, or feathers loosely thrown together, and, though not large in bulk, yet sufficient for a lining for the enlarged cavity that completes their excavation. Soon after they are hatched, the young climb to the opening of the nest to receive their food, and, before they are ready to fly, venture out upon the trunk to try their legs and claws before their wings are prepared for use, retiring at night to their nest. In the Southern States they are said to have two broods in a season. The eggs of this Nuthatch measure .80 by .62 of an inch. Their ground-color is white, but when the egg is fresh it has a beautiful roseate tinge, and generally receives an apparently reddish hue from the very general distribution of the spots and blotches of rusty-brown and purplish with which the eggs are so closely covered. These markings vary greatly in size, from fine dots to well-marked blotches. Their color is usually a reddish-brown; occasionally the markings are largely intermixed with purple. Sitta carolinensis, var. aculeata, CASS. SLENDER-BILLED NUTHATCH. _Sitta aculeata_, CASSIN, Pr. A. N. Sc. VIII, Oct. 1856, 254.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 375, pl. xxxiii, fig. 3; Review, 86.—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 54. _? Sitta carolinensis_, SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1856, 293 (Cordova); 1858, 300 (Oaxaca); 1859, 363 (Xalapa), 373 (Oaxaca). SP. CHAR. Very similar to _carolinensis_; but upper secondaries with only obscure blackish blotches, instead of sharply defined longitudinal spots of clear black. Bill slenderer and more attenuated. HAB. Western and Middle Provinces of the United States, south to Cordova, Mex. Orizaba (Alpine regions), SUMICH. The characters given above express the essential differences between this and the Eastern race of _S. carolinensis_. In the present form, the depth of the bill opposite its base is .14, the width .17, and .80 or more in length from the forehead; while these same measurements in var. _carolinensis_ are .17, .22, and .70. The obsolete character of the black spots on the secondaries is a persistent feature in the var. _aculeata_. HABITS. This bird chiefly differs from its eastern congener in its more slender bill. There appears to be no difference in regard to their habits, at least none have been noticed, and it is probable there is none other than trivial changes caused by its opportunities of procuring food, and the kinds upon which it subsists. It is supposed to be distributed throughout Western North America, from the British Possessions to Mexico, though Dr. Cooper thinks that it is not a common bird south of San Francisco, and only to be seen there in the colder months. It has been met with at San Diego in February. He did not observe any in the Coast Mountains, near Santa Cruz, but northward they are numerous in the summer, frequenting chiefly the groves of the deciduous oaks, creeping constantly about their trunks and branches in search of insects, which they also occasionally seek on the roofs and walls of houses. Their habits are similar to those of _S. canadensis_, but their movements are said to be slower, and their note is a single harsh call, uttered occasionally, and responded to by their comrades. Dr. Cooper found them quite common in Washington Territory and at Puget Sound. Dr. Suckley also mentions their great abundance. Dr. Kennerly met with this species a hundred miles west of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and quite abundant among the pines of the Sierra Madre. He speaks of its note as being peculiar. Mr. J. K. Lord states that this species remained about Colville during the winter, when the thermometer was 30° below zero. He also mentions that he found them nesting, in June, in the branches of the tallest pine-trees, so high up as to render the obtaining their eggs almost an impossibility. Mr. Ridgway found the Slender-billed Nuthatch abundant, throughout the year, in the vicinity of Carson City, among the pines on the Sierra Nevada Mountains. He noted its great similarity in manners to the _carolinensis_; at the same time the well-marked difference in the notes did not escape his attention. These notes are much weaker, and are uttered in a finer tone, and some of them are said to be entirely different. Sitta canadensis, LINN. RED-BELLIED NUTHATCH. _Sitta canadensis_, LINN. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 177.—AUD. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, pl. cviii.—IB. Birds Am. IV, pl. ccxlviii.—REICH. Handb. Abh. II, 1853, 152, tab. dxiii, figs. 3561, 3562.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 376; Review, 87.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 15, no. 91.—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 54. _Sitta varia_, WILS. Am. Orn. I, 1808, 40, pl. ii. SP. CHAR. Above ashy-blue. Top of head black; a white line above and a black one through the eye. Chin white; rest of under parts brownish-rusty. Length about 4.50 inches; wing, 2.66. Female with the black of head mixed with ashy; beneath paler, more of a muddy-white. HAB. Whole United States and British Provinces. North to Lake Winnipeg. HABITS. The common Red-bellied Nuthatch, though nowhere a very abundant species, is found throughout the whole of North America, from Florida to high northern regions, and from ocean to ocean. The Smithsonian Institution possesses specimens from Georgia, Selkirk Settlement, California, and Washington Territory. Mr. Gambel found them quite common in the mountains in the interior of California, in October, roving in company with busy flocks of the _Parus montanus_. Dr. Cooper met with them abundantly in Washington Territory, where they preferred the oaks and other deciduous trees, and never frequented the interior of the dense forest. He observed this bird and the Slender-billed Nuthatch, along the 49th parallel, east of the Cascade Mountains, as late as the middle of October. Dr. Suckley also met both birds west of the same mountains. This Nuthatch was observed by Mr. Ridgway among the aspen groves bordering the streams that flow from the East Humboldt Mountains. In that locality it was common through the month of September, though not abundant. It was again seen in June among the pine-woods of the Wahsatch Mountains, but it was not common. While a few of these birds are resident of the Northern States, they are, to a considerable extent, of migratory habits. Wilson observed them leaving in large numbers for the Southern States in October, and returning again in April. On the 20th of May, 1867, the writer observed a small flock in Eastern Massachusetts, evidently just arrived from the South. They were apparently fatigued and hungry, and paid no attention to the near presence of workmen engaged in setting bean-poles. They visited and carefully examined each pole, and bored holes into several in search of hidden larvæ, often within a few feet of persons at work. While on the Pacific coast they are said to prefer the forests of deciduous trees, and to be rarely found in the dark evergreen forests, in the Eastern States they seem to be particularly fond of the seeds of pine-trees, and in the winter are seldom found in the woods of deciduous trees. They feed in pairs and climb about in all directions, usually in company with the white-breasted species, Chickadees, and the smaller Woodpeckers. They are restless and rapid in their motions, and have a voice at least an octave higher than any other of this family. The note is a monotone, and is unmusical. Mr. Nuttall represents their cry as consisting of three syllables, represented by _dāy-dāy-dāit_, and compares it to the sound of a child’s trumpet. Those wintering at the North occasionally visit farm-yards and orchards, and examine the eaves of outbuildings for food. Audubon found this species more plentiful in the woods of Maine and Nova Scotia than anywhere else. He never met any south of Maryland, saw none in Newfoundland, and only met with one in Labrador. At Eastport he found a pair breeding as early as the 19th of April, before the Bluebirds had made their appearance, and while ice was still remaining on the northern exposures. An excavation had been made in a low dead stump, less than four feet from the ground, both male and female birds working by turns until they had reached the depth of fourteen inches. The eggs, four in number, were of a white ground-color, tinged with a deep blush when fresh, and sprinkled with reddish dots. They raise but a single brood in a season. C. S. Paine, of East Bethel, Vt., found a nest of this species about the middle of May, in a small beech-tree, the excavation having been made at the height of twelve feet from the ground. The hole was about as large as that made by the Downy Woodpecker. When first noticed, the bird was looking out of the hole. Having been started out, she flew to a limb close by and watched the party some time. When she flew back, she buzzed before the hole in the manner of a Humming-Bird, and then darted in. While Mr. Paine was looking on, the male came several times to feed his mate, who would meet him at the opening with a clamorous noise, to receive his bounty. The nest contained five eggs. In Western Massachusetts, Mr. Allen speaks of this species as chiefly a winter resident, appearing the first week in October, and leaving the last of April. The eggs of this species measure .62 by .48 of an inch, and are of an oblong-oval shape. Their ground-color is a clear crystal white, marked principally about the larger end with a wreath of purple and roseate markings. Sitta pygmæa, VIG. PIGMY NUTHATCH. _Sitta pygmæa_, VIGORS, Zoöl. Beechey’s Voy. 1839, 25, pl. iv.—AUD. Orn. Biog. V, 1839, pl. ccccxv.—IB. Birds Am. IV, pl. ccl.—REICH. Handb. 1853, 153, tab. dxiv, figs. 3365, 3366.—NEWBERRY, P. R. R. Rep. VI, IV, 1857, 79.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 378; Review, 88.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 363 (Xalapa).—IB. Catal. 1861, 15, no. 93.—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 55. SP. CHAR. Above ashy-blue; head and upper part of neck greenish ashy-brown, its lower border passing a little below the eye, where it is darker; nape with an obscure whitish spot. Chin and throat whitish; rest of lower parts brownish-white; the sides and behind like the back, but paler. Middle tail-feather like the back; its basal half with a long white spot; its outer web edged with black at the base. Length about 4 inches; wing, 2.40. HAB. Western and Middle Provinces of United States; south to Xalapa. This species is closely related to _Sitta pusilla_ of the Southern States. The brown of the head has, however, an olivaceous-green tinge not seen in the other; the white spot on the nape less distinct. The middle tail-feather has its basal half white and the outer web edged with black at the base. This black edging is never seen in the other, and the white patch is reduced to a faint trace, only visible in very highly plumaged specimens. HABITS. This diminutive species of Nuthatch is found throughout our Pacific coast and on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains, from Washington Territory to Southern California. It is also to be found in New Mexico, and specimens have been procured from Mexico. Dr. Kennerly found them quite abundant in the Sierra Madre and San Francisco Mountains, even as high up as the snow-line, seeking their insect food among the tops of the lofty pines. Dr. Newberry frequently met with these Nuthatches in the most wooded places on his route, where water was near and any considerable amount of animal life visible. He, however, never met with them in the forests of yellow pines. Dr. Gambel mentions their almost extraordinary abundance, in the winter months, in Upper California. Around Monterey, at times, the trees appeared almost alive with them, as they ran up and down and around the branches and trunks, uttering their monotonous and querulous cries. Their note he describes as a repeated whistling _wit-wit_. When one utters this cry, the rest join in. They also have a whistling trill while they are busily searching the tree in every part, and they never leave till they have pretty thoroughly searched every crack. Dr. Cooper only met with this Nuthatch in the open pine-forests about Fort Colville, near the 49th parallel. They were associated in small flocks about the 20th of October, when there were heavy frosts at night. The chirping noise they made resembled the cries of young chickens. Their habits were very similar to those of the _Psaltriparus minimus_. Mr. J. K. Lord found this Nuthatch an abundant bird along the entire length of the boundary line from the coast to the Rocky Mountains. It was also common on Vancouver Island. They were seen in large flocks in company with the Chickadees, except during the nesting-time, which is in June. A few were winter residents at Colville, but the greater number left in November. He describes it as a very active bird, always on the move. After nesting they congregate in large flocks and move about from tree to tree, twittering a low sweet note as if singing to themselves, now climbing back downwards along the under sides of the topmost branches of tall pines, searching into every crevice for insects, or, descending to the ground, clinging to the slender flower-stalks for other insects. They nest in June, make a hole in the dead branch of a pine, and deposit their eggs on the bare chips of the wood. This account does not agree with the experience of California ornithologists, who have found a loose nest within the excavation. Mr. Ridgway found this Nuthatch abundant among the pines of the Sierra Nevada, in the vicinity of Carson City. They were found generally in pairs. Its note is said to greatly resemble the vociferous peeping of some of the small Sandpipers, being sharp, loud, and distinct, and vigorously and continuously uttered, whether climbing or flying. He found it exceedingly hard to discover this bird among the branches, or even when flying, owing to the swiftness and irregularity of its flight. When the female of a pair had been killed, the male bird was extremely loud in his lamentations. Diminutive as this bird is, Mr. Ridgway states that it is also the noisiest of all the feathered inhabitants of the pines, though it is less active in the pursuit of insects than the larger species. Nests of this bird obtained near Monterey appear to be as well made as those of any of this genus, lining the cavity in which they are placed and conforming to it in size and shape, the materials sufficiently interwoven to permit removal and preservation, and warmly constructed of feathers, wool, vegetable down, hair, and the silky efflorescence of seeds. Their eggs, seven in number, resemble those of the _S. canadensis_, but are of smaller size and a little more pointed at one end. Their ground-color is crystalline-white. This is covered more or less thickly with red spots, most numerous at the larger end. Their measure varies from .65 by .50 to .60 by .47 of an inch. The first eggs of this bird brought to the notice of naturalists were procured at Fort Crook on the Upper Sacramento of California, and not far from Mount Shasta, by Sergeant John Feilner, U. S. A., forming part of a very extensive collection of birds and eggs transmitted by him to the Smithsonian Institution. Promoted to a lieutenancy for gallant conduct, this gentleman finally attained the rank of captain of cavalry, and was killed by the Sioux during an exploring expedition into Dacotah under General Sully. Sitta pusilla, LATH. BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH. _Sitta pusilla_, LATH. Ind. Orn. I, 1790, 263.—WILS. Am. Orn. II, 1810, 105, pl. XV.—AUD. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, pl. cxxv.—IB. Birds Am. IV, pl. ccxlix.—REICH. Handb. 1853, 153, tab. dxiv, figs. 3567, 3568.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 377; Review, 88.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 15. SP. CHAR. Above ashy-blue; top of head and upper part of neck rather light hair-brown, divided on the nape by white. Eye involved in the brown, which is deeper on the lower border. Beneath muddy-whitish; sides and behind paler than the back. Middle tail-feathers almost entirely like the back. Length of female, 4 inches; wing, 2.50. HAB. South Atlantic and Gulf States. Ohio! KIRTLAND. HABITS. The Brown-headed Nuthatch has a much more restricted distribution than the other members of this family in this country. The specimens in the Smithsonian Museum are chiefly from Georgia. Wilson met with it in Virginia, and states that it is found in the other Southern States. I have received its eggs from Cheraw, S. C., and from Florida. Wilson’s description of its habits makes them almost identical with those of _Sitta canadensis_, while its notes are more shrill and chirping. Like that bird, it is very fond of the seeds of the pines. Wherever found, it is a constant resident, and does not migrate. Audubon states that this bird never goes farther north than Maryland, and that it is the most abundant in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. In Louisiana it is rare, and it is not found in Kentucky. Its notes, he states, are several octaves higher than those of the _carolinensis_, and more shrill, and at least an octave and a half higher than those of the _canadensis_. Although apparently preferring pines and pine barrens, it by no means confines itself to them, but is not unfrequently seen on low trees and fences, mounting, descending, and turning in every direction, and with so much quickness of motion as to render it difficult to shoot it. It examines every hole and every crevice in the bark of trees, as well as their leaves and twigs, among which it finds abundance of food at all seasons. During the breeding-season they go about in pairs and are very noisy. Their only note is a monotonous cry, described as resembling _dĕnd, dĕnd_. Mr. Audubon further states that when the first brood leaves the nest, the young birds keep together, moving from tree to tree with all the activity of their parents, who join them when the second brood is able to keep them company. In Florida they pair in the beginning of February, having eggs as early as the middle of that month. In South Carolina they breed one month later. Their nest is usually excavated by the birds themselves in the dead portion of a low stump or sapling, sometimes only a few feet from the ground, but not unfrequently at the height of thirty or forty feet. Both birds are said to work in concert with great earnestness for several days, until the hole, which is round, and not larger at the entrance than the body of the bird, is dug ten or twelve inches deep, widening at the bottom. The eggs, according to Mr. Audubon, are laid on the bare wood. This, however, is probably not their constant habit. The eggs, from four to six in number, and not much larger than those of the Humming-Bird, have a white ground, thickly sprinkled with fine reddish-brown dots. They are said to raise two, and even three, broods in a season. According to the observations of the late Dr. Gerhardt of Northern Georgia, the Brown-headed Nuthatch breeds in that part of the country about the 19th of April. The eggs of this Nuthatch are of a rounded oval shape, measuring .60 by .50 of an inch. Their white ground-color is so completely overlaid by a profusion of fine dottings of a dark purplish-brown as to be entirely concealed, and the egg appears almost as if a uniform chocolate or brown color. FAMILY CERTHIADÆ.—THE CREEPERS. CHAR. Primaries ten; first very short; less than half the second. Tail long, wedge-shaped, the feathers stiffened and acute. Bill slender, much compressed and curved. Outer lateral toe much longest; hind toe exceeding both the middle toe and the tarsus, which is scutellate anteriorly and very short. Entire basal joint of middle toe united to the lateral. GENUS CERTHIA, LINN. _Certhia_, LINNÆUS, Syst. Nat. ed. 10th, 1758, 112. (Type, _C. familiaris_.) (See REICHENBACH, Handbuch, I, II, 1853, 256, for a monograph of the genus.) [Line drawing: _Certhia americana._ 827 ♂] GEN. CHAR. Plumage soft and loose. Bill as long as head, not notched, compressed; all its lateral outlines decurved. Nostrils not overhung by feathers, linear, with an incumbent thickened scale, as in _Troglodytes_. No rictal bristles, and the loral and frontal feathers smooth, without bristly shafts. Tarsus scutellate anteriorly, shorter than middle toe, which again is shorter than hind toe. All claws very long, much curved and compressed; outer lateral toe much the longer; basal joint of middle toe entirely adherent to adjacent ones. Wings rather pointed, about equal to the tail, the feathers of which are much pointed, with stiffened shafts. Primaries ten; first less than half the second. Nest in holes of trees; eggs white, sprinkled with reddish. [Illustration: _Certhia americana._] Of the _Certhiadæ_ but one genus belongs to America,—_Certhia_, with its one small species of considerable variability with locality. The characters above given include both family and generic characters, derived from this one genus. This is readily distinguished by the decurved, compressed bill; absence of notch and bristles; exposed linear nostrils with incumbent scales; connate middle toe, very long claws, short tarsi, pointed and stiffened tail-feathers, etc. The American and European varieties (they can scarcely be called species) resemble each other very closely, though they appear to be distinguished by such differences as the following:— The two European races, _C. familiaris_ and _C. costæ_, both differ from all the American varieties in having the crissum scarcely tinged with yellowish. _C. familiaris_ is more ashy beneath than any others, and _C. costæ_ is purest white beneath of all. Nearest _C. familiaris_, in the American series, as regards tints of the upper parts, are the Pacific coast specimens of _C. americana_,—while the latter are most like the Atlantic region specimens of the same. _C. mexicana_ is to be compared only with the North American forms, though it is the only one approaching _familiaris_ in the ashy lower parts. _C. familiaris_ is at once separated from the rest by having the tail shorter than the wing. _C. costæ_ is almost precisely like Eastern specimens of _C. americana_ in colors, but is absolutely pure white below, and without the distinctly yellowish crissum of the American bird. The bill and claws, however, are considerably longer than in Eastern _americana_, though their size is almost equalled by those of Western specimens; the colors are, however, more decidedly different. There is never any deviation from the generic _pattern_ of coloration; but the variation, _among individuals of each form_, in length of the bill and claws, as well as the tail, is remarkable. Certhia familiaris, var. americana, BONAP. BROWN CREEPER. _Certhia fusca_, BARTON, Fragments of the Natural History of Pennsylvania, 1799, II. _Certhia familiaris_, VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. II, 1807, 70 (not the European bird); also of WILSON and AUDUBON.—MAYNARD, Birds E. Mass. 1870, 93. _Certhia americana_, BONAP. Comp. List. 1838.—REICH. Handb. I, 1853, 265, pl. dcxv, figs. 4102, 4103.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 372; Review, 89.—MAX. Cab. Jour. 1858, 105.—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. Rep. XII, II, 1859, 192.—HAMLIN, Pr. Bost. Soc. N. H. 1864—66, 80. _Certhia mexicana_, COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 58. SP. CHAR. Bill about the length of the head. Above dark brown, with a slightly rufous shade, each feather streaked centrally, but not abruptly, with whitish; rump rusty. Beneath almost silky-white; the under tail-coverts with a faint rusty tinge. A white streak over the eye; the ear-coverts streaked with whitish. Tail-feathers brown centrally, the edges paler yellowish-brown. Wings with a transverse bar of pale reddish-white across both webs. Length, 5.50; wing, 2.60; tail, 2.90. (No. 827.) _Young._ (5945, Steilacoom, W. T.; Dr. J. S. Cooper.) Resembling the adult, but streaks above indistinct, and the feathers there tipped indistinctly with blackish; the rufous restricted to the upper tail-coverts. Breast and jugulum with very minute blackish wavings or indistinct bars. HAB. Whole of United States, to Red River Settlement. Specimens from the far west are purer white beneath, much as in _costæ_, but those from the northwest coast have the white tinged with light rusty. Though purer white below, these specimens are much browner above than Eastern ones,—sometimes more so than in _familiaris_, but then there is the yellowish crissum never seen in this “species,” and the proportions are quite different. Thus it will be seen the _C. americana_ may always be distinguished from the other forms; when most resembling _costæ_ in the grayish tints of the upper plumage (as in Eastern examples), the lower parts are less purely white, and the bill and claws smaller; when like it in the proportions and pure white of the lower parts (as in Western specimens), the colors above are altogether more brown. The yellowish crissum of _americanus_ will also distinguish them. Though often resembling _familiaris_ in the colors of the upper parts, the latter may always be distinguished by its ashy lower parts without yellowish crissum, the shorter tail, with its less acute feathers, and stouter bill. _C. mexicanus_ is still more different in colors, for which see that variety. HABITS. Our common Creeper, so closely resembling the Creeper of Europe as by many to be supposed identical with it, is distributed over the whole of North America, from the Gulf of Mexico to high northern latitudes. At different seasons it may be found in every one of the several States and Territories, yet it is never very abundant. The Smithsonian possesses specimens from various parts of the country, from Georgia to Fort Steilacoom on the Pacific, but of these none appear to have been secured during the period of reproduction. Dr. Heermann found them very common in the more mountainous districts of California. Dr. Cooper found these birds abundant in the forests of Washington Territory, but difficult to detect from the similarity of their color to that of the bark over which they crept. They were apparently constant residents in that Territory. Dr. Suckley, who obtained several specimens of this species in the oak groves in the vicinity of Fort Steilacoom, states that in their habits the Western birds resemble those of the Atlantic States. Mr. Ridgway found this Creeper inhabiting both the pine forests of the Sierra Nevada, where it was the more common, and also, in winter, among the willows of the river valleys. He did not meet with it east of the Truckee River, nor until he had reached the Wahsatch Mountains. Dr. Woodhouse found the Brown Creeper generally distributed throughout the Indian Territory, Texas, New Mexico, and California, and adds that it was especially abundant in the San Francisco Mountains of New Mexico. Dr. Cooper states that he has met with this form in the winter throughout the higher mountains and among the Coast Range as far south as Santa Cruz. He found them chiefly frequenting the coniferous trees, creeping up and down their trunks and branches, searching for insects in their crevices, and so nearly resembling the bark in their general color, that they can be detected only with great difficulty, except when in motion. He adds that their notes are shrill and wiry, and are often heard when the bird is scarcely visible, without a careful search, their cry appearing to be from a greater distance than the real performer. In March, Dr. Cooper heard them giving out a faint but sharp-toned song, resembling that of a Wren. If Dr. Cooper is correct in his account of the notes, they do not correspond with those of our Eastern bird. Dr. Kennerly, in his Report on the birds observed by him near the 35th parallel, states that he found our common Creeper very abundant among the rough-barked cedars in the Aztec Mountains. It usually attracted notice, and its place of retreat was discovered, by his hearing its quick and sharp notes. A close and careful search generally enabled him to perceive it proceeding leisurely upward and downward, in straight or spiral lines, toward the top of the tree, dodging dexterously to the opposite side from the observer, and only resuming its occupation when assured of solitude and safety. The observations of Dr. Kennerly, if they are to be received as characteristic of the Western Creepers, do not correspond with those of our Eastern birds, as far as we have observed them. None of our birds are more easily approached, and when they are pursuing their search for food, none are more regardless of observation. The statement that our Creeper, when watched, moves to the opposite side of the tree from the looker-on, has found a certain currency in our books. We are, however, of the opinion that this is owing to its restless activity, prompting it to constant changes of place and position, and not to its timidity or caution. We have uniformly found them either unconscious or regardless of our near presence. They are solitary in their habits, and frequent, especially in the summer, deep woods, searching for their favorite food in high places where it is difficult to reach them, but this is no necessary evidence of their shyness. They often hunt for their food in very exposed places, with equal courage and recklessness. It is an active, restless bird, associating with Titmice and the smaller Woodpeckers, moving with great rapidity from side to side and from place to place. They breed in hollow trees, in the deserted holes of the Woodpeckers, and in the decayed stumps and branches of trees. Their nest is a loose aggregation of soft, warm materials, not interwoven, but simply collected with regard to no other requisite than warmth. In the summer of 1851 our party, in their visit to one of the smaller Grand Menan Islands, was so fortunate as to meet with the nest of this bird. It was built in a decayed birch-tree, only a few feet from the ground, and contained five eggs nearly ready to hatch. This was on the 20th of June. The nest was an intermingling of decayed wood, the fur of small quadrupeds, and feathers, but with so little adherence or consistency of form that it was impossible to retain the materials in position after removal. So far from evincing any timidity, the birds refused to leave their nest, and could hardly be prevented from following it when removed from the woods to a house on the island. One of our companions, returning to the woods in order to secure the birds for the sake of identification, found the pair still lingering round the place of their rifled nest. Upon his approach they began to circle round his head with reproachful cries, and continued to keep so close to him that it was impossible to shoot one without mutilating it. At length one of the birds alighted on a small branch held over his head by a lad who accompanied him, and in this position was secured by shooting it with a pistol loaded with the finest shot. Its mate could have been secured, as she persisted in pursuing them, but she was not molested. Throughout there was not a trace of timidity on the part of either bird, but the most reckless and daring devotion. Besides the single call-note or the sharp outcry with which the Creepers signalize their movements, and which they utter from time to time as they rapidly and busily move up and down the trunks and limbs, or flit from tree to tree, they have been generally regarded as having no song. But this is not the fact. The careful observations of Mr. William Brewster of Cambridge have satisfied him that these birds have a very distinct and varied song. During the winter these birds are not uncommon in the vicinity of Boston, coming about the houses with all the tameness and confidence of the _Parus atricapillus_, and permit a very near approach. They are very easily attracted by suspending from a piazza a piece of fat meat. Mr. Brewster has observed them commence singing as early as the 14th of March. Their notes are varied and warbling and somewhat confused; some of them are loud, powerful, and surpassingly sweet, others are more feeble and plaintive; their song usually ends with their accustomed cry, which may be represented by _crēē-crēē-crē-ēp_. Mr. Brewster, besides repeatedly hearing them sing in Massachusetts in the early spring, has also listened to their song in Maine in the month of June. Their eggs are small in proportion to the size of the bird, are nearly oval in shape, with a grayish-white ground, sparingly sprinkled with small, fine, red and reddish-brown spots. They measure .55 by .43 of an inch. Certhia familiaris, var. mexicana, GLOG. MEXICAN CREEPER. _Certhia mexicana_, “GLOGER, Handbuch,” REICHENBACH, Handbuch, I, 1853, 265, pl. dlxii, figs. 3841, 3842.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1856, 290; 1858, 297; 1859, 362, 372.—SALVIN, Ibis, 1866, 190 (Volcan de Fuego, Guat.).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 373 (under _C. americana_), pl. lxxxiii, fig. 2; Review, 90. SP. CHAR. Ground-color above very dark sepia-brown, each feather with a sharply defined medial streak of grayish-white, these streaks becoming broader posteriorly, where they are discontinued at the beginning of the rump. Whole rump and upper tail-coverts chestnut-rufous. Beneath pale ashy, becoming almost white on the throat; crissal feathers deep ochraceous except at the tips, which are whitish. Markings of the wings as usual. Measurements (8176, Mexico): wing, 2.50; tail, 2.70; bill (from nostril), .48; hind claw, .30. HAB. Guatemala and Mexico; probably extending along the table-lands into the United States. This is one of the best marked of the various races that have been discussed (see p. 124). The ground-color of the upper parts is altogether darker than in any of the others, and the streaks are more sharply defined and narrower; the rufous of the rump is of a castaneous, instead of yellowish cast; the wings appear more uniform with the back, owing to the dark color of the latter, and their pale markings have little of that yellowish tinge so noticeable in the others. In the ashy tinge of the lower parts there is a resemblance to _familiaris_ of Europe; but the latter has not the ochraceous crissum so noticeable in the present bird. There is little resemblance to Western and Rocky Mountain specimens of the _C. americana_ and if these are to be considered as separable from the Eastern (which, however, would not, in our opinion, be advisable) they must not be referred to _mexicana_. The Mexican Creeper is introduced here on account of the probability of its occurrence in the Southern Rocky Mountains. HABITS. Mr. Salvin found the Mexican Tree-Creeper by no means uncommon in the pine forests of the upper zone of the Volcan de Fuego. He also observed it frequenting pine-trees in the district of Chilasco, Vera Paz, at about 6,000 feet above the sea. FAMILY TROGLODYTIDÆ.—THE WRENS. CHAR. Rictal bristles wanting; the loral feathers with bristly points; the frontal feathers generally not reaching to nostrils. Nostrils varied, exposed or not covered by feathers, and generally overhung by a scale-like membrane. Bill usually without notch (except in some Middle American genera). Wings much rounded, about equal to tail, which is graduated. Primaries ten, the first generally about half the second. Basal joint of middle toe usually united to half the basal joint of inner, and the whole of that of the outer, or more. Lateral toes about equal, or the outer a little the longer. Tarsi scutellate. The impossibility of defining any large group of animals, so as to separate it stringently and abruptly from all others, is well understood among naturalists; and the _Troglodytidæ_ form no exception to the rule. Some bear so close a resemblance to the Mocking Thrushes as to have been combined with them; while others again exhibit a close approximation to other subfamilies. The general affinities of the family, however, appear to be to the _Turdidæ_, and one of the best characters for separating the two families appears to exist in the structure of the feet. In the _Turdidæ_ the basal joint of the outer lateral toe is united to the middle toe, sometimes only a part of it; and the inner toe is cleft almost to its very base, so as to be opposable to the hind toe, separate from the others. In the _Troglodytidæ_, on the contrary, the inner toe is united by half its basal joint to the middle toe, sometimes by the whole of this joint; and the second joint of the outer toe enters wholly or partially into this union, instead of the basal joint only. In addition to this character, the open, exposed nostrils, the usually lengthened bill, the generally equal lateral toes, the short rounded wings, the graduated tail, etc., furnish points of distinction. Genera. A. Lateral toes very unequal. _a._ Culmen depressed basally, the interval between the nostrils wider than the much compressed anterior half of the bill. Plate on the posterior half of the tarsus continuous. Catherpes. _b._ Culmen compressed basally, the interval between the nostrils narrower than the rather depressed anterior half of the bill. Plate on the posterior half of the tarsus broken into smaller scales. Salpinctes. B. Lateral toes equal. _c._ Length about 8 inches. Campylorhynchus. _d._ Length less than 6 inches. Bill abruptly decurved or hooked at the tip. Outstretched feet not reaching near to end of tail. Thryothorus. Tail longer than the wing, the feathers black, variegated terminally with whitish … Subgenus _Thryomanes_. Tail shorter than the wing, the feathers rusty, not variegated with whitish … Subgenus _Thryothorus_. Bill only gently curved at the tip. Outstretched feet reaching nearly to or beyond the end of the tail. Back without streaks. No distinct superciliary stripe. Troglodytes. Bill curved, sub-conical. Tail as long as wing.… Subgenus _Troglodytes_. Bill straight, subulate. Tail much shorter than wing.… Subgenus _Anorthura_. Back streaked with black and white. Cistothorus. Bill short, stout; its depth equal to one half its length from the nostril; gonys straight or even convex, ascending. Crown streaked; no distinct superciliary stripe.… Subgenus _Cistothorus_. Bill elongated, slender; its depth less than one third its length from the nostril; gonys slightly concave, declining. Crown not streaked; a conspicuous superciliary stripe.… Subgenus _Telmatodytes_. GENUS CAMPYLORHYNCHUS, SPIX. _Campylorhynchus_, SPIX, Av. Bras. I, 1824, 77. (Type, _C. scolopaceus_, SPIX = _Turdus variegatus_, GMEL.) [Line drawing: _Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus._ 7149] GEN. CHAR. Bill stout, compressed, as long as, or longer than the head, without notch or rictal bristles; culmen and commissure curved; gonys nearly straight. Nostrils in the antero-inferior part of nasal groove, in advance of the frontal feathers, with an overhanging scale with thickened edge, as in _Thryothorus_; sometimes, as in the type, reduced to a slight ridge along the upper side of the nasal groove. Lateral septum not projecting below or anteriorly into the nasal cavity, but concealed by the nasal scale. Tarsus a little longer than middle toe and claw; claws strong, much curved, and very sharp; middle toe with basal joint adherent almost throughout. Wings and tail about equal, the latter graduated; the exterior webs of lateral feathers broad. This genus embraces the largest species of the family, and is well represented in Middle and South America, two species only reaching into North America, which may be distinguished as follows:— Top of head and post-ocular stripe reddish-brown; back streaked longitudinally and linearly with white. All the feathers beneath conspicuously spotted. Crissum and flanks with rounded or elongated spots. Iris reddish. Nostrils inferior, linear, overhung by a scale. Nests large and purse-shaped; eggs white, profusely marked with salmon-colored or reddish spots. _a._ Spots much larger on throat and jugulum than elsewhere. Inner webs of second to fifth tail-feathers (between middle and outer feathers) black, except at tips. Length, 8.00; wing, 3.40; tail, 3.55. _Hab._ Adjacent borders of United States and Mexico … _brunneicapillus._ _b._ Spots on throat and jugulum little larger than elsewhere. Inner webs of intermediate tail-feathers banded with white like the outer. Length, 7.50. _Hab._ Cape St. Lucas … _affinis._ Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus, GRAY. CACTUS WREN. _Picolaptes brunneicapillus_, LAFRESNAYE, Mag. de Zool. 1835, 61, pl. xlvii.—LAWR. Ann. N. Y. Lyc. V, 1851, 114.—CASSIN, Birds Cal. Tex. 1854, 156, pl. xxv.—HEERMANN, J. A. N. Sc. II, 1853, 263. _C. brunneicapillus_, GRAY, Genera, I, 1847, 159.—BP. Consp. 1850, 223.—SCL. P. A. N. S. 156, 264.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 355; Pr. Phil. Acad. 1859, 3, etc.; Rev. 99.—HEERMANN, P. R. R. X, 1859.—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 482 (Texas).—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 61. SP. CHAR. Bill as long as the head. Above brown; darkest on the head, which is unspotted. Feathers on the back streaked centrally with white. Beneath whitish, tinged with rusty on the belly; the feathers of the throat and upper parts, and under tail-coverts, with large rounded black spots; those of the remaining under parts with smaller, more linear ones. Chin and line over the eye white. Tail-feathers black beneath, barred subterminally (the outer one throughout) with white. Iris, reddish-yellow. Length, 8 inches; wing, 3.40; tail, 3.55. HAB. Adjacent borders of the United States and Mexico, from the mouth of the Rio Grande to the Valley of the Colorado, and to the Pacific coast of Southern California. Replaced at Cape St. Lucas by _C. affinis_. This species is found abundantly along the line of the Rio Grande and Gila, extending northward some distance, and everywhere conspicuous by its wren-like habits and enormous nest. [Illustration: _Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus._] HABITS. The Brown-headed Creeper is a comparatively recent addition to the fauna of the United States, but appears to be common along the southwestern borders of the United States, from the valley of the Rio Grande to San Diego, in California. In Lower California it is replaced by the _C. affinis_. It was first added to our avifauna by Mr. Lawrence in 1851, on the strength of a specimen obtained in Texas by Captain McCown. Dr. Heermann, in his paper on the Birds of California, speaks of finding it in the arid country back of Guymas, on the Gulf of California. This country, presenting only broken surfaces and a confused mass of volcanic rocks, covered by a scanty vegetation of thorny bushes and cacti, among other interesting birds, was found to contain this species in abundance. He describes it as a lively, sprightly species, uttering, at intervals, clear, loud, ringing notes. Its nest, composed of grasses and lined with feathers, was in the shape of a long purse, enormous for the size of the bird, and laid flat between the forks or on the branches of a cactus. The entrance was a covered passage, varying from six to ten inches in length. The eggs, six in number, he described as being of a delicate salmon-color, very pale, and often so thickly speckled with ash and darker salmon-colored spots as to give quite a rich cast to the whole surface of the egg. Lieutenant Couch met with these birds near Monterey. He states that they have a rich, powerful song. Of the nest he gives substantially the same description as that furnished by Dr. Heermann. The eggs are of an oblong-oval shape, slightly more pointed at one end, and are so equally and generally covered, over a white ground, with fine salmon-colored spots, as to present a uniform and almost homogeneous appearance. They vary in length from an inch to 1.02 inches, and have an average breadth of .68 of an inch. Campylorhynchus affinis, XANTUS. THE CAPE CACTUS WREN. _Campylorhynchus affinis_, XANTUS, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1859, 298 (Cape St. Lucas).—BAIRD, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1859, 303; Rev. 100.—SCL. Catal. 1861, 17, no. 108.—ELLIOT, Illust. B. N. A. I, IV.—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 62. SP. CHAR. Cap of head reddish-brown; the concealed centres of feathers dusky. Rest of upper parts grayish-brown, all the feathers of body and scapulars with broad central or shaft streaks of whitish edged with black; the streaks irregular in outline, on some feathers nearly linear, in others widening at intervals along the shaft. Outer webs of the wing-feathers crossed by about seven rows of whitish semicircular spots, with corresponding series of more circular ones on the inner web. Tail-feathers black, all of them with a series of about eight quadrate white spots on each web, which are alternate to each other, not opposite, and extend from or near the black shaft to the edge; the extreme tips of the feathers black; the two central feathers, however, more like the back, with irregular mottling of grayish and black. Upper tail-coverts barred transversely with black. Under parts white, faintly tinged with rusty posteriorly; each feather spotted with black, excepting on the immaculate chin. These spots are rather larger and more quadrate on the jugulum, where they are sometimes on the sides of the feathers (on one or both sides); posteriorly, however, they are elongated or tear-shaped, and strung along the shaft, one or two on each. On the crissum they are large and much rounded, three or four on each longer feather. Legs rather dusky. Bill lead-color, pale at the base below; iris reddish-brown. A broad white stripe from bill over the eye and nape; edged above and below with black; line behind the eye like the crown; cheek-feathers white, edged with blackish. Immature specimens exhibit a tendency to a whitish spotting in the ends of the feathers of the cap. A very young bird does not, however, differ materially, except in having the spots less distinct beneath, the white streaks less conspicuous above, the white of the wings soiled with rufous. Specimens vary considerably in the proportional as well as absolute thickness and length of the bill; thus, No. 32,167 measures .80 from nostril to end of bill, instead of .60, as given below for No. 12,965. 12,965. Total length, 7.50; wing, 3.30; tail, 3.40; its graduation, .45; exposed portion of first primary, 1.42, of second, 2.15, of longest, or fourth (measured from exposed base of first primary), 2.45; length of bill from forehead, .90, from nostril, .60; along gape, 1.07; tarsus, 1.02; middle toe and claw, .90; claw alone, .25; hind toe and claw, .76; claw alone, .35. HAB. Only observed at Cape St. Lucas, Lower California. This species is most nearly allied to _C. brunneicapillus_; the most apparent difference at first sight being in the greater concentration of black on the throat and jugulum in _brunneicapillus_, and the much smaller size of the remaining spots on the under parts, with the decided light-cinnamon of the posterior portion of the body. The outer and central tail-feathers alone are marked as in _C. affinis_, the intermediate ones being entirely black, with the exception of a white subterminal band. This is one of the most characteristic birds constituting the isolated fauna of Cape St. Lucas. Like nearly all the species peculiar to this remarkable locality, it is exceedingly abundant, breeding in immense numbers. It has not yet been detected elsewhere, though it may possibly be found on the Lower Colorado. HABITS. This recently described species was first discovered by Mr. Xantus, and has, so far as is known, a somewhat restricted locality, having been met with only at the southern extremity of Lower California, where it is an exceedingly abundant bird. Mr. Xantus has published no observations in regard to its habits, which, however, are probably very nearly identical with those of the more common species. From the brief memoranda given by him in the general register of his collections, made at Cape St. Lucas, we gather that their nests were built almost exclusively in opuntias, cacti, and the prickly pear, and were generally only four or five feet from the ground, but occasionally at the height of ten feet. The nests are large purse-shaped collections of twigs and coarse grasses, very similar to, and hardly distinguishable in any respect from, those of the more northern species. The eggs vary from 1.05 to 1 inch in length, and from .65 to .70 of an inch in breadth, and have a reddish-white ground very uniformly dotted with fine markings of reddish-brown, purple, and slate. SUBGENUS SALPINCTES, CABANIS. _Salpinctes_, CABANIS, Wiegmann’s Archiv, 1847, I, 323. (Type, _Troglodytes obsoletus_, SAY.) GEN. CHAR. Bill as long as the head; all the outlines nearly straight to the tip, then decurved; nostrils oval. Feet weak; tarsi decidedly longer than the middle toe; outer lateral toe much longer, reaching to the base of the middle claw, and equal to the hinder. Wings about one fifth longer than the tail; the exposed portion of the first primary about half that of the second, and two fifths that of the fourth and fifth. Tail-feathers very broad, plane, nearly even or slightly rounded; the lateral moderately graduated. Of this genus but one species is so far known in the United States, the Rock Wren of the earlier ornithologists. It is peculiar among its cognate genera by having the two continuous plates on each side the tarsus divided into seven or more smaller plates, with a naked interval between them and the anterior scutellæ. Other characters will be found detailed in the Review of American Birds, p. 109. Salpinctes obsoletus, CABAN. ROCK WREN. _Troglodytes obsoletus_, SAY, Long’s Exped. II, 1823, 4 (south fork of Platte).—AUD. Orn. Biog. IV, pl. ccclx.—IB. B. A. II, pl. cxvi.—NEWBERRY, P. R. R. Rep. VI, IV, 1857, 80.—HEERMANN, P. R. R. Rep. X, 1859, 41. _Salpinctes obsoletus_, CAB. Wiegmann’s Archiv, 1847, I, 323.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 357; Rev. 110.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 371 (Oaxaca).—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 64. _? Troglodytes latisfasciatus_, LICHT. Preis-Verzeich. 1831, no. 82. [Line drawing: _Salpinctes obsoletus._ 7157 ♂] SP. CHAR. Plumage very soft and lax. Bill about as long as the head. Upper parts brownish-gray, each feather with a central line and (except on the head) transverse bars of dusky, and a small dull brownish-white spot at the end (seen also on the tips of the secondaries). Rump, sides of the body, and posterior part of belly and under tail-coverts dull cinnamon, darker above. Rest of under parts dirty white; feathers of throat and breast with dusky central streaks. Lower tail-coverts banded broadly with black. Inner tail-feathers like the back, the others with a broad black bar near the end; the tips cinnamon; the outer on each side alternately banded with this color and black. A dull white line above and behind the eye. Iris brown. Length, 5.70; wing, 2.82; tail, 2.40. Young not marked or banded beneath. Eggs white, spotted with red. HAB. Central regions of the United States, to Mexico, east to mouth of Yellowstone River. Cape St. Lucas. Not recorded from Pacific slope. W. Arizona, Coues. Oaxaca, SCLATER. [Illustration: _Salpinctes obsoletus._] HABITS. The Rock Wren, so far as its distribution is known, is principally restricted to the high central plains of the Rocky Mountains, from Nebraska to the coast ranges near the Pacific, and from Oregon to Mexico and Lower California. According to Dr. Cooper it is an abundant species throughout the dry, rocky, and barren districts of California, especially in the southern portions, where it comes nearer the coast. They are numerous among the plains on both sides of the Rocky Mountains. Their favorite places are among the rocks, where they are always busily engaged in hunting for insects in the crevices. Dr. Cooper found nests at San Diego in cavities under the tiled roofs of houses, but they all contained young as early as May. At Fort Mojave they began to sing in February, and their song continued throughout the spring. They range to a high elevation among the mountains, having been found by Dr. Newberry at Klamath Lake in Oregon. Dr. Cooper does not describe their song, but Dr. Heermann speaks of it as only a very weak trill. The latter met with them in the mountainous districts of California, where they were searching for their food among the crevices of the rocks. He afterwards met with them in New Mexico and Texas. They were quite abundant in the Tejon Valley, passing in and out, among and under the boulders profusely scattered over the mountains, searching for spiders, worms, and small insects, in pursuit of which they uttered at intervals a loud and quick note of a peculiarly thrilling character. Lieutenant Couch found them in the sandstone ranges near Patos, in the province of Coahuila. Some of their habits are spoken of as sparrow-like, and, while they have the usual wren-like grating noises, they also possess a song of great variety and sweetness. Dr. Kennerly met with them among the bushes in the vicinity of the Rio Grande. Their flight he describes as short, the bird generally soon alighting on the ground and running off very rapidly. This Wren was first discovered by Mr. Say near the Arkansas River, inhabiting a sterile district devoid of trees, hopping along the ground or flitting through the low, stunted junipers on the banks of the river, usually in small flocks of five or six. Nuttall afterwards found them in July on the Western Colorado. The note of the female was _charr-charr-te-aigh_, with a strong guttural accent, and with a shrill call similar to the note of the Carolina Wren. The old birds were feeding a brood of five young, which, though full grown, were cherished with querulous assiduity. He found them nesting among the rocky ledges, in the crevices of which they hide themselves when disturbed. Mr. Nuttall also met with this species near Fort Vancouver. Mr. Salvin states that in several instances it has been met with in Guatemala. The eggs of this Wren obtained by Dr. Palmer in Arizona have a clear white ground, sparingly spotted with well-defined, distinct dottings of brownish-red. These are chiefly distributed around the larger end. They vary somewhat in size and shape, some being of a more rounded form, though all have one end more pointed than the other. The length is pretty uniform, .77 of an inch. The breadth varies from .60 to .66 of an inch. They are larger and more oblong than the eggs of any other Wren, except perhaps the _mexicanus_, and bear little resemblance to any other eggs of this family with which I am acquainted, except those of the Winter Wren, and the egg attributed to _T. americanus_. The nest is homogeneous in structure, composed entirely of thin strips of reddish-colored bark and fine roots, interspersed with a few small bits of wool. It is distorted by packing, so that measurements of it would be valueless; its dimensions in its pressed condition are: diameter, 5 inches; depth, 2 inches. The cavity is shallow and saucer-shaped. From Mr. Ridgway we learn that from the summit of the Sierra Nevada eastward, as far as the party explored, he found this Wren universally distributed. In the middle provinces of the Rocky Mountains it was the most abundant species of the family, but was not so abundant in the Wahsatch Mountains. The general resort of this species was among rocky or stony hill-slopes, though it was not confined to such localities. At Carson City he found it particularly partial to the rubbish of the decaying pine-logs. At Virginia City it was the only Wren seen frequenting the old buildings and abandoned mining-shafts, in its predilection for such places reminding him very much of the _Thryothorus ludovicianus_, which in its manners it very strongly resembles. Mr. Ridgway noticed a wonderful variety in the notes of this Wren. Its peculiarly guttural _turee_ was repeatedly heard, and its song in spring had a slight resemblance in modulation to that of the Carolina Wren, though altogether lacking the power and richness so characteristic of the superb song of that bird. Frequently its song was changed into a prolonged monotonous trill, similar to the tremulous spring-call of the _Junco hyemalis_. This species is not so wary as the _Catherpes mexicanus_. Upon suddenly starting up an individual of this kind, he would fly to the nearest boulder, turn with his breast towards the party, swing oddly from side to side, all the while ludicrously bowing and scolding the intruder with his peculiar sharp expressions of displeasure. Dr. Cooper, in his paper on the Fauna of the Territory of Montana, states that he observed this bird occasionally through the main Rocky Mountain chain to near the crossing of the Bitterroot, but it was less common than among the cliffs and rocks of the barren plain along their eastern slope. Though he did not find it in the western part of Washington Territory, he has no doubt that it frequents parts of the rocky cañons of the Columbia Plain. A nest with nine eggs was found in a log-cabin below Fort Benton. GENUS CATHERPES, BAIRD. _Catherpes_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 357. (Type, _Thryothorus mexicanus_, SW.) GEN. CHAR. Bill longer than the head, slender; all the outlines nearly straight to the tip, then gently decurved, gonys least so; nostrils linear; tarsus short, about equal to the middle toe, which reaches to the middle of the middle claw. Outer toe considerably longer than the inner, reaching beyond the base of the middle claw. Wings a little longer than the tail; the exposed portion of the first primary about half that of the fourth and fifth. Tail-feathers very broad and perfectly plane; tail nearly even; the two lateral graduated; the outer about eleven twelfths of the middle. [Line drawing: _Catherpes mexicanus._ 3969 ♂] This genus agrees with _Salpinctes_ in the broad, plane tail-feathers, but the bill is much longer, the nostrils linear, not oval, the feet much stouter, the outer toe rather longer; the tarsus shorter, being equal to the middle toe, not longer; the hind toe much longer than the outer lateral, instead of equal to it. The wings are but little longer than the tail, and shorter than in _Salpinctes_. This genus is confined to the western portions, where a single species, _C. mexicanus_, occurs in two well-marked varieties:— C. mexicanus. Culmen almost straight, the tip decurved, gonys straight. Above blackish-brown; wings and back sparsely sprinkled with minute white specks; _no such markings on head or neck_. Bars on tail very broad, .12 in width on outer feathers. Wing, 2.84; tail, 2.40; culmen, .96; tarsus, .75; middle toe, .68; posterior, .47; outer, .52; inner, .49 (52,791, Mazatlan, Mexico). _Hab._ Mexico … var. _mexicanus_. Culmen and gonys both gently curved, the latter somewhat concave. Above cinnamon-ashy, more reddish on rump and wings; head and neck above with numerous dots of white; very few of these on back and wings. Tail-bars very narrow and thread-like. Wing, 2.48; tail, 2.12; culmen, .83; tarsus, .56; middle toe, .52; posterior, .35; outer, .44; inner, .36 (53,425 ♂, Fort Churchill, Nevada). _Hab._ Middle (and Pacific?) Province of United States … var. _conspersus_. [Illustration: _Catherpes mexicanus._] In var. _mexicanus_ the white of throat is more abruptly defined against the rufous of abdomen than in var. _conspersus_, in which the transition is very gradual. The latter has the secondaries rufous with narrow isolated bars of black; the former has them blackish, _indented_ on lower webs with dark rufous. In _mexicanus_ the feet are very stout, and dark brown; in _conspersus_ they are much weaker, and deep black. All specimens from south of the United States (including Giraud’s type of _Certhia albifrons_) belong to the restricted _mexicanus_, while all from the United States are of the var. _conspersus_. Catherpes mexicanus, var. conspersus, RIDGWAY. CAÑON WREN; WHITE-THROATED ROCK WREN. _Troglodytes mexicanus_, HEERMANN, J. A. N. Sc. 2d ser. II, 1853, 63.—IB. P. R. R. Rep. X, 1859, 41.—CASSIN, Illust. Birds Cal. I, 1854, 173, pl. xxx. _Catherpes mexicanus_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 356 (in part); Rev. III (in part).—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 66. _Catherpes mexicanus_ var. _conspersus_, RIDGWAY. SP. CHAR. (No. 53,425 ♂, near Fort Churchill, Nevada, December 7, 1867; R. RIDGWAY). Above, brownish-ashy on the anterior, and bright cinnamon-rufous on the posterior half, the two colors shading insensibly together. The anterior, or grayish portion thickly sprinkled with numerous small circular dots of white, each preceded by a smaller speck of dusky; a few of these dots on the rump. Wings with obsolete, ragged, narrow, _isolated_ bars of dusky, these most sharply defined on the secondaries. Tail clear rufous, crossed with about nine very narrow, thread-like, somewhat zigzag bars of black,—these about .02 wide on the middle, and .07 on the outer feather. Beneath, anterior third, pure silky-white, shading insensibly into soft ochraceous on the breast, this soon darkening into deep ferruginous, the color of all the posterior lower parts; the whole of this ferruginous surface, with very obsolete transverse spots of white, each preceded by a narrower dusky one. Length, 5.75; extent of wings, 7.50 (fresh); wing, 2.48; tail, 2.13; culmen, .83; tarsus, .56. Bill deep slate, paler, and with lilaceous tinge, at base of lower mandible; iris umber; tarsi and toes black (fresh colors). HAB. Central region of North America, from boundary of United States northward. Extends up Valley of Colorado. Western Nevada, resident; RIDGWAY. The above characters apply to all specimens of _Catherpes_ from north of Mexico, as substantiated by a sufficient series in the collection. It is a remarkable fact that this northern race should be so much smaller than the Mexican one, especially in view of the fact that it is a resident bird in even the most northern parts of its ascertained habitat. HABITS. The geographical distribution of this race of the White-throated Wren, so far as known, is confined to the line of the United States and Mexican boundary, extending northward up the Valley of the Colorado, as far as Western Nevada. The corresponding Mexican race reaches some distance southward, but has not yet been detected beyond the limits of Mexico. The habits of both races, however, are quite similar, as far as known. Dr. Heermann first met with this Wren in the spring of 1851, on the Cosumnes River. In the following year he procured three specimens on the Calaveras River. He describes it as an active, sprightly bird, having a loud and pleasing song that may be heard a great distance, and which it repeats at short intervals. When found, it was occupied with searching for insects, between and under the large boulders of rock that, in some portions of the river, are thrown together in confused masses, as if by some terrific convulsion of nature. Dr. Kennerly also met with this species in similar localities among the hills bordering upon the Big Sandy, where the rocks are also described as piled up thick and high. They were darting from rock to rock and creeping among the crevices with great activity, constantly repeating their peculiar and singular note. The great rapidity of their motions rendered it difficult to procure a specimen. He did not observe this bird anywhere else. Their occurrence equally in such wild and desolate regions and in the midst of crowded cities indicates that the abundance of their food in either place, and not the absence or presence of man, determines this choice of residence. When first observed they were supposed to nest exclusively in deep and inaccessible crevices of rocks, where they were not likely to be traced. Mr. H. E. Dresser afterwards met with its nest and eggs in Western Texas, though he gives no description of either. He found this species rather common near San Antonio, where it remained to breed. One pair frequented a printing-office at that place, an old half-ruined building, where their familiar habits made them great favorites with the workmen, who informed him that the previous spring they had built a nest and reared their young in an old wall close by, and that they became very tame. At Dr. Heermann’s rancho on the Medina he procured the eggs of this bird, as well as those of the Louisiana and Bewick’s Wren, by nailing up cigar-boxes, with holes cut in front, wherever these birds were likely to build. Mr. Sumichrast describes its nest[29] as very skilfully wrought with spiders’ webs, and built in the crevices of old walls, or in the interstices between the tiles under the roofs of the houses. A nest with four eggs, supposed to be those of this species, was obtained in Western Texas by Mr. J. H. Clark; it was cup-shaped, not large, and with only a slight depression. The eggs, four in number, were unusually oblong and pointed for eggs of this family, and measured .80 by .60 of an inch, with a crystalline-white ground, profusely covered with numerous and large blotches of a reddish or cinnamon brown. So far as the observations of Mr. Ridgway enabled him to notice this bird, he found it much less common than the _Salpinctes obsoletus_, and inhabiting only the most secluded and rocky recesses of the mountains. Its common note of alarm is described as a peculiarly ringing _dīnk_. It has a remarkably odd and indescribably singular chant, utterly unlike anything else Mr. Ridgway ever heard. This consisted of a series of detached whistles, beginning in a high fine key, every note clear, smooth, and of equal length, each in succession being a degree lower than the preceding one, and only ending when the bottom of the scale is reached. The tone is soft, rich, and silvery, resembling somewhat the whistling of the Cardinal Grosbeak. It was often seen to fly nearly perpendicularly up the face of a rocky wall, and was also noticed to cling to the roof of a cave with all the facility of a true Creeper. GENUS THRYOTHORUS, VIEILL. _Thryothorus_, VIEILLOT, Analyse, 1816, 45. (Type, _Troglodytes arundinaceus_, “_Troglodyte des Roseaux_,” VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. II, 1807, 55 = _Sylvia ludoviciana_, LATH.) [Line drawing: _Thryothorus ludovicianus_ 7113] GEN. CHAR. Bill compressed, rather slender; height about one fourth the length above. Culmen and commissure gently curved throughout; gonys straight; tip very obsoletely notched. Nostrils in the lower edge of anterior extremity of the nasal groove, narrowly elliptical, overhung by a stiff scale-like roof of the thickened membrane of the upper part of the nasal groove, the crescentic edge rounded. The septum of nostrils imperforate; the posterior part of the nasal cavity with a short septum projecting into it parallel with the central, not perpendicular as in _Microcerculus_. Wings and tail about equal, the latter moderately rounded; the first primary more than half the second, about half the longest. Tarsi rather short, scarcely exceeding middle toe. Anterior scutellæ distinct, rest of each side of tarsi in a continuous plate. Lateral toes equal. The diagnoses of the North American species are as follows:— Species and Varieties. COMMON CHARACTERS. Head above, and back, of much the same color. Crissum barred transversely; rest of under parts plain. Upper tail-coverts and exposed surface of wings barred. Iris hazel. Nest in holes or with an arched covering. Eggs reddish-white, spotted with red and purple. _a. Thryothorus._ T. ludovicianus. Tail-feathers reddish-brown, barred with black. Greater wing-coverts spotted with whitish. Beneath yellow-whitish, washed occasionally with rusty. Sides plain. Bill from nostril, .45. Length, 6.00. _Hab._ Eastern Province United States … var. _ludovicianus_. Beneath rufous; lighter on throat and along median line. Sides obsoletely barred with dusky. Bill from nostril, .56. Length, 5.25. _Hab._ Lower Rio Grande … var. _berlandieri_. _b. Telmatodytes._ T. bewickii. Tail-feathers, except central, black; the exposed surface and tips only varied with white. Length, 5.50. Above dark rufous-brown; beneath plumbeous-white; flanks tinged with brown. Rump and exposed secondaries distinctly banded. Quills and middle tail-feathers brownish-black. Length from nostril, .39; along gape, .70. _Hab._ Eastern Province United States … var. _bewickii_. Above ashy-brown; beneath, including flanks, clear white; rump ashy, and, like secondaries, very obsoletely barred. Quills and middle tail-feathers grayish-brown. _Hab._ Southern border of United States, into Mexico … var. _leucogaster_. Colors intermediate between the two last. Bill longer, from nostril, .50, from gape, .81. _Hab._ Pacific Province … var. _spilurus_. SUBGENUS THRYOTHORUS, VIEILL. Thryothorus ludovicianus, var. ludovicianus, BONAP. GREAT CAROLINA WREN. _Sylvia ludoviciana_, LATH. Ind. Orn. II, 1790, 548. _Troglodytes ludovicianus_, LICHT. Verz. 1823, 35; also of BONAPARTE, AUDUBON, and PRINCE MAX. _Thryothorus ludovicianus_, BON. List. 1838, etc.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 361; Rev. 123. _Troglodytes arundinaceus_, VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. II, 1807, 55, pl. cviii. (Certainly this species; the habits those of _C. palustris_.) _Certhia caroliniana_, WILSON, Am. Orn. II, 1810, 61, pl. xii, fig. 5. _Thryothorus littoralis_, VIEILL. Nouv. Dict. XXXIV. 1819, 56. _Thryothorus louisianæ_, LESSON, Rev. Zoöl. 1840, 262. Additional figures: AUD. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, pl. lxxvii.—IB. Birds Am. II, 1841, pl. cxvii. SP. CHAR. Exposed portion of the bill shorter than the head. Above reddish-brown, most vivid on the rump. A whitish streak over the eye, bordered above with dark brown. Throat whitish; rest of under parts pale yellow-rusty, darkest towards the under tail-coverts, which are conspicuously barred with black. Exposed surface of the wings and tail (including the upper coverts) barred throughout with brown, the outer edges of tail-feathers and quills showing series of alternating whitish and dusky spots. Legs flesh-colored. Length, 6 inches; wing, 2.60; tail, 2.45. HAB. Eastern Province of United States, from New York southward to the Gulf. [Illustration: _Thryothorus bewickii._] HABITS. The Great Carolina or Mocking Wren is found in all the Southeastern and Southern States from Florida to Maryland, and from the Atlantic to Kansas and the Valley of the Rio Grande. It is not common about Washington, but is much more abundant in the Southern States. Occasionally it has been found as far north as Philadelphia, and in one or two instances near New York, where Mr. Lawrence has twice seen it, and where on one occasion it appeared to be breeding. Dr. Woodhouse found it very abundant throughout Texas and the Indian Territory. It is also abundant, and resident, in Southern Illinois, as far north as latitude 38° 20′ 20″. The habits and movements of this species, as described by those who have had the best opportunities for observing it, correspond with those of the whole family of Wrens. Its flight is usually only in short distances, and is accompanied with short flappings of the wings, and violent jerkings of the body and the tail. The latter is usually kept erect. It moves with quick jerks, and with sharp, rapid notes uttered as if in anger. It is in sight one moment and out the next, passes in at one place and out at another with the rapidity of thought. Mr. Audubon often saw it singing from the roof of an abandoned flat-boat, near New Orleans, and when its song was ended it would creep from one board to the next, enter an augur-hole at one place to reappear at another, catching numerous spiders and other insects all the while. [Illustration: PLATE IX. 1. Thryothorus ludovicianus, _Lath._ Pa., 1784. 2. “ berlandieri, _Couch_. Texas. 3. “ bewickii, _Aud._ ♂ Pa., 2047. 4. “ “ “ _var._ 5. Troglodyta ædon, _Vieill._ D. C. 6. Cistothorus palustris, _Wils._ Pa., 1454. 7. “ stellaris, _Licht._ Ga., 3073. 8. Troglodytes alascensis, _Baird_. Alaska, 54447. 9. “ hyemalis, _Vieill._ ♂ Va., 31045. 10. “ “ _var._ pacificus, _Baird_. W. T., 17434.] Occasionally its movements are like those of a Creeper, ascending to the upper branches of trees of a moderate height, or climbing a grapevine, searching diligently among the leaves and in the crevices of the bark for insects. This species possesses a great variety and power of song. It is also said to have and to exhibit remarkable powers of imitation, with a great variety in its appropriated notes of other birds, giving, with modulations, the hoarse rattle of the Kingfisher, the lively notes of the Tufted Titmouse, the simple refrain of the Ground Robin, with those of the Grakles, the Meadow Lark, the Bluebird, and others. Like the common Wren, the Carolina generally builds its nest in the hollow of some tree or stump, or any other convenient cavity. At other times it constructs its own habitation without any other protection than the thick branches of a vine or shrub. In these situations they are long and deep, and have an artificial roofing, often separate from the nest itself. The materials employed in their construction are hay, grasses, leaves, feathers, horse-hair, and dry fibres of the long Spanish moss. They are softly and warmly lined with fur, hair, and feathers. The nest is not unfrequently five or six inches in depth, while the opening is not large enough to admit more than one bird at a time. They sometimes raise three broods in a season. It breeds as far north as Philadelphia, Mr. Audubon having found its nest in a swamp in New Jersey, opposite that city. Although seemingly studious of concealment, and shy and retiring in its habits, Nuttall frequently observed it in Tuscaloosa and other large towns in Alabama, appearing on the tops of barns and out-houses, singing with great energy. Dr. Cooper, who enjoyed a favorable opportunity of watching these birds in Florida, in the spring and summer of 1859, found a nest of this Wren in the middle of March. It was built in a small box on a shelf in a mill, and was about four feet from the ground. It was arched over at the top, though this was not necessary to shelter it. This covering was formed of shavings, with a few small sticks and straws. Four eggs were laid. The birds were very tame, and were not alarmed by the loud noise of the mill, nor by a cat almost always present. Another nest found by Dr. Cooper was built in a small hole in the trunk of a tree, not more than six inches from the ground. This nest was not arched over. Its close proximity to a dwelling-house alone protected it from wild animals. The eggs of this Wren are usually six or seven in number, and vary in size and shape. They are for the most part of a spheroidal-oval shape, though some are more oblong than others. Their length varies from .75 to .70 of an inch, and their greatest breadth from .60 to .65. The ground-color is a reddish-white, profusely covered with blotches of purple, slate, reddish-brown, and red. These are generally and pretty equally diffused, and are not more abundant at the larger end than elsewhere. Thryothorus ludovicianus, var. berlandieri, COUCH. BERLANDIER’S WREN. _Thryothorus berlandieri_, COUCH, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 362, pl. lxxxiii, fig. 1 (New Leon); Rev. 124. SP. CHAR. Exposed portion of bill nearly as long as the head. Above dark rusty-brown, most vivid on the rump. A whitish streak over the eye, bordered above with brown. Chin white; rest of under parts dark brownish-red; the under tail-coverts and sides of the body barred with dusky. Exposed surface of wings and tail barred throughout with dusky. Legs flesh-color. Length, 5.25; wing, 2.25; tail, 2.12. HAB. Valley of Rio Grande. The distinctive features of this race will be found indicated on page 141. This form bears to the _T. ludovicianus_ about the same relation that _Harporhynchus longirostris_ does to _H. rufus_; and is hardly to be considered a distinct “species” from it. It should be noted that in both cases the lengthened bill and deeper color belong to the Rio Grande. It has not yet been met with north of the Rio Grande, but doubtless extends into Texas. Nothing is known of its habits. SUBGENUS THRYOMANES, SCLAT. _Thryomanes_, SCLATER, Catal. Am. Birds, 1861, 21. (Type _Troglodytes bewickii_.) [Line drawing: _Thryothorus bewickii._ 2047 ♂] There are three strongly marked geographical varieties of “Bewick’s Wren,” separable by quite constant characters. Of these the Mexican (_leucogaster_) and the typical form from eastern North America (_bewickii_) differ most in coloration, while the western (_spilurus_) is intermediate in this respect, but with a longer bill than in the other two. The peculiarities of the three forms are expressed on page 141. Thryothorus bewickii, var. bewickii, BONAP. BEWICK’S WREN; LONG-TAILED HOUSE WREN. _Troglodytes bewickii_, AUD. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 96, pl. xviii.—IB. Birds Am. II, 1841, 120, pl. cxviii. _Thryothorus bewickii_, BONAP. List, 1838.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 363. _Telmatodytes bewickii_, CAB. Mus. Hein. I, 1850, 78. _Thryothorus bewickii_, var. _bewickii_, BAIRD, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 126. SP. CHAR. Above dark rufous-brown; rump and middle tail-feathers sometimes a little paler, and very slightly tinged with gray, and together with the exposed surface of secondaries distinctly barred with dusky. Beneath soiled plumbeous-whitish; flanks brown. Crissum banded; ground-color of quills and tail-feathers brownish-black. Length, 5.50; wing, 2.25; tail, 2.50. Length from nostril, 39; along gape, 70. HAB. Eastern Province of United States. HABITS. This interesting species of Wren was first met with by Audubon in Louisiana. A number of individuals were observed at the time, but nothing of its history was known for several years afterward. In shape, color, and habits it most resembled the Carolina Wren, but was less rapid in movement, and not so lively. Fourteen years later Dr. Bachman again met with birds of this species, in 1835, at the Salt Sulphur Springs of Virginia. They comprised a family of two parents and five young, nearly full grown. Their notes were like those of the Winter Wren, neither louder nor more connected. They seemed of restless habit, creeping actively among fences, stumps, and logs. One ascended an oak, nearly to the top, in the manner of a Creeper. This species proved to be quite common in that locality, and to be the only Wren abundant among the mountains. Dr. Gibbs detected it near Columbia, S. C., and Dr. Trudeau afterwards found it quite common in Louisiana. It was first observed breeding by Professor Baird in Carlisle, Penn., in 1844. In all respects the nests and their location corresponded with those of the common Wren. Dr. Woodhouse found it very abundant in the Indian Territory, and describes its habits as similar to those of other Wrens. Lieutenant Couch observed this Wren at Santa Rosalio in Mexico, early in March. It was seeking its food among the low prickly-pears. He was informed that they deposited their eggs wherever they could do so without making much of a nest, inside the cabins under the rafters, but in New Leon he found one of its nests quite elaborately constructed in a thatched roof. He describes the song as quite varied, and one of the sweetest that he heard in that country. The late Dr. Gerhardt of Varnell’s Station, Ga., met with this species among the mountainous portions of Northern Georgia, where it generally nested in holes in stumps. In one instance the nest was constructed five inches in length, and four in diameter, with a cavity two inches in depth, and the walls of great proportionate thickness, made externally of coarse roots, finer on the inside, and lined with various kinds of animal fur and with feathers. Both birds worked together in constructing their nest, beginning on the 11th of April, and on the 27th of the same month this contained seven eggs. The nest was not covered at the top, in the manner of the Carolina Wren. In the following season another pair commenced building their nest in his bed, in a log-house. Driven from these impossible quarters, they tried the same experiment in various other parts of the house, but only to abandon it, and at last finished by making a successful attempt in the hay-loft. Their visits to that portion of Georgia, he informed me, were irregular and only occasional. In 1859 he had not met with any birds of this species for the space of five years. The eggs measure .67 by .50 of an inch in their average proportions, resembling somewhat those of the Carolina Wren, but having a lighter ground, with fewer and finer markings of slate and reddish-brown. The ground-color is of a pinkish-white. Mr. A. Boucard obtained specimens of these birds in the winter months, in the State of Oaxaca, Mexico, probably of the var. _leucogaster_. We learn from Mr. Ridgway that in Southern Illinois (as far north as latitude 38° 20′ 20″) this Wren is very abundant, and the most familiar species of the family. In certain localities (as in the Valley of the Wabash) it entirely replaces the _Troglodytes ædon_, the latter being wholly unknown. In its habits it is even more familiar than that species, always preferring the out-buildings, even in large towns, to the neighborhood of the woods, and still further increases its attractions by possessing a charming song, a real _song_, of sweet notes finely modulated, and uttered, generally, as the bird perches upon a fence or the stable roof, its head thrown back, and its long tail pendent as it sings. The confused, gabbling sputter of _T. ædon_, uttered as it pauses just for an instant in its restless hopping through the ivy, cannot be compared to the chant of liquid musical notes of this species, which resembles more nearly, both in modulation and power, that of the Song Sparrow (_Melospiza melodia_), though far superior to it. On ordinary occasions the note of Bewick’s Wren is a soft, low _plit_, uttered as the bird hops about the fence or stable, its long tail carried upright, and jerked to one side at each hop. In its movements it is altogether more deliberate and less restless than the _T. ludovicianus_, or _Troglodytes ædon_, neither of which it much resembles in motion, and still less in notes. The nest of this Wren is usually built about the out-houses, a mortise-hole or some well-concealed corner being generally selected. Old stables and ash-hoppers are especially frequented as nesting-places. Mr. Ridgway found one in the bottom of the conical portion of a quail-net which was hung up in a shed, and another in a piece of stove-pipe which lay horizontally in the garret of a smoke-house; another rested upon a flat board over the door of an out-house, while a fourth was placed behind the weather-boarding of a building. The nest is generally very bulky, though the bulk is regulated to suit the size of the cavity in which the nest is placed. Its materials are usually sticks, straws, coarse feathers, fine chips, etc., exteriorly fastened together with masses of spider’s-webs, the lining being of finer and more downy materials, generally soft spider’s-webs, tow, and especially the downy feathers of barnyard fowls. Thryothorus bewickii, var. leucogaster, GOULD. _Troglodytes leucogastra_, GOULD, P. Z. S. 1836, 89 (Tamaulipas).— BON. Notes Delattre, 1854, 43. ? _Thryothorus bewickii_, SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 372 (Oaxaca). _Thryothorus bewickii_, var. _leucogaster_, BAIRD, Rev. Am. B. 127. SP. CHAR. Above ashy-brown; rump and middle tail-feathers brownish-ash, the former nearly pure ash; without appreciable bars; bars on secondaries obsolete. Beneath, including inside of wing, pure white, with little or no brownish on the sides. Crissum banded; ground-color of the quills and tail-feathers grayish-brown. Size of var. _bewickii_. HAB. Southern borders of United States, into Mexico. HABITS. Nothing is on record of the habits of this variety as distinguished from var. _bewickii_. Thryothorus bewickii, var. spilurus, VIGORS. _Troglodytes spilurus_, VIGORS, Zoöl. Beechey’s Voyage, 1839, 18, pl. iv, fig. 1 (California). _Thryothorus spilurus_, COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 69. _Troglodytes bewickii_, NEWBERRY, P. R. R. Rept. VI, IV, 1857, 80.—COOPER & SUCKLEY, IB. XII, II, 1860, 190. _Thryothorus bewickii_, SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 22, no. 141 (in part). _Thryothorus bewickii_, var. _spilurus_, BAIRD, Rev. 126. SP. CHAR. Similar to _bewickii_ in color, the bill considerably longer. Length from nostril, .50, gape, .81, instead of .39 and .70. HAB. Pacific slope of United States. Young birds from all the localities differ from adults merely in having the feathers of the throat and breast very narrowly and inconspicuously edged with blackish. HABITS. This variety of Bewick’s Wren is exclusively an inhabitant of the Western coast. According to Dr. Cooper, they abound throughout the wooded parts of California and northward, frequenting the densest forests as well as the open groves. During the winter they were found in the vicinity of Fort Mojave, but left in April, probably for the mountains. They also winter throughout the mild regions towards the coast as far north as Puget Sound. They are known as Mocking-Wrens, though Dr. Cooper thinks they do not really imitate other birds, but rather have a great variety of their own notes, some of which resemble those of other birds and are well calculated to deceive one unaccustomed to them. He was often led to search in vain for some new form, which he thought he heard singing, only to find it to be a bird of this species. Near San Diego, in April, 1862, he discovered one of its nests built in a low bush, only three feet from the ground. It was quite open above, formed of twigs, grass, etc., and contained five eggs just ready to hatch, described as white with brown specks near the larger end. Messrs. Nuttall and Townsend observed these birds in the marshy meadows of the Wahlamet, accompanied by their young, as early as May. They seemed to have all the habits of Marsh Wrens. Drs. Gambel and Heermann, who observed them in California, describe them as keeping in low bushes and piles of brush, as well as about old dead trees and logs, over and around which they were flitting with the greatest activity, uttering, when approached, the usual grating scold of the Wrens. In Washington Territory Dr. Cooper states that this and the Winter Wren are among the few birds that enliven the long rainy season with their songs, which were as constantly heard in the dullest weather as in the sunny spring. The young broods make their first appearance there in June. Dr. Suckley found this species very abundant at Puget Sound, where it is a constant resident throughout the year. On sunny days in January and in February it was found among low thickets in company with the smaller species. At this season they were very tame, allowing a person to approach them without apparent fear. He speaks of the voice of the male as being harsh and loud during the breeding-season, and not unlike that of the common House Wren. GENUS TROGLODYTES, VIEILL. _Troglodytes_, VIEILLOT, Ois. Am. Sept. II, 1807, 52. (Type, _Troglodytes ædon_.) The characters of this genus are sufficiently indicated in the synopsis on page 131. They come very close to those of _Thryothorus_, the nostrils, especially, being linear and overhung by a scale. In this respect both differ from _Thryophilus_ of Middle America. The bill is shorter or not longer than the head; straight, slender, and without notch. The tail is graduated, and shorter than the much rounded wings, the feathers narrow. The light superciliary line of _Thryothorus_ is almost entirely wanting. Species and Varieties. _a. Troglodytes._ Tail and wings about equal. T. ædon. Beneath grayish-white. Crissum and flanks distinctly barred. Wing-coverts spotted with whitish. Dark bars of tail about half the width of their interspaces. First primary nearly half the longest. Color above dark-brown, rufous towards tail. _Hab._ Eastern Province United States … var. _ædon_. Wing similar. Above paler brown. _Hab._ Eastern Mexico, from Rio Grande southward … var. _aztecus_. First primary half the second. Above paler brown. _Hab._ Middle and Western Province United States … var. _parkmanni_. _b. Anorthura._ Tail very short; only about two thirds the wing. T. hyemalis. _a._ Size of _ædon_ except for shorter tail, wing about 2.00; culmen very straight. _Hab._ Aleutian Islands … var. _alascensis_. _b._ Much smaller than _ædon_, wing about 1.75. Pale reddish-brown; dusky bars of upper parts with whitish spots or interspaces. _Hab._ Eastern Province United States; Cordova? … var. _hyemalis_. Dark rufous above and below; upper parts with few or almost no whitish spots. _Hab._ Pacific Province North America … var. _pacificus_. Troglodytes ædon, VIEILL. HOUSE WREN; WOOD WREN. _Troglodytes ædon_, VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. II, 1807, 52, pl. cvii.— IB. Nouv. Dict. XXXIV, 1819, 506.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 366; Rev. 138.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 22, no. 145.—MAYNARD, B. E. Mass. _Hylemathrous ædon_, Cab. Jour. 1860, 407. _Sylvia domestica_, WILSON, Am. Orn. I, 1808, 129, pl. vii. _Troglodytes fulvus_, NUTT. Man. I, 1832, 422. ? _Troglodytes americanus_, AUD. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 452; V, 1839, 469, pl. clxxix.—IB. Birds Am. II, 1841, 123, pl. cxix.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 368; Rev. I, 141. Other figures: AUD. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, pl. lxxxiii.—IB. Birds Am. II, 1841, pl. cxx. SP. CHAR. Tail and wings about equal. Bill shorter than the head. Above reddish-brown, darker towards the head, brighter on the rump. The feathers everywhere, except on the head and neck, barred with dusky; obscurely so on the back, and still less on the rump. All the tail-feathers barred from the base; the contrast more vivid on the exterior one. Beneath pale fulvous-white, tinged with light brownish across the breast; the posterior parts rather dark brown, obscurely banded. Under tail-coverts whitish, with dusky bars. An indistinct line over the eye, eyelids, and loral region, whitish. Cheeks brown, streaked with whitish. Length, 4.90; wing, 2.08; tail, 2.00. HAB. Eastern Province of the United States, from Atlantic to the Missouri River. In the Review of American Birds (p. 139), I have established a variety, _aztecus_, to embrace specimens from Mexico paler than _ædon_, and with a brownish tinge on the breast, and smaller size. There can scarcely be any doubt that the _T. americanus_ of Audubon is nothing more than this species in dark, accidentally soiled plumage (from charcoal of burnt trees, etc.). [Line drawing: _Troglodytes ædon._ 28941] HABITS. The common House Wren is found throughout the United States, from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains, though it is not everywhere equally abundant. Thus, while in some parts of Massachusetts it occurs in considerable numbers every year, in other portions not twenty miles distant it is never seen. West of the Rocky Mountains it is replaced by Parkman’s Wren, which is rather a race than a distinct species, the differences in plumage being very slight, and in habits, nest, and eggs not appreciable, though Dr. Cooper thinks there is a difference in their song. Another race or a closely allied species, _T. aztecus_, is found in Mexico, near the borders of the United States, but does not have an extended range. It is found in the winter in Guatemala. [Illustration: _Troglodytes ædon._] This species does not appear to be found beyond the southwestern portion of Maine and the southern portions of New Hampshire and Vermont. It makes its first appearance in Washington early in April, and for a while is very abundant, visiting very familiarly the public grounds of the capitol, private gardens, out-buildings, and the eaves of dwellings. It does not appear in the New England States until after the first week in May, and leaves for the South about the last of September. It is not observed in any portion of the United States after the first of November. The hollows of decaying trees, crevices in rocks, or the centre of meshes of interlacing vines, are their natural resorts. These they readily relinquish for the facilities offered in the society of man. They are bold, sociable, confiding birds, and will enter into the closest relations with those who cultivate their acquaintance, building their nests from preference under the eaves of houses, in corners of the wood-shed, a clothes-line box, olive-jars, martin-boxes, open gourds, an old hat, the skull of an ox placed on a pole, the pocket of a carriage, or even the sleeve of an old coat left hanging in an out-building. In the spring of 1855 a pair of these Wrens nested within the house, and over the door of the room of the late Robert Kennicott, where they raised their broods in safety. They built a second nest on a shelf in the same room, which they entered through a knot-hole in the unceiled wall. At first shy, they soon became quite tame, and did not regard the presence of members of the family. The male bird was more shy than his mate, and though equally industrious in collecting insects would rarely bring them nearer than the knot-hole, where the female would receive them. The female with her brood was destroyed by a cat, but this did not deter the male bird from appearing the following season with another mate and building their nest in the same place. Another instance of a singular selection of a breeding-place has been given by the same authority. Dr. Kennicott, the father of Robert, a country physician, drove an old two-wheeled open gig, in the back of which was a box, a foot in length by three inches in width, open at the top. In this a pair of Wrens insisted, time after time, in building their nest. Though removed each time the vehicle was used, the pair for a long while persisted in their attempts to make use of this place, at last even depositing their eggs on the bare bottom of the box. It was two or three weeks before they finally desisted from their vain attempts. Sometimes this bird will build a nest in a large cavity, holding perhaps a bushel. Before the cup of the nest is completed, the birds will generally endeavor to fill the entire space with sticks and various other convenient substances. Where the entrance is unnecessarily large they will generally contract it by building about it a barricade of sticks, leaving only a small entrance. In the midst of these masses of material they construct a compact, cup-shaped, inner nest, hemispherical in shape, composed of finer materials and warmly lined with the fur of small quadrupeds, and with soft feathers. If the eggs are taken as the female is depositing them, she will continue to lay quite a long while. In one instance eighteen were taken, after which the birds were let alone and raised a brood of seven. During the months of May and June the male is a constant and remarkable singer. His song is loud, clear, and shrill, given with great animation and rapidity, the performer evincing great jealousy of any interruption, often leaving off abruptly in the midst of his song to literally “pitch in” upon any rival who may presume to compete with him. If a cat or any unwelcome visitor approach the nest, angry vociferations succeed to his sprightly song, and he will swoop in rapid flights across the head or back of the intruder, even at the apparent risk of his life. Where several pairs occupy the same garden, their contests are frequent, noisy, and generally quite amusing. In their fights with other birds for the possession of a coveted hollow, their skill at barricading frequently enables the Wrens to keep triumphant possession against birds much more powerful than themselves. Their food is exclusively insectivorous, and of a class of destructive insects that render them great benefactors to the farmer. Mr. Kennicott ascertained that a single pair of Wrens carried to their young about a thousand insects in a single day. The young, when they leave their nest, keep together for some time, moving about, an interesting, sociable, and active group, under the charge of their mother, but industrious in supplying their own wants. The eggs of the Wren, usually from seven to nine in number, are of a rounded-oval shape, at times nearly as broad as long. Their ground-color is white, but they are so thickly studded with markings and fine spots of reddish-brown, with a few occasional points of purplish-slate, as to conceal their ground. Their shape varies from nearly spherical to an oblong-oval, some measuring .60 by .55 of an inch, others with the same breadth having a length of .67 of an inch. Under the name of _Troglodytes americanus_, or Wood Wren, Mr. Audubon figured and described as a distinct species what is probably only a somewhat larger and darker form of the present species, hardly distinct enough to be treated even as a race. Mr. Audubon met with an individual near Eastport in 1832. The young were following their parents through the tangled recesses of a dark forest, in search of food. Others were obtained in the same part of Maine, near Dennisville, where Mr. Lincoln informed Mr. Audubon that this bird was the common Wren of the neighborhood, and that they bred in hollow logs in the woods, but seldom approached farm-houses. In the winter following, at Charleston, S. C., Mr. Audubon again met individuals of this supposed species, showing the same habits as in Maine, remaining in thick hedges, along ditches in the woods, not far from plantations. The notes are described as differing considerably from those of the House Wren. It has not been seen by Mr. Boardman, though residing in the region where it is said to be the common Wren. Professor Verrill mentions it as a rare bird in Western Maine. Mr. Charles S. Paine, of Randolph, Vt., is the only naturalist who has met with what he supposes were its nest and eggs. The following is his account, communicated by letter. “The Wood Wren comes among us in the spring about the 10th or 15th of April, and sings habitually as it skips among the brush and logs and under the roots and stumps of trees. In one instance I have known it to make its appearance in midwinter, and to be about the house and barn some time. It is only occasionally that they spend the summer here (Central Vermont). The nest from which I obtained the egg you now have, I found about the first of July, just as the young were about to fly. There were five young birds and one egg. The nest was built on the hanging bark of a decaying beech-log, close under the log. A great quantity of moss and rotten wood had been collected and filled in around the nest, and a little round hole left for the entrance. The nest was lined with a soft, downy substance. I have no doubt that they sometimes commence to breed as early as the middle of May, as I have seen their young out in early June.” Mr. Paine discredits the statement that they build their nests in holes in the ground. The egg referred to by Mr. Paine is oval in shape, slightly more pointed at one end, measuring .75 of an inch in length by .53 in breadth. The ground is a dead chalky-white, over which are sprinkled a few very fine dots of a light yellowish-brown, slightly more numerous at the larger end. This egg, while it bears some resemblance to that of the Winter Wren, is totally unlike that of the House Wren. Troglodytes ædon, var. parkmanni, AUD. PARKMAN’S WREN; WESTERN WOOD WREN. _Troglodytes parkmanni_, AUD. Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 310.—IB. Synopsis, 1839, 76.—IB. Birds Am. II, 1841, 133, pl. cxxii.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 367; Rev. 140.—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. Rep. XII, II, 1860, 191 (nest).—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 23, no. 146.—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 71. _Troglodytes sylvestris_, GAMBEL, Pr. A. N. Sc. III, 1846, 113 (California, quotes erroneously AUD. _T. americanus_). HAB. Western and Middle Provinces of United States. East to the Missouri River. Western Arizona, COUES. Although the differences between the eastern and western House Wrens, as stated in the Birds of North America, are not very appreciable, yet a comparison of an extensive series shows that they can hardly be considered as identical. The general color of _parkmanni_ above is paler and grayer, and there is little or none of the rufous of the lower back and rump. The bars on the upper surface are rather more distinct. The under parts are more alike, as, while ædon sometimes has flanks and crissum strongly tinged with rufous, other specimens are as pale as in _T. parkmanni_. Perhaps the most appreciable differences between the two are to be found in the size and proportions of wing and tail. The wing in _parkmanni_ is quite decidedly longer than in _ædon_, measuring, in males, 2.12 to 2.15, instead of 2.00 to 2.05. This is due not so much to a larger size as to a greater development of the primaries. The first quill is equal to or barely more than half the second in _parkmanni_; and the difference between the longest primary and the tenth amounts to .32 of an inch, instead of about .20 in _ædon_, where the first quill is nearly half the length of the third, and much more than half the length of the second. HABITS. This western form, hardly distinguishable from the common House Wren of the Eastern States, if recognized as a distinct species, is its complete analogue in regard to habits, nest, eggs, etc. It was first obtained by Townsend on the Columbia River, and described by Audubon in 1839. It has since been observed in various parts of the country, from the Mississippi Valley to the Pacific Coast, and from Cape St. Lucas to Oregon. Dr. Cooper, in his Birds of Washington Territory, speaks of this Wren as common about Puget Sound, where it appeared to be much less familiar than our common Wren, though its habits and song seemed to be very similar. It there frequented chiefly the vicinity of woods and piles of logs, neither seeking nor dwelling in the vicinity of houses. It arrives there about the 20th of April. As observed about Vancouver in 1853, its song appeared to Dr. Cooper different from that of the _T. ædon_. He found one of their nests built in a horse’s skull that had been stuck upon a fence. Dr. Suckley, who observed these birds about Fort Steilacoom, describes their voice as harsh and unmusical. Dr. Cooper has since observed them in California, and in the winter, in the Colorado Valley, where they roosted at night under the eaves of the garrison buildings. They make their appearance at San Francisco as early as March 16, and nest at San Diego in April. He has found their nests in hollow trees at various heights, from five to forty feet, all composed of a floor and barricade of long dry twigs, grass, and bark, loosely placed, but so interwoven as to leave only just space for the birds to squeeze in over them. They are warmly lined with a large quantity of feathers. Their eggs he gives as from five to nine in number. The late Mr. Hepburn has furnished more full and exact information in regard to this species. We give it in his own words. “The _T. parkmanni_ is the common wren of Vancouver Island, far more so than of California, where I have found the Bewick’s Wren (_T. bewickii_) much more numerous. Parkman’s Wren builds its nest in hollow trees in Vancouver Island, about the middle of May, forming it of small sticks laid at the bottom of the hole, neatly and comfortably lining it on the inside with feathers that arch over the eggs. It will also readily avail itself of any similar and equally convenient cavity. I have known these birds to build under the roof of a frame house, entering by a hole between the topmost board and the shingles; also in a hole in a gate-post, through which gate people were continually passing; and also over a doorway, getting in by a loose board, in a place where the nest could be reached by the hand. In 1852 I put a cigar-box, with a hole cut in one end, between the forks of a tree in a garden at Victoria. A pair of Wrens speedily took possession of it and formed their nest therein, laying seven eggs, the first on the 18th of May. The eggs of this Wren are white, thickly freckled with pink spots, so much so in some specimens as to give a general pink appearance to the egg itself, but forming a zone of a darker hue near the larger end. They are .81 of an inch in length by .50 in width.” Their eggs resemble those of the _T. ædon_ so as to be hardly distinguishable, yet on comparing several sets of each there seem to be these constant differences. The spots of the western species are finer, less marked, more numerous, and of a pinker shade of reddish-brown. The eggs, too, range a little smaller in size, though exhibiting great variations. In one nest the average measurement of its seven eggs is .60 by .50, that of another set of the same number .70 by .50 of an inch. In all respects, habits, manners, and notes, Parkman’s Wren is a perfect counterpart of the eastern House Wren. In the country east of the Sierra Nevada it almost wholly replaces the western Bewick’s Wren (_Thryothorus bewickii_, var. _spilurus_), and inhabits any wooded localities, as little preference being given to the cottonwoods of the river valleys as to the aspen groves high up in the mountains. Troglodytes parvulus, var. hyemalis, VIEILL. WINTER WREN. _Sylvia troglodytes_, WILSON, Am. Orn. I, 1808, 139, pl. viii, f. 6. _Troglodytes hyemalis_, VIEILLOT, Nouv. Dict. XXXIV, 1819, 514.—AUD. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 430, pl. ccclx.—IB. Birds Am. II, 1841, 128, pl. cxxi.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 369; Rev. 144.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1856, 290 (Cordova, Mex.).—IB. Catal. 1861, 23, no. 152.—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska).—COOPER, Orn. Cal. I, 1870, 73. SP. CHAR. Bill very straight, slender, and conical; shorter than the head. Tail considerably shorter than the wings, which reach to its middle. Upper parts reddish-brown; becoming brighter to the rump and tail; everywhere, except on the head and upper part of the back, with transverse bars of dusky and of lighter. Scapulars and wing-coverts with spots of white. Beneath pale reddish-brown, barred on the posterior half of the body with dusky and whitish, and spotted with white more anteriorly; outer web of primaries similarly spotted with pale brownish-white. An indistinct pale line over the eye. Length, about 4 inches; wing, 1.66; tail, 1.26. HAB. North America generally. South to Cordova, Mex. Western specimens may be separated as a variety _pacificus_ (BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds, 1864, 145), based on the much darker colors and the almost entire absence of the whitish spots among the dark bars. The under parts are more rufous; the tarsi are shorter, the claws larger, the bill straighter and more slender. The Winter Wren is very closely related to the common Wren (_T. parvulus_, KOCH) of Europe, so much so, in fact, that the two almost seem to be varieties of one species. The differences, as shown in a large series from both continents, are the following: In _T. parvulus_ there is a tendency to more uniform shades; and the prevailing tint anteriorly, beneath, is a pale yellowish-ash, almost immaculate, instead of brownish-ochraceous, showing minute specks and darker edges to the feathers. In extreme specimens of _T. parvulus_ the bars even on the tail and wings (except primaries, where they are always distinct) are very obsolete, while on the lower parts they are confined to the flanks and crissum. Sometimes, however, specimens of the two are found which are almost undistinguishable from each other. In fact, it is only by taking the plainer European birds and comparing them with the darker American examples from the northwest coast, that the difference between _T. parvulus_ and _T. hyemalis_ is readily appreciable. HABITS. The Winter Wren, nowhere very abundant, seems to be distributed over the whole of North America. Hardly distinguishable from the common Wren of Europe, it can scarcely be considered as distinct. The habits of our species certainly seem to be very different from those assigned to the European bird, which in England appears to be as common and as familiar a bird as even the Redbreast. The small size and retiring habits of our species, as well as its unfrequent occurrence, and only in wild places, combine to keep its history in doubt and obscurity. It is supposed to be northern in its distribution during the breeding-season, yet only a single specimen was obtained by Sir John Richardson, and that on the northern shores of Lake Huron. On the Pacific coast Dr. Cooper regarded the Winter Wren as the most common species in the forests of Washington Territory, where it frequented even the densest portions, and where its lively song was almost the only sound to be heard. It was most commonly seen in winter, retiring in summer to the mountains to breed. He observed young birds on the Coast Mountains in July. Dr. Suckley also states that this Wren was found at Fort Steilacoom more abundantly in the winter than any other species. It was very unsuspicious, allowing a very near approach. The dense fir forests, among fallen logs, were its usual places of resort during the long, damp, and dreary winters of Oregon. Dr. Suckley regarded the habits of this species and those of the Parkman Wren as nearly identical. Mr. Bischoff obtained four specimens in Sitka. Mr. Audubon found this species at Eastport, on the 9th of May, in full song and quite abundant. A month later he found them equally plentiful in the Magdalen Islands, and afterwards, about the middle of July, in Labrador. He described its song as excelling that of any bird of its size with which he was acquainted, being full of cadence, energy, and melody, and as truly musical. Its power of continuance is said to be very surprising. The characteristics of the Winter Wren are those of the whole family. They move with rapidity and precision from place to place, in short, sudden hops and flights, bending downward and keeping their tails erect. They will run under a large root, through a hollow stump or log, or between the interstices of rocks, more in the manner of a mouse than of a bird. The writer has several times observed these Wrens on the steep sides of Mount Washington, in the month of June, moving about in active unrest, disappearing and reappearing among the broken masses of granite with which these slopes are strewn. This was even in the most thickly wooded portions. Though they evidently had nests in the neighborhood, they could not be discovered. They were unsuspicious, could be approached within a few feet, but uttered querulous complaints if one persisted in searching too long in the places they entered. This Wren, as I am informed by Mr. Boardman, is a common summer resident near Calais, Me. Mr. Audubon met with its nest in a thick forest in Pennsylvania. He followed a pair of these birds until they disappeared in the hollow of a protuberance, covered with moss and lichens, resembling the excrescences often seen on forest trees. The aperture was perfectly rounded and quite smooth. He put in his finger and felt the pecking of the bird’s bill and heard its querulous cry. He was obliged to remove the parent bird in order to see the eggs, which were six in number. The parent birds made a great clamor as he was examining them. The nest was seven inches in length and four and a half in breadth. Its walls were composed of mosses and lichens, and were nearly two inches in thickness. The cavity was very warmly lined with the fur of the American hare and a few soft feathers. Another nest found on the Mohawk, in New York, was similar, but smaller, and built against the side of a rock near its bottom. Mr. William F. Hall met with the nest and eggs of this bird at Camp Sebois in the central eastern portion of Maine. It was built in an unoccupied log-hut, among the fir-leaves and mosses in a crevice between the logs. It was large and bulky, composed externally of mosses and lined with the fur of hedge-hogs, and the feathers of the spruce partridge and other birds. It was in the shape of a pouch, and the entrance was neatly framed with fine pine sticks. The eggs were six in number, and somewhat resembled those of the _Parus atricapillus_. The female was seen and fully identified. In this nest, which measured five and three quarters inches by five in breadth, the size, solidity, and strength, in view of the diminutive proportions of its tiny architect, are quite remarkable. The walls were two inches in thickness and very strongly impacted and interwoven. The cavity was an inch and a quarter wide and four inches deep. Its hemlock framework had been made of green materials, and their strong and agreeable odor pervaded the structure. The eggs measured .65 by .48 of an inch, and were spotted with a bright reddish-brown and a few pale markings of purplish-slate, on a pure white ground. Compared with the eggs of the European Wren their eggs are larger, less oval in shape, and the spots much more marked in their character and distinctness. Troglodytes parvulus, var. alascensis, BAIRD. ALASKA WREN. _Troglodytes alascensis_, BAIRD, Trans. Chicago Acad. Sc. I, ii, 315, pl. xxx, fig. 3, 1869.—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska).—FRIESCH, Ornith. N. W. Amerikas, 1872, 30. SP. CHAR. ♂ ad., 61,329, Amaknak Island, Unalaschka, Oct. 21, 1871; W. H. Dall. Above umber-brown, more rufescent on the wings, rump, and tail; secondaries and tail-feathers showing indistinct transverse dusky bars; primaries about equally barred with blackish and dilute umber or brownish-white; middle-coverts tipped with a small white dot, preceded by a black one. Lower part, including a rather distinct superciliary stripe, pale ochraceous-umber; sides, flanks, abdomen, and crissum distinctly barred with dusky and whitish on a rusty ground; crissum with sagittate spots of white. Wing, 2.20; tail, 1.60; culmen, .65; tarsus, .75. HAB. Aleutian and Pribylow Islands, Alaska. The specimen above described represents about the average of a large series obtained on Amaknak Island by Mr. Dall. They vary somewhat among themselves as regards dimensions, but all are very much larger than any specimens of _T. hyemalis_, from which it also differs in longer, straighter, and more subulate bill (the gonys slightly ascending). The type specimen from St. George’s Island was immature, and we embrace the opportunity of giving the description of an adult sent down with several others in the autumn of 1871 by Mr. Dall from Unalaschka. This form bears the same relation to _T. hyemalis_ that _Melospiza unalaschkensis_ does to _M. melodia_; _T. pacificus_, like _M. rufina_, being an intermediate form. HABITS. Of this new variety, the Alaska Wren, but little is as yet known as to its personal history. Mr. Dall states that it is found in abundance all the year round on St. George’s Island, and that it breeds in May, building a nest of moss in the crevices of the rocks, and, according to the Aleuts, lays six eggs. Mr. Dall subsequently found it quite common at Unalaschka in the summer of 1871. GENUS CISTOTHORUS, CABAN. _Cistothorus_, CABANIS, Mus. Hein. 1850, 1851, 77. (Type, _Troglodytes stellaris_.) _Telmatodytes_, CABANIS, Mus. Hein. 1850, 1851, 78. (Type, _Certhia palustris_.) _Thryothorus_, VIEILLOT, Analyse, 1816, according to G. R. Gray. [Line drawing: _Cistothorus palustris._ 1454 ♂] GEN. CHAR. Bill about as long as the head or much shorter, much compressed, not notched, gently decurved from the middle; the gonys slightly concave or straight. Toes reaching to the end of the tail. Tarsus longer than the middle toe. Hind toe longer than the lateral, shorter than the middle. Lateral toes about equal. Hind toe longer than or equal to its digit. Wings rather longer than the tail, all the feathers of which are much graduated; the lateral only two thirds the middle. The feathers narrow. Back black, conspicuously streaked with white. Of this genus there are two sections, _Cistothorus_ proper and _Telmatodytes_, the diagnoses of which have already been given. The two North American species present the feature, unique among our Wrens, of white streaks on the back. A. Cistothorus. Bill half length of head. No white superciliary streak. Head and rump and back streaked with white. Tail dusky, barred with brown … _C. stellaris._ B. Telmatodytes. Bill length of head. A white superciliary stripe. Back alone streaked with white. Tail-feathers black, barred with whitish … _C. palustris._ Cistothorus stellaris, CABAN. SHORT-BILLED MARSH-WREN. _Troglodytes stellaris_, “LICHT.” NAUMANN, Vögel Deutschlands, III, 1823, 724 (Carolina). _Cistothorus stellaris_, CAB. Mus. Hein. 77.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 365; Rev. 146.—SCLATER, Catal. 22, no. 142 (in part). _Troglodytes brevirostris_, NUTT. Man. I, 1832, 436.—AUD. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 427, pl. clxxv.—IB. Birds Am. II, 1841, 138, pl. cxxiv. _C. elegans_, SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1859, 8. SP. CHAR. Bill very short, scarcely half the length of the head. Wing and tail about equal. Hinder part of the crown and the scapular and interscapular region of the back and rump almost black, streaked with white. Tail dusky, the feathers barred throughout with brown (the color grayish on the under surface). Beneath white; the sides, upper part of breast, and under tail-coverts reddish-brown. Upper parts, with the exceptions mentioned, reddish-brown. Length, 4.50; wing, 1.75; tail, 1.75. HAB. Eastern Province of United States, west to Loup Fork of Platte. There is a closely allied variety from Mexico and Guatemala (_C. elegans_, SCLATER & SALVIN, Pr. Z. S., 1859, 8) which differs in the characters stated below. White dorsal streaks extending to the rump, which is conspicuously banded with brown, and somewhat spotted with whitish. Beneath, including lining of wings, light cinnamon-brown; throat and belly paler, almost white; sides and crissum very obsoletely barred with darker, and faintly spotted with whitish. Feathers of jugulum like sides, but with the color obscured by the paler edges. Tarsus, .65 long. _Hab._ Eastern Province of United States … _C. stellaris._ Streaks on back confined to interscapular region; rump and upper tail-coverts almost plain reddish-brown. Beneath much paler than in _stellaris_, without any appreciable indication of bars or spots on sides and crissum, or of the fulvous of the jugular feathers. Inside of wings snowy-white. Tarsus, .72 long. _Hab._ Mexico and Guatemala; Brazil? … _C. elegans._ The differences between these two varieties are just barely appreciable when specimens of the two, of corresponding seasons, are compared. Two Mexican examples (_elegans_) differ more from each other than one does from North American specimens; because one (a typical specimen received from Salvin) is in the worn, faded, midsummer plumage, and the other in the perfect autumnal dress. Besides the longer tarsi of these Mexican birds, their tails, and even their bills, are longer than seen in North American skins. But while these differences between the North American and Mexican birds are just appreciable, there is one from Brazil (51,017, Sr. Don Fred. Albuquerque) which is exactly intermediate between these two varieties in color, while in size it is even smaller than the North American ones, measuring as follows: wing, 1.60; tail, 1.60; culmen, .45, tarsus, .61. Even if recognizable as belonging to different varieties, these specimens are certainly all referable to one species. HABITS. The Short-billed Marsh Wren is very irregularly distributed throughout the United States, being found from Georgia to the British Provinces, and from the Atlantic to the Upper Missouri. It is nowhere abundant, and in many large portions of intervening territory has never been found. [Illustration: _Cistothorus palustris._] It is exclusively an inhabitant of low, fresh-water marshes, open swamps, and meadows, is never found on high ground, and is very shy and difficult of approach. It makes its first appearance in Massachusetts early in May, and leaves early in September. In winter it has been found in all the Gulf States, from Florida to Texas. According to Nuttall, this Wren has a lively and quaint song, delivered earnestly and as if in haste, and at short intervals, either from a tuft of sedge or from a low bush on the edge of a marsh. When approached, the song becomes harsher and more hurried, and rises into an angry and petulant cry. In the early part of the season the male is quite lively and musical. These Wrens spend their time chiefly in the long, rank grass of the swamps and meadows searching for insects, their favorite food. Their nest is constructed in the midst of a tussock of coarse high grass, the tops of which are ingeniously interwoven into a coarse and strong covering, spherical in shape and closed on every side, except one small aperture left for an entrance. The strong wiry grass of the tussock is also interwoven with finer materials, making the whole impervious to the weather. The inner nest is composed of grasses and finer sedges, and lined with soft, vegetable down. The eggs are nine in number, pure white, and rather small for the bird. They are exceedingly delicate and fragile, more so than is usual even in the eggs of Humming-Birds. They are of an oval shape, and measure .60 by .45 of an inch. Mr. Nuttall conjectured that occasionally two females occupied the same nest, and states that he has known the male bird to busy itself in constructing several nests, not more than one of which would be used. As these birds rear a second brood, it is probable that these nests are built from an instinctive desire to have a new one in readiness for the second brood. This peculiarity has been noticed in other Wrens, where the female sometimes takes possession of the new abode, lays and sits upon her second set of eggs before her first brood are ready to fly, which are left to the charge of her mate. Mr. Audubon found this Wren breeding in Texas. Dr. Trudeau met them on the marshes of the Delaware River, and their nest and eggs have been sent to us from the Koskonong marshes of Wisconsin. It has also been found in the marshes of Connecticut River, near Hartford; and in Illinois Mr. Kennicott found it among the long grasses bordering on the prairie sloughs. In Massachusetts I have occasionally met with their nests, but only late in July, when the rank grass of the low meadows has been cut. These were probably their second brood. The nest being built close to the ground, and made of the living grasses externally, they are not distinguishable from the unoccupied tussocks that surround them. Cistothorus palustris, BAIRD. LONG-BILLED MARSH WREN. Var. palustris. _Certhia palustris_, WILSON, Am. Orn. II, 1810, 58, pl. xii, fig. 4 (Penna). _Troglodytes palustris_, BON. Obs. Wils. 1824, no. 66.—AUD. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 500, pl. c.—IB. Birds Am. II, 1841, 135, pl. cxxiii.—REINHARDT, Ibis, 1861, 5 (Godthaab, Greenland). _Thryothorus palustris_, NUTT. Man. I, 1832, 439. _Cistothorus (Telmatodytes) palustris_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 364; Rev. 147.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 22. _Thryothorus arundinaceus_, VIEILLOT, Nouv. Dict. XXXIV, 1819, 58 (not _Trog. arundinaceus_, VIEILLOT). _Thryothorus arundinaceus_, BON. Consp. 1850, 220. _Telmatodytes arundinaceus_, CAB. Mus. Hein. 1850, 78. HAB. Eastern United States, from the Missouri River; Greenland? REINHARDT; Mexico, and Guatemala? Cordova, SCLATER. Var. paludicola. _Cistothorus palustris_, var. _paludicola_, BAIRD, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 148. _Troglodytes palustris_, NEWB. P. R. Rep. VI, IV, 1857, 80 (Pacific region). _Cistothorus palustris_, COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. Rep. X, II, 1859, 190 (W. T.)—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1. 1870, 75. _Certhia palustris_, LORD, Pr. R. Art. Inst. IV, 117. SP. CHAR. Bill about as long as head. Tail and wing nearly equal. Upper parts of a dull reddish-brown, except on the crown, interscapular region, outer surface of tertials, and tail-feathers, which are almost black; the first with a median patch like the ground-color; the second with short streaks of white, extending round on the sides of the neck; the third indented with brown; the fourth barred with whitish, decreasing in amount from the outer feather, which is marked from the base to the fifth, where it is confined to the tips; the two middle feathers above like the back, and barred throughout with dusky. Beneath rather pure white, the sides and under tail-coverts of a lighter shade of brown than the back; a white streak over the eye. Length, 5.50; wing, 2.08; tail, 2.00. (1,454.) HAB. Pacific Coast and Middle Province of United States. In comparing a series of Marsh Wrens of eastern North America with western, we find that they differ very appreciably in certain characteristics, which may be expressed by the following diagnoses:— Bill lengthened, equal to tarsus. Tail-coverts above and below either perfectly plain, or with very obsolete bands, reduced to obscure spots beneath. Bands on tail broken; scarcely appreciable on the middle feathers … var. _palustris_. Bill shorter than tarsus. Tail-coverts distinctly banded all across. Bands on tail quite distinct; appreciable on the central feathers … var. _paludicola_. The differences between these two races is much more appreciable than those between _Troglodytes ædon_ and _T. “parkmanni”_; the most striking character is the much longer bill of the var. _palustris_. Specimens of the var. _paludicola_ from the interior are paler and more grayish-brown above, and have less distinct bars on the tail-coverts and tail, than in Pacific coast specimens, while on the crown the brown, instead of the black, largely predominates. HABITS. The common Marsh Wren appears to have a nearly unrestricted range throughout North America. It occurs on the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to Florida, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and as far north as Washington Territory on the west coast. A single specimen was procured in Greenland. It is not, however, at all common in these more northern latitudes. Mr. Drummond, of Sir John Richardson’s party, met with it in the 55th parallel on the eastern declivity of the Rocky Mountains and in the Saskatchewan Valley. Dr. Cooper found it early in March in the salt marshes along the coast of Washington Territory, and thinks it winters in that section. On the Eastern coast it is not common as far north as Massachusetts, a few being found at Cambridge and in Barnstable County. It is abundant near Washington, D. C., and throughout the country in all suitable locations south and west from Pennsylvania. Mr. Ridgway found it plentiful in Utah. They frequent low marshy grounds, whether near the sea or in the interior, and build in low bushes, a few feet from the ground, a well-constructed globular nest. On the Potomac, where the river is subject to irregular tides, they are generally not less than five feet from the ground. These nests are nearly spherical, and both in size and shape resemble a cocoanut. They are made externally of coarse sedges firmly interwoven, the interstices being cemented with clay or mud, and are impervious to the weather. A small round orifice is left on one side for entrance, the upper side of which is also protected from the rain by a projecting edge. The inside is lined with fine grasses, feathers, the down of the silk-weed, and other soft and warm vegetable substances. These birds arrive in the Middle States early in May and leave early in September. They have two broods in the season, and each time construct and occupy a new nest. Audubon describes its nest as built among sedges, and as usually partly constructed of the sedges among which the nest is built. This is the usual manner in which the _C. stellaris_ builds its nest, but I have never known one of the present species building in this manner, and in the localities in which they breed, near the coast, being subject to irregular heights of tides, it could not be done with safety. The note of the Marsh Wren is a low, harsh, grating cry, neither loud nor musical, and more resembling the noise of an insect than the vocal utterances of a bird. Their food consists chiefly of small aquatic insects, minute mollusks, and the like, and these they are very expert in securing. The eggs of this species average .65 of an inch in length and .50 in breadth. They are, in color, in striking contrast with those of the _C. stellaris_, being so thickly marked with blotches and spots of a deep chocolate-brown as to be almost of one uniform color in appearance. They are of an oval shape, at times almost spheroidal, one end being but slightly more pointed than the other. They number from six to nine. In a few instances eggs of this species from the Mississippi Valley and from California are of a light ashy-gray color, the markings being smaller and of a much lighter color. * * * * * We have thus completed the account of the Oscine Singing-Birds with slender bills not hooked at the end, and which have ten distinct primaries; the first or outer one, however, either quite small or else considerably shorter than the second. We now come to a series with only nine primaries, the first being entirely wanting, and the second, now the outermost, nearly or quite as long as the third. In the preliminary tables of general arrangement will be found the comparative characters of the different families of _Oscines_, but the diagnosis of the series referred to is presented here, as follows:— COMMON CHARACTERS. Primaries nine; the first quill nearly as long as the second or third. Tarsi distinctly scutellate the whole length anteriorly. Bill conical, but slender or depressed, usually, except in _Cærebidæ_, half the length of the head; more or less bristled, or notched. Nostrils oval or rounded. Lateral toes nearly or quite equal, and shorter than the middle; the basal joint of the middle free nearly to its base externally, united for about half internally. Motacillidæ. Bill slender. Culmen slightly concave at base. Legs long; claws but little curved. Hind toe considerably longer than the middle one; its claw much longer (twice) than the middle claw; all the claws but slightly curved. Innermost secondaries (so-called tertials) elongated, much longer than the outer secondaries; and the fifth primary emarginated at end. Nest on ground. Sylvicolidæ. Bill rather slender, conical, or depressed. Culmen straight or convex. Hind toe shorter than the middle; the claws all much curved. Hind claw not conspicuously longer than the middle one. When the hind toe is lengthened, it is usually in the digit, not the claw. Tertials generally not longer than the secondaries, and not emarginated. Gape wide; tongue slightly split at end. Nest variously placed. Cærebidæ. Similar to _Sylvicolidæ_. Bill generally longer; equal to head or more. Gape of mouth narrow; tongue generally much fringed at the end. Nest on trees. The _Tanagridæ_, the _Fringillidæ_, and even the _Icteridæ_, come very near these families, as will be explained farther on, all agreeing in having the nine primaries, and in many other characters. FAMILY MOTACILLIDÆ.—THE WAGTAILS. CHAR. Bill slender, conical, nearly as high as wide at the base, with slight notch at the tip; the culmen slightly concave above the anterior extremity of the nostrils; short bristles at gape, which, however, do not extend forward to nostrils. Loral feathers soft and dense, but with bristly points; nasal groove filled with naked membrane, with the elongated nostrils in lower edge; the frontal feathers coming up to the aperture, but not directed forward nor overhanging it. Wings lengthened and sharp-pointed; the primaries nine (without spurious first), of which the first three to five, considerably longer than the succeeding, form the tip; the exterior secondaries generally much emarginated at the ends; the inner secondaries (so-called tertials) nearly equal to the longest primaries. The tail rather narrow, emarginate. Tarsi lengthened, scutellate anteriorly only, the hind claw usually very long, acute, and but slightly curved (except in _Motacilla_). Inner toe cleft almost to the very base, outer adherent for basal joint only. The combination of naked nostrils, notched bill, and nine primaries, with the tarsi scutellate anteriorly only, will at once distinguish the _Anthinæ_ of this family from the _Alaudidæ_, which they so closely resemble in coloration, habits, and lengthened hind claw. The lengthened, slightly curved hind claw, much pointed wings, emarginated secondaries,—the inner ones nearly as long as the primaries,—distinguish the family from the _Sylvicolidæ_, with which also it has near relationships. Subfamilies and Genera. Motacillinæ. Tail longer than or equal to wings; the two central feathers rather longer than lateral; the feathers broadest in middle, whence they taper gradually to the rounded tip. Colors uniform: gray, black, yellowish; without pale edges to feathers above, or streaks below. Tail from coccyx considerably longer than the wings, doubly forked. Hind claw shorter than the toe; decidedly curved … _Motacilla._ Tail from coccyx equal to the wings, slightly graduated. Hind claw decidedly longer than the toe, slightly curved … _Budytes._ Anthinæ. Tail shorter than the wings, emarginate at end, the two central shorter than lateral; the feathers broadest near the end, and rounding rapidly at end. Above grayish-brown, the feathers edged with paler. Under parts streaked. Wings much pointed and lengthened. Hind toe and claw shorter than tarsus; outstretched toes falling short of tip of tail … _Anthus._ Hind toe and claw longer than tarsus; outstretched toes extending beyond tip of tail … _Neocorys._ Wings short and rounded. Point of wings formed by outer four primaries of nearly equal length … _Notiocorys._[30] Point of wing formed by outer five primaries, the first shorter than the third … _Pediocorys._[31] [Illustration: PLATE X. 1. Motacilla alba, _Linn._ Europe. 2. Budytes flava, _Linn._ Alaska, 45912. 3. Anthus ludovicianus, _Gm._ Labrador, 18081. 4. “ pratensis, _Linn._ Europe, 18590. 5. Neocorys spraguei, _Aud._ ♀ Dacota, 1884. 6. Mniotilta varia, _Linn._ ♂ 18685. 7. Parula americana, _Linn._ ♂ Pa., 53385. 8. Protonotaria citrea, _Bodd._ Ill., 1011. 9. Helmitherus swainsoni, _Aud._ S. C., 1054. 10. “ vermivorus, _Gm._ Pa., 2148.] SUBFAMILY MOTACILLINÆ. GENUS MOTACILLA, LINN. _Motacilla_, LINN. Syst. Nat. (Type, _Motacilla alba_.) The diagnosis already given of _Motacilla_ will serve to define it. The genus is an Old World one, represented by several species, only one of which (_M. alba_) is entitled to a place here from occurring in Greenland. Motacilla alba, LINN. WHITE WAGTAIL. _Motacilla alba_, LINN. Syst. Nat. 12th ed. 1766, 331.—KEYS. & BLAS. Wirb. Europ. 1840, xlix, and 174.—DEGLAND, Orn. Europ. I, 1849, 433.—REINHARDT, Ibis, 1861, 6 (Greenland).—NEWTON, Baring-Gould’s Iceland, 1863, App. (“rather plentiful”).—BAIRD, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 152. Figure: GOULD, Birds Europe, 143. [Line drawing: _Motacilla alba._ 28489] SP. CHAR. (9,410 ♂, Nürnberg). Forehead as far back as above the eyes, with sides of head and neck, white; the remaining portion of head and neck above and below to the jugulum, black; the rest of under parts white. Upper parts ashy-gray, including rump; the upper tail-coverts tinged with black. Wings with two conspicuous bands and the outer edges of the secondaries white. Tail-feathers black; the outer two white, edged with black internally. Bill and legs black. Tip of wing formed by outer three primaries; the distance between the third and fourth about one third that between the fourth and fifth. Tarsi lengthened; claw small; hind toe and claw shorter than the middle, its claw short, considerably curved, less than the toe alone; lateral toes nearly equal. Length, 7.30; wing, 3.45; tail, 3.90; bill from nostril, .37; tarsus, .86; hind toe and claw, .50. HAB. Continental Europe, rarer in England; Iceland; Greenland (only two specimens seen); Siberia; Syria; Nubia, etc. _Motacilla yarrelli_, a closely allied species, by some considered a variety only, differs in having the rump black, the ashy of the back glossed with blackish, and with the black edging of the lateral tail-feathers broader. [Illustration: _Motacilla alba._] HABITS. The common White Wagtail of Europe claims a place in the North American fauna as an occasional visitant of Greenland, where in two instances single specimens have been procured. It is found in all portions of the European Continent, from the islands of the Mediterranean as far north as the Arctic regions. It appears in Sweden in April, and leaves there in October. Mr. Gould states also that it is found in the northern portions of Africa, and in the highlands of India. It also occurs, though less frequently, in England, where it is replaced by a local race, or an allied species, _Motacilla yarrelli_ of Gould. The _Motacilla alba_ is said by Temminck to inhabit meadows in the vicinity of streams of water, villages, and old houses. Its food is chiefly insects in various stages and of different kinds. It builds its nest on the ground among the grass of the meadow, in fissures in rocks or decayed buildings, among the roots of trees, on the banks of streams, in piles of wood and fagots, or under the arch of a bridge. The nests are somewhat coarsely constructed of interwoven dry bent stems of plants and reeds, with a finer lining of the same. The eggs, six in number, are of a bluish-white ground thickly sprinkled with fine dottings, which are most usually of a blackish-brown color, sometimes ashy-gray or reddish-brown. The Pied Wagtail, _M. yarrelli_, Degland and Gerbe regard as a race, and not a species. It has a limited habitat, confined to Norway, Sweden, and the British Islands, in the latter of which it is a resident throughout the year. Besides their difference in plumage, Mr. Yarrell has noticed certain differences also of habit. The _alba_ is said not to be so partial to water as the pied species, and though often found near ploughed land, does not, like its kindred species, follow the plough in search of insects. Mr. Hewitson also states that it has a hoarser voice. Like all the birds of this family, the Wagtail is much admired for the elegance of its form, its activity, and the airy lightness of its motions. It seems ever on the move, runs with great rapidity a quick succession of steps in pursuit of its food, and goes from place to place in short undulating flights. It has a cheerful chirping note which it utters while on the wing. When it alights, it gives a graceful fanning movement with its tail, from which it derives its name. The Pied Wagtail, whose habits have been more closely observed by English naturalists, has frequently been seen to wade into the water in search of aquatic insects, and probably also of small fish, as in confinement they have been known to catch and feed on minnows in a fountain in the centre of their aviary. It is probable that the habits of the White Wagtail are not dissimilar. They leave their breeding-places in October, collecting and moving in small flocks. Their eggs measure .79 of an inch in length and .59 in breadth. The ground-color is of a grayish-white so thickly flecked with fine ash-colored and black dots as to give the entire egg the effect of a uniform dark ashen hue. GENUS BUDYTES, CUVIER. _Budytes_, CUVIER, R. A. 1817. (Type, _Motacilla flava_, LINN.) [Line drawing: _Budytes flava._ 45912] The recent discovery of a species of yellow-bellied Wagtail in Norton Sound, by the naturalists of the Russian Telegraph Expedition, adds another member of an Old World family to the list of American birds. Much confusion exists as to the precise number of species in the genus, some grouping together as varieties what others consider as distinct species. There is an unusual degree of variation with age, sex, and season, and this, combined with strongly marked geographical peculiarities, renders the proper solution of the problem impossible to any but those having access to large series. Budytes flava, LINN. YELLOW WAGTAIL. _Motacilla flava_, LINN. Syst. Nat. I (1766), 33.—FINSCH & HARTLAUB, Vögel Ostafrikas, 268. _Budytes flava_, BON. (1838).—MIDDENDORFF, Sibirische Reise, II, ii (1852), 168.—DEGLAND & GERBE, Ornith. Europ. I (1867), 376.—BAIRD, Trans. Chicago Acad. Sci. I, ii, p. 312, pl. xxx, fig. 1; 1869.—DALL & BANNISTER, Tr. Ch. Ac. I, 1869, 127.—TRISTRAM, Ibis, 1871, 231.—FINSCH, 1872. SP. CHAR. Description of specimen No. 45,912, taken at St. Michael’s, Norton Sound, June 6, 1866, by H. M. Bannister. Above, including edges of upper tail-coverts, rich olive-green, the top and sides of the head and neck pure ash-gray; chin and well-marked stripe from nostrils over the eye to the nape, white; all under parts rich yellow, tinged with olive on the sides. Stripe from corner of mouth through the eye, and involving the ear-coverts, blackish-ash. Feathers of wings and tail dark brown; the coverts and secondaries edged with olive (showing the obscure light wing-bars), the longest of the latter edged externally with white; innermost quills edged externally with white. Outer three quills nearly equal and longest (the prolonged secondaries as long), the others graduating less. Outer tail-feathers and shaft white; the inner web edged externally with dusky, which, beginning at the base, runs out gradually to the edge, about half an inch from tip of feathers; second feather with rather less white, and with a narrow line of brown along the outer side of the shaft to within half an inch of the tip. Bill and legs blackish. [Illustration: _Budytes flava._] Dimensions (prepared specimen). Total length, 6.00; wing, 3.00; tail, 3.00; exposed portion of first primary, 2.30. Bill: length from forehead, 0.58; from nostril, 0.35; along gape, 0.57. Legs: tarsus, 0.91; middle toe and claw, 0.70; claw alone, 0.16; hind toe and claw, 0.65; claw alone, 0.36. A second specimen (No. 45,910) differs in having ashy color of head obscured with olivaceous-brown; and the yellow on breast showing brownish bases. The light markings on the wings more distinct and whiter. Another bird (No. 45,913), taken on shipboard, about ninety miles west of St. Matthew’s Island, Behring’s Sea, August 10, 1866, appears to be of the same species, in autumnal dress. Here the upper colors are more brown; the lower parts yellowish-white tinged with brownish-fulvous across the breast and flank. Kamtschatkan specimens of the same stage of plumage are very similar. I am unable to distinguish this species from the Protean _Budytes flava_ of Europe and Asia. Many different races appear to be found throughout this wide circle of distribution, many of them more or less local, but the proportions and general character are the same in all, and the general tendency appears to be to unite all into one species. The sexes and ages of all the species, real or supposed, vary very much, and, in the absence of a large series, I can throw no light upon the obscurities of the subject. I cite above the latest general work on the birds of Europe, in which will be found the principal synonymes. The specimens from Alaska submitted for examination to Mr. H. B. Tristram were identified by him as the _B. flava_. HABITS. The Gray-headed Wagtail of Europe finds a place in the fauna of North America as a bird of Alaska, where specimens have been obtained, and where it is, at least, an occasional visitant. It is not a common bird of the British Islands, where it is replaced by a closely allied species. Only seven or eight instances of its occurrence were known to Mr. Yarrell. On the continent of Europe it is quite an abundant species, inhabiting wet springy places in moist meadows, and frequenting the vicinity of water and the gravelly edges of rivers. It is numerous in all the central portions of Europe. It has also an extensive northern and eastern geographical range, appearing in Norway and Sweden as early as April and remaining there until September. Linnæus met with it in Lapland on the 22d of May. It occurs in Algeria, Nubia, and Egypt. Mr. Gould has received it from the Himalayas, and Temminck gives it as a bird of Japan. According to Degland, this bird is a very abundant species in France, where it nests on the ground in the cornfields, in open fields, meadows, and amidst the standing grain. It lays from four to six eggs, of a brownish-yellow on a reddish-white ground, profusely covered with fine dots of reddish-gray, which are more or less confluent. A few zigzag lines of dark brown or black are found on the larger end. They measure .63 of an inch in length and .55 in breadth. Its food is flies, moths, small green caterpillars, and aquatic insects. Ray’s Wagtail, recognized by some authors as a distinct species, is probably only an insular race, chiefly found in the British Islands and in Western France. In the latter place both birds occur, and here also they have been known to mate the one with the other. Their nests and eggs are so alike as not to be distinguishable. The former are constructed of fine fibrous roots and fine stems of grasses, and are lined with hair. These birds are remarkably social, collecting in small flocks soon after leaving their nests, and until their autumnal migrations following the older birds in quest of food. They have two call-notes which are quite shrill, and are repeated in succession, the second being lower in tone. No mention is made by the naturalists of the Telegraph Expedition of their having any song other than these notes. Mr. Bannister first observed this species at St. Michael’s, on the 9th or 10th of June, and from that time until late in August they were among the most abundant of the land-birds. During the month of June he observed them in flocks of twenty or thirty individuals. It seemed to be a rather shy bird. He described its flight as like that of our common Goldfinch, rising with a few strokes of its wings, then closing them and describing a sort of paraboloidal curve in the air. The only note which he heard and identified as uttered by this species was a kind of faint chirp, hardly to be called a song. These birds seemed to prefer the open country, and were rarely observed in the low brush, the only approach to woods found on the island. SUBFAMILY ANTHINÆ. The characters of this subfamily have already been detailed. The American sections may be defined as follows, although whether entitled to rank as genera may be questioned:— COMMON CHARACTERS. Tail decidedly shorter than the wings; less than half the whole length of bird; simply emarginate and rounded. Hind claw lengthened; only slightly curved. Feathers of back with paler edges; breast streaked with dusky. Nest on the ground; eggs finely mottled so as almost to be uniform dark brown (in North American species). _a. Wings much pointed, and lengthened._ Point of wing formed by four outer primaries, of which the fourth sometimes a little shorter than the third. Hind toe and claw as long as middle, shorter than tarsus, the claw alone usually a little longer than the toe itself, and slightly curved; inner toe and claw longer than the outer; outstretched toes falling short of the tip of tail; hind toe and claw shorter than tarsus … _Anthus_. Point of wings formed by four outer primaries, the first longest, or as long as others. Legs stout, the outstretched toes reaching almost to tip of tail. Hind toe and claw longer than tarsus, the claw very long, but equal to the toe proper … _Neocorys_. _b. Wings short, rounded._ Point of wings formed by four outer primaries of nearly equal length … _Notiocorys_.[32] Point of wings formed by five outer primaries, the first shorter than third … _Pediocorys_.[33] GENUS ANTHUS, BECHST. _Anthus_, BECHST. Gemein. Naturg. Deutschl. 1802. (Type, _Alauda spinoletta_.) [Line drawing: _Anthus ludovicianus._ 328] CHAR. Bill slender, much attenuated, and distinctly notched. A few short bristles at the base. Culmen concave at the base. Tarsi quite distinctly scutellate; longer than the middle toe; inner lateral toe the longer. Hind toe rather shorter than the tarsus, but longer than the middle toe, owing to the long, attenuated, and moderately curved hind claw, which is considerably more than half the total length of the toe. Tail rather long, emarginate. Wing very long, considerably longer than the lengthened tail, reaching to its middle. The first primary nearly equal to the longest. The tertials almost as long as the primaries. But one species of this genus belongs properly to North America, although a second is accidental in Greenland and Alaska. The diagnoses are as follows:— Bill and feet blackish. Prevailing color above olive-brown. Beneath buff. Edge and inside of wings white. Shafts of middle tail-feathers above dark brown … _A. ludovicianus._ Bill and feet dusky flesh-color. Prevailing color above olive-green; more distinctly streaked. Beneath greenish-white. Edge and inside of wings greenish-yellow. Shafts of middle tail-feathers above whitish … _A. pratensis._ ZANDER (Cabanis Journal, Extraheft I, 1853, 64) states that _Anthus cervinus_, PALLAS, is found in the Aleutian Islands. It is described as having The feet yellowish-brown; the two longest under tail-coverts with a blackish longitudinal spot; the longest tertial almost equal to the longest primary; the shaft of the first tail-feather mostly white; no green on the plumage; the throat rust-color. BALDAMUS (Naumannia, 1857, 202) says he has received _Anthus aquaticus_ and its eggs from Labrador. This statement, however, requires verification. Anthus ludovicianus, LICHT. TITLARK; AMERICAN PIPIT. _Alauda ludoviciana_, GM. S. N. I, 1788, 793. _Anthus ludovicianus_, LICHT. Verz. 1823, 37; also of AUDUBON & BONAPARTE.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 232; Rev. 153.—COUES, Pr. A. N. S. 1861, 220 (Labrador).—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1856, 296 (Cordova).—IB. Catal. 1861, 24, no. 153. SCL. & SALV. Ibis, 1859, 9 (Guatemala).—JONES, Nat. in Bermuda, 1859, 29, autumn.—BLAKISTON, Ibis, 1862, 4 (Saskatchewan).—DALL & BANNISTER, Tr. Chic. Ac. I, 1869, 277.—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 78. _Alauda rubra_, GM.; _Alauda rufa_, WILS.; _Anthus spinoletta_, BON., AUD.; _Alauda pennsylvanica_, BRISS.; _? Alauda pennsylvanica_, BONN. Encycl. Méth. I, 1790, 319. _? Motacilla hudsonica_, LATH. Ind. Orn. II, 1790, 503.—VIEILLOT, Encycl. Méth. II, 1823, 447. _Anthus pennsylvanica_, ZANDER; _Anthus aquaticus_, AUD.; _Anthus pipiens_, AUD.; _Anthus rubens_, MERREM; _Anthus reinhardtii_, HÖLBOLL, Fauna Grönlands (ed. Paulsen), 1846, 25 (Greenland). Figures: AUD. Birds Am. III, pl. cxl.—IB. Orn. Biog. I, pl. lxxx.— WILSON, V. pl. lxxxix. SP. CHAR. (_Female_, in spring.) Above olive-brown, each feather slightly darker towards the central portion; beneath pale dull-buff, or yellowish-brown, with a maxillary series of dark-brown spots and streaks across the breast and along sides. Ring round the eye, and superciliary stripe, yellowish. Central tail-feathers like the back, others dark blackish-brown; the external one white, except at the base within; a white spot at the end of the second. Primaries edged with whitish, other quills with pale brownish. Length, 6.50; wing, 3.45; tail, 2.95. HAB. Whole of North America; Greenland; Bermuda; south to Orizaba, Guatemala, and even Peru? Heligoland, Europe. (GÄTKE.) Not noted in West Indies. [Illustration: _Anthus ludovicianus._] Spring specimens from Labrador, collected by Dr. Coues, have the upper parts ashy without any tinge of olive, almost bluish on the head; the lower parts deeper and more reddish-buff than in autumnal and winter specimens. Tarsi black in spring, brown in winter; toes always black. HABITS. At different seasons of the year the Brown Titlark is found throughout the continent, and abundant for the time in the several parts of the country, chiefly frequenting the least cultivated portions and apparently preferring the sterile and least attractive regions. It is one of the most extensively distributed of all our North American birds, being found in immense numbers over the whole length and breadth of North America. Gambel met them in large numbers in New Mexico and California; Richardson found them on the plains of the Saskatchewan; it is abundant in the Arctic regions from May to October, and is equally common on the coast of Labrador; Mr. Dall found it universal from British Columbia north. It is also found in Florida, Cape St. Lucas, Mexico, and Central America. Accidental specimens have occurred in Europe. This lark is a bird of easy and beautiful flight, passing and repassing through the air with graceful evolutions, and when moving to new localities, sweeping over the place several times before alighting. It also moves rapidly on the ground and after the manner of the true larks, jerking the tail like our Water-Thrushes and the European Wagtails. When feeding on the open ground in the interior, their food is chiefly insects and small seeds. On the banks of rivers and on the seashore they are fond of running along the edge of the water, searching among the drift for insects, small shells, and crustaceans. Near New Orleans and Charleston, in the winter, Mr. Audubon found them feeding, in company with the Turkey Buzzard, upon garbage. Dr. Coues found the Titlark abundant in every locality visited by him in Labrador, giving him an ample opportunity to observe its habits during the breeding-season. He found them on some of the most rocky and barren islands along the coast. They frequented only the open, bare, and exposed situations, such as that coast everywhere afforded, and were never found in wooded localities. The nests of this species found by him were identical in situation, form, and construction, placed on the sides of steep, precipitous chasms, in small cavities in the earth, into which dry moss had been introduced to keep the nest from the damp ground. They were composed entirely of coarse, dry grasses loosely put together, without any lining. Their external diameter was six inches, and the depth of the cavity two inches. Dr. Coues describes the song of the male bird as very sweet and pleasant. Mr. Audubon speaks of it as consisting of a few clear and mellow notes when on the wing, and when standing erect on the rocks it produces a clearer and louder song. Dr. Coues speaks of their flight as undulating and unsteady, and never protracted to any great distance. They never alight on bushes, but always on the ground, where they run with great ease and rapidity. At low tides they resorted to the muddy flats, where they ran about upon the eel-grass, searching for their food in company with the small Sandpipers and in a similar manner, finding there an abundance of food. At all times they exhibited a heedless familiarity and an entire want of fear of man, feeding unconcernedly around the doors of the houses, and searching for their insect food on the roofs of the sheds and dwellings. Both birds incubate and sit so closely that they may almost be trodden upon before they are willing to leave their nest, and even then only flutter off to a short distance, with loud cries of distress that soon bring the mate and other pairs of the same species to join in the lamentations. They hover over the heads of the intruders, at times approaching within a few feet, expressing their distress by the most plaintive cries, and even when the intruders withdraw following them to a considerable distance. All the nests of this lark that I have seen are remarkable for the thickness of their walls, and the strength, compactness, and elaborate care with which the materials are put together, particularly for nests built on the ground. They are well suited to protect their contents from the cold, damp ground on which they are placed; and their upper portions are composed of stout vegetable stems, lichens, and grasses strongly interwoven, and forming a strong rim around the upper part of the nest. Dr. Coues describes their eggs as of a dark chocolate-color, indistinctly marked with numerous small lines and streaks of black. Audubon describes them as having a ground-color of a deep reddish-chestnut, darkened by numerous dots of deeper reddish-brown and lines of various sizes, especially toward the larger end. Those in my possession, received from Labrador by Thienemann, measure from .75 to .78 of an inch in length, and from .59 to .62 in breadth, and have a light-brown or clay-colored ground, so thickly covered with spots as to be almost concealed. These spots are of a purplish chocolate-brown, with occasional darker lines about the larger end. In others the markings are bolder and larger and of brighter hues. Like the eggs of the _Anthus arboreus_ of Europe, it is probable that those of this Titlark exhibit great variations, both in ground-color and in the shades of their markings. Anthus pratensis, BECHST. EUROPEAN PIPIT. _Alauda pratensis_, LINN. Syst. Nat. 1766, 287. _Anthus pratensis_, BECHST. Deutsch. Vögel, III, 1807, 732.—KEYS. & BLAS. Wirb. Europas, 1840, 172.—ZANDER, Cab. Jour. I, extraheft, 1853, 60.—PAULSEN, ed. HÖLBOLL, Faun. Grönlands, 1846, 24.—REINHARDT, Ibis, 1861, 6.—NEWTON, Baring-Gould’s Iceland, 1863.—BAIRD, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 155. Figures: GOULD’S Birds Europe, pl. cxxxvi. HAB. Europe generally; common in Lapland; accidental in Greenland; St. Michael’s, Norton Sound. This species in general form resembles the _A. ludovicianus_, the fifth primary in both being abruptly and considerably shorter than the outer four; the bill and legs quite similar. The average size appears much the same. The upper parts are, however (especially the head and back), more distinctly streaked with dusky; the edge and inside of wing greenish-yellow, not white, and the upper plumage and outer edges of the quills decidedly olive-green. The shafts of the middle tail-feathers above are whitish, not dark brown; the under parts greenish-white, conspicuously streaked with dark brown. The bill is dusky, the base and edges paler; the legs dusky flesh-color, not dark brown. The occurrence of this species in Greenland was noticed in the Review; and since the publication of that work a specimen has been obtained at St. Michael’s, in Alaska, by Mr. W. H. Dall, and is now in the Smithsonian collection. The specimen in question appears to be the true _pratensis_. HABITS. This European species claims a place in the North American fauna on the ground of a single specimen having been found in Greenland, in 1845, and one at St. Michael’s, Norton Sound. In the Old World it is the counterpart of our _ludovicianus_, which, in all respects, it closely resembles. It is the most common and the best known of European Titlarks. In Great Britain, where it is found throughout the year, it appears to prefer the uncultivated districts, inhabiting commons and waste lands, and in the more northern parts frequenting the moors. It is also found in meadows and marsh lands, in winter seeking more sheltered places. It is rarely seen to alight on a branch or to sit on a rail. Its song is soft and musical, and is usually uttered when on the wing or when vibrating over its nest. It seeks its food altogether on the ground, running nimbly in pursuit of insects, slugs, and worms. According to Yarrell its nest is built on the ground, generally among the grass. It is composed externally of dried sedges, lined with finer materials and some hair. The eggs are six in number, of a reddish-brown color, mottled over with darker shades of the same, and measure .80 by .60 of an inch. According to the observations of English naturalists, this bird resorts to various ingenious devices to conceal its nest, or to draw aside attention from it, such as feigning lameness when it is approached, and concealing it by artificial covering when it has been once discovered. The Meadow Pipit is common during the summer months in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, visiting also the Faroe Islands and Iceland. It inhabits the whole continent of Europe as far south as Spain, Italy, and Sicily. It has also been found in Northern Africa, and, according to Gould, in Western Asia. Temminck also states it to be among the birds of Japan. According to Degland these larks, after the breeding-season, unite in small flocks, probably families, and frequent low and damp localities. In summer they are more often found on high and dry mountain plains. Their flesh is said to be delicious. GENUS NEOCORYS, SCLATER. _Neocorys_, SCLATER, Pr. Zoöl. Soc. Lond. 1857, 5. (Type, _Alauda spraguei_, AUD.) CHAR. Bill half as long as the head; the culmen concave at the base, slightly decurved at the tip. Rictus without bristles. Legs stout; tarsi distinctly scutellate, longer than the middle toe. Hind toe very long, equal to the tarsus, much longer than the middle toe; its claw but slightly curved, and about half the total length. Inner lateral toe rather longer than outer. Wings much longer than tail; first quill longest. Tertials considerably longer than secondaries. Tail rather short, emarginate. But one species of this genus is known, it being peculiar to the Western plains. Neocorys spraguei, SCLAT. MISSOURI SKYLARK; SPRAGUE’S PIPIT _Alauda spraguei_, AUD. Birds Am. VII, 1843, 335, pl. cccclxxxvi. _Agrodoma spraguei_, BAIRD, Stansbury’s Rep. 1852, 329. _Neocorys spraguei_, SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1857, 5.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 234.—BLAKISTON, Ibis, 1862, 4 (Saskatchewan).—COOPER, Orn. Cal. I, 1870, 80. _Anthus (Neocorys) spraguei_, BAIRD, Rev. 155. SP. CHAR. Above wood-brown, all the feathers edged with paler, especially on the neck, where there is a brownish-yellow tinge. The under parts are dull white, with a collar of sharply defined narrow brown streaks across the forepart and along the sides of the breast. Lores and a superciliary line whitish. Tail-feathers, except the middle ones, dark brown; the outer one white, the second white, with the inner margin brown. The outer primary is edged with white, and there are two dull whitish bands across the wings. Bill and feet yellow, the former brown above. Length (female), 5.75; wing, 3.35; tail, 2.50. HAB. Plains of Yellowstone and Upper Missouri to Saskatchewan; Nebraska. [Line drawing: _Neocorys spraguei._ 16766] This little-known species has the general appearance of a Titlark, but is readily distinguished from _Anthus ludovicianus_ by the purer white of its under parts, the much darker centres and much paler margins to the feathers above, the entirely white external tail-feather, and the yellow legs and bill, as well as by its generic peculiarities. In its song and general habits it approaches nearer the European Skylark than any bird belonging to our fauna. HABITS. This interesting species was first described by Audubon, in the supplementary portion of his Birds of America. It was obtained by the party which accompanied him to the Upper Missouri in 1843. It was first met with on the 19th of June near Fort Union, in Dacotah Territory. It has since been found on the fork of the Saskatchewan, but little additional information respecting its habits has been obtained since its first discovery. [Illustration: _Neocorys spraguei._] It seems to more nearly approach, in its habits, the European Skylark than any other of our North American birds. Mr. Edward Harris was completely misled, at first, by the sound of their song, so that on several occasions he sought for them on the ground. Their voices appeared to come to him from the earth’s surface. After having travelled in quest of them, to no purpose, to many distant parts of the prairies, he at last discovered that these sounds proceeded from several of these birds soaring at so great an elevation as to make them difficult to discover by the eye, even in the transparent atmosphere of that country. They are described as running gracefully on the ground, at times squatting to observe the movements of the intruders, and again elevating their bodies as if to meet their approach. Rising from the ground, they fly in an undulating manner, so that it is extremely difficult to shoot them on the wing. They continue thus to fly in increasing circles until about a hundred yards high, when they begin to sing. After a while, suddenly closing their wings, they drop to the ground. They could be easily approached in a light wagon, and in this manner several specimens were obtained. Captain Blakiston (Ibis, V. 61) found this Skylark common on the prairies of the Saskatchewan during the breeding-season. He first met with it on the 6th of May, near Fort Carlton. When disturbed from the grass, its usual haunt, it utters a single chirp, and immediately mounts in the air by a circuitous course, with a very undulating flight, to a great height, where with outstretched wings it soars in a peculiar manner, and utters a very striking song. This is described as consisting of a quick succession of notes, in a descending scale, each note being lower than the preceding. The bird then descends to the ground with great rapidity, almost like a stone, and somewhat in the manner of a hawk swooping on its prey. It was difficult of approach, and not easily killed. He also observed these birds in Northern Minnesota, May 4, 1859. A nest of this bird was built on the ground and placed in a hollow. It was made of fine grasses interwoven into a circular form, but without any lining. The eggs were four or five in number, an oblong oval in shape, much pointed at one end, and measuring .87 of an inch in length by .63 in breadth. Their ground-color was a dull white, so minutely dotted with a grayish-purple as to give the whole egg a homogeneous appearance, as of that uniform color. The young larks, soon after being hatched, followed their parents on the ground, and were fed with seeds of the smaller plants and with insects. They had already begun to associate in small flocks of from eight to a dozen before the party left, and on the 16th of August had commenced their southern migrations. FAMILY SYLVICOLIDÆ.—THE WARBLERS. The _Sylvicolidæ_ are essentially characterized among the Oscines with nine primaries, by their small size, the usually slender and conical insectivorous bill, shorter than the head, without angle in the gape near the base; the toes deeply cleft so as to leave the inner one free almost to its very base (except in _Mniotiltæ_), etc. The shallow notch at the end of the tongue, instead of a deeply fissured tip, distinguishes the family from the _Cærebidæ_, to some of which there is otherwise so great a resemblance. The absence of abrupt hook and notch in both mandibles separates it from such of the _Vireonidæ_ as have nine primaries. The American _Motacillidæ_ are distinguished from the _Sylvicolidæ_ by the emargination of the outer and the great elongation of the inner secondaries, as well as by other features referred to under that family. _Anthus_, in particular, differs in the lengthened and slightly curved hind claw. There is little difficulty in distinguishing the _Sylvicolidæ_, however, from any families excepting the slender-billed forms of the _Tanagridæ_, as _Chlorospingus_, _Nemosia_, _Chlorochrysa_, etc., and the conirostral _Cœrebidæ_. In fact, some ornithologists are inclined to include all three of the families thus mentioned in one, from the difficulty of marking their boundaries respectively. In fact, we are of the opinion that no violence would be done by adopting this view, and would even include with the above-mentioned families the _Fringillidæ_ also. The order of their relation to one another would be thus: _Fringillidæ, Tanagridæ, Sylvicolidæ, Cœrebidæ_; there being scarcely any break in the transition between the two extremes, unless there are many genera referred to the wrong family, as seems very likely to be the case with many included in the _Tanagridæ_. The _fringilline_ forms of the latter family are such genera as _Buarremon_ and _Arremon_, they being so closely related to some _fringilline_ genera by so many features—as rounded concave wing, lax plumage, and spizine coloration—as to be scarcely separable. Either these two families are connected so perfectly by intermediate forms as to be inseparable, or the term _Tanagridæ_ covers too great a diversity of forms. With the same regularity that we proceed from the _Fringillidæ_ to the typical forms of the _Tanagridæ_ (_Pyranga_, _Tanagra_, _Calliste_, etc.), we pass down the scale from these to the _Sylvicolidæ_; while between many genera of the latter family, and others referred to the _Cærebidæ_, no difference in external anatomy can be discovered, much less expressed in a description. In the following synopsis we attempt to define the higher groups of the _Sylvicolidæ_, although in the large number of species and their close relationships it is very difficult to express clearly their distinctive features. Subfamilies. A. Bill conical, its bristles very weak, or wanting. _a._ Bill sub-conical, the culmen and commissure nearly straight. Sylvicolinæ. Feet weak, not reaching near the end of the tail. Wing pointed, considerably longer than the nearly even or slightly emarginated tail. Feet dark-colored (except in _Helmitherus_, _Helinaia_, and _Parula_). _Arboreal._ Geothlypinæ. Feet strong, reaching nearly to end of the tail. Wing rounded. Feet pinkish-white. _Terrestrial._ _b._ Bill high and compressed, the culmen and commissure much curved. Icterianæ. Bill without notch or rictal bristles; wing much rounded, shorter than the tail. B. Bill depressed, its bristles strong. Setophaginæ. Bill, _tyrannine_, considerably broader than high, the tip more or less hooked, and with a distinct notch. Rictal bristles reaching half-way, or more, to the tip. Sections and Genera. SYLVICOLINÆ. 1. Middle toe, with claw, longer than tarsus. Mniotilteæ. Bill much compressed for terminal half, the lateral outline decidedly concave; culmen and gonys decidedly convex; commissure moderately concave. Rictal bristles very inconspicuous; notch just perceptible … _Mniotilta._ 2. Middle toe, with claw, not longer than tarsus. Vermivoreæ. Bill without a distinct notch, or lacking it entirely; rictal bristles wanting, or very minute; culmen and gonys nearly straight; bill only very moderately compressed. _a._ Middle toe and claw about equal to tarsus. Bill not acute; culmen and gonys decidedly convex; notch just perceptible; bristles apparent … _Protonotaria._ Bill moderately acute, robust; no notch; culmen straight, its base elevated and slightly arched; bristles not apparent … _Helinaia._ Bill moderately acute; robust; no notch; culmen convex, its base not elevated; bristles apparent … _Helmitherus._ _b._ Middle toe and claw considerably shorter than tarsus. Bill very acute, its outlines nearly straight; notch not perceptible; bristles not apparent … _Helminthophaga._ Bill very acute, its outlines nearly straight; notch just perceptible; bristles strong … _Parula._ Sylvicoleæ. Bill distinctly notched; rictal bristles strong; outlines generally slightly curved. Bill acute, gonys slightly concave … _Perissoglossa._ Bill not acute, gonys convex … _Dendroica._ GEOTHLYPINÆ. 3. Wings pointed, longer than the nearly even tail. Seiureæ. Above olive-brown; beneath white with dark streaks … _Seiurus._ Above olive-green; beneath yellow without streaks … _Oporornis._ 4. Wings rounded, shorter than the graduated tail. Geothlypeæ. Above olive-green; beneath yellow, without streaks … _Geothlypis._ ICTERIANÆ. 5. Bill very deep and compressed; tail graduated; outer toe deeply cleft. Icterieæ. Olive-green above; bright yellow anteriorly beneath. Upper mandible deeper than the lower … _Icteria._ Plumbeous-blue above; red, black, and white beneath. Upper mandible not so deep as the lower … _Granatellus._ 6. Bill slender, sub-conical, but curved; tail nearly even; outer toe adherent for basal half. Teretristeæ. Above olive-gray; beneath whitish posteriorly, and yellow anteriorly … _Teretristis._ SETOPHAGINÆ. 7. Bill _tyrannine_. Tail broad, equal to or longer than the wing, and much rounded. Setophageæ. Colors mainly black, red, and white. Tail not longer than the wing. Above black, wing variegated … _Setophaga._ Tail longer than the wing. Above plumbeous, wing unvariegated … _Myioborus._ 8. Bill _sylvicoline_. Tail narrow, almost even; shorter than the wing. Myiodiocteæ. Colors yellow beneath, olive-green or ashy above. Black markings about the head in the ♂ … _Myiodioctes._ 9. Bill somewhat _parine_. Tail equal to the wing, almost even. Cardellineæ. Colors mainly red, or red, ashy, and white. Bill weak, almost cylindrical; wings rounded, the quills broad and soft at ends. Tail slightly rounded, the feathers soft. Colors mainly red … _Ergaticus._ Bill stout, the culmen and gonys very convex; wings pointed, the quills emarginated and hard at ends. Tail even, the feathers hard. Color ashy above; rump and beneath white. Head red and black … _Cardellina._ Of the above, _Granatellus_, _Myioborus_, _Ergaticus_, and _Cardellina_ belong to Central and South America, _Teretristis_ to Cuba. SUBFAMILY SYLVICOLINÆ. SECTION MNIOTILTEÆ. CHAR. Bill slightly notched some distance from the tip. Rictal bristles minute. Hind toe considerably developed, longer than the lateral toe; its claw decidedly longer than its digit. First quill nearly or quite as long as the second. Wings long, pointed; much longer than the tail, which is nearly even. Tail-feathers with white spots. Bill much compressed for terminal half, the commissure and lateral outlines decidedly concave; the culmen and gonys convex. GENUS MNIOTILTA, VIEILLOT. _Mniotilta_, VIEILLOT, Analyse, 1816, 45. (Type, _Motacilla varia_, L.) GEN. CHAR. General form sylvicoline; bill rather long, compressed, shorter than the head, with very short rictal bristles and a shallow notch. Wings considerably longer than the tail, which is slightly rounded; first quill shorter than second and third. Tarsi rather short; toes long, middle one equal to the tarsus; hind toe nearly as long, the claw considerably shorter than its digit. Color white, streaked with black. Nest on ground; eggs white, blotched with red. This genus differs from other Sylvicolines in the elongation of the toes, especially the hinder one, by means of which the species is enabled to move up and down the trunks of trees, like the true Creepers. But one species is recognized as North American, although Nuttall describes a second. Mniotilta varia, VIEILL. BLACK AND WHITE CREEPING WARBLER. _Motacilla varia_, LINN. S. N. I, 1766, 333. _Certhia varia_, VIEILLOT; AUDUBON. _Mniotilta varia_, VIEILLOT, Gal. Ois. I, 1834, 276, pl. clxix.—AUDUBON.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 235; Rev. 167.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1858, 298 (Oaxaca, Xalapa); 1859, 363 (Xalapa); 1855, 143 (Bogota); 1856, 291 (Cordova); 1864, 172 (City of Mex.)—IB. Catal. 1861, 25, no. 162.—SCL. & SALV. Ibis, 1859, 10 (Guatemala).—NEWTON, Ibis, 1859, 143 (Santa Cruz; winter).—CAB. Jour. III, 475 (Cuba; winter).—BRYANT, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1859 (Bahamas; April 20).—GOSSE, Birds Jam. 134 (Jamaica; winter).—JONES, Nat. Bermuda, 1859, 29 (October).—CAB. Jour. 1860, 328 (Costa Rica).—LAWRENCE, Ann. N.Y. Lyc. 1861, 322 (Panama R. R.; winter).—GUNDL. Cab. Journ. 1861, 326 (Cuba; very common). _Certhia maculata_, WILS. _Mniotilta borealis_, NUTT. _Mniotilta varia_, var. _longirostris_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, xxxi, no. 167.—IB. Catal. in 8vo, 1869, no. 167. Figures: AUD. Orn. Biog. V, pl. xc; Birds Am. II, pl. cxiv.—WILSON, Am. Orn. III, pl. xix. [Line drawing: _Mniotilta varia_, Vieill.] SP. CHAR. Bill with the upper mandible considerably decurved, the lower straight. General color of the male black, the feathers broadly edged with white; the head all round black, with a median stripe in the crown and neck above, a superciliary and a maxillary one of white. Middle of belly, two conspicuous bands on the wings, outer edges of tertials and inner of all the wing and tail feathers, and a spot on the inner webs of the outer two tail-feathers, white. Rump and upper tail-coverts black, edged externally with white. Female similar; the under parts white, obsoletely streaked with black on the sides and under tail-coverts. Length, 5 inches; wing, 2.85; tail, 2.25. HAB. Eastern Province of North America, and north to Fort Simpson. Both coasts of Mexico (as far north as Mazatlan, on west side), and southward to Bogota. Whole of West Indies and Bermuda. _Localities quoted._ Bahamas; Bermuda; Cuba; Jamaica; Santa Cruz; West Indies; Cordova, Xalapa, Oaxaca, Mex.; Guatemala; Panama R.R.; Bogota. Specimens breeding in the Southern States differ in rather longer bill and less amount of black, but are otherwise undistinguishable. [Illustration: _Mniotilta varia._ 18685] HABITS. The Black and White Creeper, nowhere an abundant species, is met with in various sections of the country. It occurs in all parts of New England and New York, and has been found in the interior as far north as Fort Simpson. It has been met with on the Pacific coast only at Mazatlan, is common in the Bahamas and most of the West India Islands, generally as a migrant. It has also been found in Texas, in the Indian Territory, and in Mexico, and throughout Central America. In the last-named region Mr. Salvin states it to be pretty equally and generally spread over the whole country. It is there migratory, leaving in spring. It was also detected in Colombia, South America, by Mr. C. W. Wyatt. Mr. Newton also met with it as a winter visitant in St. Croix, leaving that island at the end of March. He regards this species as almost a thorough Creeper in habits. In Jamaica a few are resident throughout the year, according to the observations of Mr. March, and though its nests have never been found there, a son of Mr. March saw a pair carrying materials with which to construct one. Dr. Coues states that this Warbler is a very common summer resident near Washington, but is more abundant there in the spring and in the fall, the greater number going farther north to breed. They arrive in Washington during the first week in April, and are exceedingly numerous until May. He adds that they are generally found in high open woods, and that they “breed in holes in trees.” This is probably an error, or, if ever known to occur, an entirely exceptional case. Our bird is also a common summer visitant at Calais, arriving there about the 1st of May, and by the 10th becoming rather abundant. Mr. Boardman has frequently found their nests there, and always on the ground, in rocky places and usually under small trees. It does not appear to have been met with on the Pacific coast north of Mazatlan, nor in any portion of Western North America, beyond the valleys of the Mississippi and the Rio Grande. In its habits this bird seems to be more of a Creeper than a Warbler. It is an expert and nimble climber, and rarely, if ever, perches on the branch of a tree or shrub. In the manner of the smaller Woodpeckers, the Creepers, Nuthatches, and Titmice, it moves rapidly around the trunks and larger limbs of the trees of the forest in search of small insects and their larvæ. It is graceful and rapid in movement, and is often so intent upon its hunt as to be unmindful of the near presence of man. It is found chiefly in thickets, but this is probably owing to the fact that there its food is principally to be obtained. It is occasionally seen in more open country, and has been known to breed in the immediate vicinity of a dwelling. Wilson regarded this bird as a true Creeper, and objected to its being classed as a Warbler. He even denied to it the possession of any song. In this he was quite mistaken. Though never loud, prolonged, or powerful, the song of this Warbler is very sweet and pleasing. It begins to sing from its first appearance in May, and continues to repeat its brief refrain at intervals almost until its departure in August and September. Nuttall speaks of it as being at first a monotonous ditty, and as uttered in a strong but shrill and filing tone. These notes, he adds, as the season advances, become more mellow and warbling, and, though feeble, are pleasing, and are similar to those of the Redstart. But this statement does not do full justice to the varied and agreeable notes with which, in early spring, these birds accompany their lively hunt for food among the tops of the forest trees. They are diversified and sweet, and seem suggestive of a genial and happy nature. These birds make their appearance in New England early in May, and remain there, among the thick woods, until the middle of October, and in the Southern States until the verge of winter. Their movements in search of food are like those of the Titmice, keeping the feet together and moving in a succession of short rapid hops up the trunks of trees and along the limbs, passing again to the bottom by longer flights than in the ascent. They make but short flights from tree to tree, but are apparently not incapable of more prolonged ones. So far as I know, these birds always build their nests on the ground. Mr. Nuttall found one in Roxbury containing young about a week old. The nest was on the ground, on the surface of a shelving rock, made of coarse strips of the inner bark of the _Abies canadensis_ externally, and internally of soft decayed leaves and dry grasses, and lined with a thin layer of black hair. The parents fed their young in his presence with affectionate attention, and manifested no uneasiness, creeping, head downward, about the trunks of the neighboring trees, carrying large smooth caterpillars to their young. The nests of this bird are strongly and compactly built, externally of coarse strips of various kinds of bark, and lined within with hair and fine stems of grasses. In several instances I have known them to be roofed over at the top, in the manner of the Golden-crowned Thrush. They measure about three inches in their external diameter, and are equally deep. The nests appear to be a favorite receptacle for the parasitic eggs of the Cow-Bunting. Mr. Robert Ridgway obtained a nest at Mt. Carmel, Ill., in which were four eggs of the _Molothrus_ and only two of the parent birds; and Mr. T. M. Trippe, of Orange, N.Y., also found a nest of this Creeper in which were but three of its own and five of the parasite. The eggs vary in shape from a rounded to an oblong oval, and in size from .69 to .75 of an inch in length, and from .51 to .53 of an inch in breadth. Their ground-color is a creamy-white, to which the deep red markings impart an apparently pinkish tinge. They are marked more or less profusely with bright red dots, points, and blotches. These vary in number and in distribution. In some they are very fine, and are chiefly confined to the larger end. In others they are larger, more diffused, and occasionally there are intermingled marks and blotches of slate-color. The effect of these variations is, at times, to give the appearance of greater differences to these eggs than really exists, the ground-color and the shade of the red markings really presenting but little modifications. The color of the young nestlings is closely assimilated to that of the objects that usually surround the nest, and helps to conceal them. Mr. Burroughs once came accidentally upon a nest with young of this species. He says: “A Black and White Creeping Warbler suddenly became much alarmed as I approached a crumbling old stump in a dense part of the forest. He alighted upon it, chirped sharply, ran up and down its sides, and finally left it with much reluctance. The nest, which contained three young birds nearly fledged, was placed upon the ground at the foot of the stump, and in such a position that the color of the young harmonized perfectly with the bits of bark, sticks, etc., lying about. My eye rested upon them for the second time before I made them out. They hugged the nest very closely, but as I put down my hand they all scampered off with loud cries for help, which caused the parent birds to place themselves almost within my reach.” SECTION VERMIVOREÆ. GENUS PROTONOTARIA, BAIRD. _Protonotaria_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 239. (Type, _Motacilla citrea_, BODD.) [Line drawing: _Protonotaria citrea_, Baird.] GEN. CHAR. Characterized by its long, distinctly notched bill, and long wings, which are an inch longer than the slightly graduated tail (the lateral feathers about .12 of an inch shorter). The under tail-coverts are very long, reaching within half an inch of the tip of the tail. The tarsi and hind toe are proportionally longer than in the true Warblers. The notch and great size of the bill distinguish it from the Swamp Warblers. Nest in holes; eggs much blotched with reddish. The only North American species belonging to the group appears to be the old _Sylvia protonotaria_ of Gmelin. Protonotaria citrea, BAIRD. PROTHONOTARY WARBLER; GOLDEN SWAMP WARBLER. _Motacilla citrea_, BODD. Tabl. 1783 (Pl. enl. 704, fig. 2). _Protonotaria citrea_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 239; Rev. 173.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 26, no. 166.—GUNDL. Cab. Jour. 1861, 324 (Cuba; very rare). _Helminthophaga citrea_, Cab. Jour. 1861, 85 (Costa Rica). _Motacilla protonotarius_, GM. _Sylvia prot._ LATH.—VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. II, pl. lxxxiii.—WILSON, Am. Orn. III, pl. xxiv. fig. 2.—AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. iii. _Vermivora prot._ BON. _Helinaia prot._ AUD. _Helmitherus prot._ BON. _Compsothlypis prot._ CAB. Jour. _Motacilla auricollis_, GMEL. I, 1788, 984. _Sylvia aur._ LATH., etc. (based on _Le Grand Figuier du Canada_, BRISSON, Ois. III, 1760, 508, pl. xxvi, fig. 1). Female. _Sylvicola aur._ NUTT. Man. I, 1840, 431. SP. CHAR. Bill very large; as long as the head. Head and neck all round, with the entire under parts, including the tibiæ, rich yellow, excepting the anal region and under tail-coverts, which are white. Back dark olive-green, with a tinge of yellow; rump, upper tail-coverts, wings, and tail above, bluish ash-color. Inner margin of quills and the tail-feathers (except the innermost) white; the outer webs and tips like the back. Length, 5.40; wing, 2.90; tail, 2.25. HAB. Eastern Province of United States (Southern region); Cuba, Costa Rica, and Panama R.R. Not recorded from Mexico or Guatemala. Accidental in New Brunswick (G. A. BOARDMAN in letter). Yucatan (LAWRENCE). This is one of the very handsomest of American Warblers, the yellow of the head and lower parts being of a pureness and mellowness scarcely approached by any other species. In a highly colored male from Southern Illinois (No. 10,111, Mississippi Bottom, Union Co., April 23; R. Kennicott) it is stained in spots, particularly over the eyes and on the neck, with a beautiful cadmium-orange. [Illustration: _Protonotaria citrea._ 7516] HABITS. In regard to the habits of this beautiful and interesting Warbler we receive but little light from the observations of older ornithological writers. Its geographical distribution is somewhat erratic and irregular. It does not appear to be distributed over a very wide range. It occurs as a migrant in the West Indies and in Central America. In the United States it is found in the Southern region, but farther west the range widens, and in the Mississippi Valley it is found as far north as Kansas, Southern and Central Illinois, and Missouri. Accidental specimens have been obtained as far to the northeast as Calais, though unknown to all the Eastern States as far south as Southern Virginia. It was met with by none of the government parties except by Dr. Woodhouse, who found it abundant in Texas. Mr. Audubon observed them, near Louisville, Kentucky, frequenting creeks and lagoons overshadowed by large trees. These were their favorite places of resort. They also preferred the borders of sheets of water to the interior of the forest. They return in spring to the Southern States early in March, but to Kentucky not before the last of April. They leave in October, and raise but a single brood in a season. Audubon describes their nest, but it differs so essentially from their known mode of breeding, that he was evidently in error in regard to his supposed identification of the nest of this species. Dr. Bachman, who often met them on the borders of small streams near Charleston, was confident that they breed in that State, and noticed a pair with four young birds as early as June 1, in 1836. Recently more light has been thrown upon their habits by Mr. B. F. Goss, who, in May, 1863, found them breeding near Neosho Falls, in Kansas. The nest was built within a Woodpecker’s hole in the stump of a tree, not more than three feet high. The nest was not rounded in shape, but made to conform to the irregular cavity in which it was built. It was of oblong shape, and its cavity was deepest, not in the centre, but at one end, upon a closely impacted base made up of fragments of dried leaves, broken bits of grasses, stems, mosses, and lichens, decayed wood, and other material, the upper portion consisting of an interweaving of fine roots of wooded plants, varying in size, but all strong, wiry, and slender. It was lined with hair. Other nests since discovered are of more uniform forms, circular in shape, and of coarser materials, and all are built with unusual strength and care for a nest occupying a sheltered cavity. In one instance their nest was built in a brace-hole within a mill, where the birds could be closely watched as they carried in the materials, and the parent was afterward taken by hand by Mr. Goss from its nest. It was quite tame, and approached within two yards of him. Since then Mr. Ridgway has obtained a nest at Mt. Carmel, Ill. It was built in a hollow snag, about five feet from the ground, in the river bottom. So far from being noisy and vociferous, as its name would seem to imply, Mr. Ridgway describes it as one of the shyest and most silent of all the Warblers. The eggs of this Warbler have an average breadth of .55 of an inch and a length varying from .65 to .70 of an inch. They are of a rounded-oval form, one end being but slightly less rounded than the other. Their ground-color is a yellowish or creamy white, more or less profusely marked over their entire surface with lilac, purple, and a dark purplish-brown. Mr. Ridgway states that it is always an abundant summer bird in the Wabash bottoms, where it inhabits principally bushy swamps and the willows around the borders of stagnant lagoons or “ponds” near the river, and in such localities, in company with the White-bellied Swallow (_Hirundo bicolor_), takes possession of the holes of the Downy Woodpecker (_Picus pubescens_) and Chickadee (_Parus carolinensis_), in which to build its nest. Mr. Ridgway adds that in its movements this Warbler is slow and deliberate, like the _Helmitherus vermivorus_, strikingly different in this respect from the sprightly, active _Dendroecæ_. Its common note is a sharp _piph_, remarkably like the winter note of the _Zonotrichia albicollis_. It has been taken as far north as Rock Island, Ill., and Dr. Coues mentions the occurrence of one individual near Washington, D. C., seen in a swampy brier-patch, May 2, 1861. This was perhaps only an accidental visitor. If regularly found there, it is probably exceedingly rare. It has not been met with between Washington and St. Stephens, New Brunswick, where its occurrence was unquestionably purely accidental. GENUS HELMITHERUS, RAF. _Helmitherus_, RAFINESQUE, Journal de Physique, LXXXVIII, 1819, 417. (Type, _Motacilla vermivora_.) _Vermivora_, SWAINSON, Zoöl. Jour. IV. 1827, 170 (not of MEYER, 1822). _Helinaia_, AUD. Synopsis, 1839, 66. (Type, _Sylvia swainsoni_, AUD.) [Line drawing: _Helmitherus vermivorus_, Bonap.] GEN. CHAR. Bill large and stout, compressed, almost tanagrine; nearly or quite as long as the head. Culmen very slightly curved; gonys straight; no notch in the bill; rictal bristles wanting. Tarsi short, but little longer, if any, than the middle toe. Tail considerably shorter than the wings; rather rounded. Wings rather long, the first quill a little shorter than the second and third. [Illustration: _Helmitherus vermivorus._ 2148] The birds of this division are very plain in their colors, more so than any other American Warblers. There are but two species referable to the genus, of which the _H. swainsoni_ differs from the type in having a considerably longer and more compressed bill, the ridge of which is compressed, elevated, and appears to extend backwards on the forehead, as well as to be in a straight line with the upper part of the head. The wings are longer; the tail forked; not rounded; the feathers narrower and more pointed; the tarsi shorter than in the type. It appears to be at least a distinct subgenus to which the name _Helinaia_, AUD., is to be applied. Species. COMMON CHARACTERS. Colors plain. Above olivaceous, beneath nearly white. No spots or bands on wing or tail. H. vermivorus. Above olive-green. Head yellowish, with a black stripe above and one behind each eye. Tail rounded. _Hab._ Eastern Province of United States; south to Costa Rica; Cuba. (_Helmitherus._) H. swainsoni. Above dull olive-green, tinged with brown. Stripes on the head somewhat as in the last, but reddish-brown; the median light stripe on the crown scarcely visible. Tail slightly forked. _Hab._ South Carolina and Georgia; Cuba (very rare). (_Helinaia._) Helmitherus vermivorus, BONAP. WORM-EATING SWAMP WARBLER. _Motacilla vermivora_, GMEL. Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 951. ? _Sylvia vermivora_, LATH. Ind. Orn. II, 1790, 499.—WILS. III, pl. xxiv, fig. 4.—AUD. Orn. Biog. I, pl. xxxiv. _Sylvicola vermivora_, RICH. _Helinaia vermivora_, AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. cv.—LEMBEYE, Av. Cuba, 1850, 35, pl. vi, fig. 4. _Helmitherus vermivorus_, BON.; CAB.; BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 252; Rev. 179.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 363 (Xalapa).—IB. Catal. 1861, 28, no. 175.—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, I, 1859, 11 (Guatemala); Cab. Jour. 1860, 329 (Costa Rica); IB. 1856 (Cuba).—GUNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba; somewhat rare). _Vermivora pennsylvanica_, BON., GOSSE, B. Jamaica, 1847, 150. _Helmitherus migratorius_, RAF. J. de Phys. 88, 1819, 417.—HARTLAUB; _Vermivora fulvicapilla_, SWAINSON, Birds, II, 1837, 245. SP. CHAR. Bill nearly as long as the head; upper parts generally rather clear olive-green. Head with four black stripes and three brownish-yellow ones, namely, a black one on each side of the crown and one from behind the eye (extending, in fact, a little anterior to it), a broader median yellow one on the crown, and a superciliary from the bill. Under parts pale brownish-yellow; tinged with buff across the breast and with olivaceous on the sides. Tail unspotted. Female nearly similar. Length, 5.50; wing, 3.00; tail, 2.35. In autumnal specimens the light stripes on the head are deeper buff than in spring. HAB. Eastern Province of United States (rather Southern); Southeastern Mexico; Guatemala; Cuba; Costa Rica; Veragua; Orizaba (winter, SUMICHRAST); Yucatan (LAWRENCE). HABITS. Much remains to be ascertained in regard to the history, habits, and distribution of this interesting species. So far as is now known it is hardly anywhere very common during the breeding-season. Yet its abundance and wide distribution as a migrant during the winter months in various extended localities appear to warrant the belief that it must be correspondingly abundant in summer in localities that have escaped our attention. It has been occasionally met with in the Central and Southern States, as far west as Eastern Mexico, and as far to the north as Southeastern New York. Specimens have been procured from Cuba, Mexico, Central America, and the northern portions of South America. It is a regular winter visitant of Jamaica, whither it goes in the autumn in considerable numbers, and is very widely diffused. It reaches Pennsylvania about the middle of May, and leaves in September. Wilson noticed a pair feeding their young about the 25th of June. He supposed this bird to have a more northern distribution than belongs to it. In the interior they are met with, according to Audubon, as far north as the southern shores of Lake Erie, where he found them in the autumn. Mr. Audubon found them more numerous in New Jersey than anywhere else. In Ohio and Kentucky they are comparatively rare. Mr. Ridgway informs me that this is a rather common species in Southern Illinois in the thickest damp woods in the bottom-lands along the Wabash River. According to Wilson, these birds are among the nimblest of its family, and are remarkably fond of spiders, darting about wherever there is a probability of finding these insects. Where branches are broken and the leaves withered, it searches among them in preference, making a great rustling as it hunts for its prey. Their stomachs are generally found full of spiders and caterpillars. These birds are arboreal in their preferences, residing in the interior of woods, and are seldom seen in the open fields. They resort to the ground and turn over the dry leaves in quest of insects. They are very unsuspicious and easy of approach. Nuttall describes their notes and their habits as resembling the common _Parus atricapillus_, and remarks that they are constantly uttering a complaining call, sounding like _tshe-dē-dē_. Until quite recently, nothing has been positively known in regard to its nesting. Audubon has described its nest as made of dry mosses and the fallen bloom of the hickory and the chestnut, and as built in bushes several feet from the ground. He describes the eggs as cream-colored, marked about the larger end with reddish-brown. These descriptions have not been confirmed, and all our information has led us to look for its nest on the ground. Mr. Trippe states that it is found, but is not at all common, near Orange, N.Y., where it arrives about the middle of May. It has, at that time, a rapid, chattering note, and it always, he says, keeps near the ground, and, besides its chattering song, has in June a series of odd notes, much like those of the White-breasted Nuthatch, but more varied and musical, yet hardly entitled to be called a song. Mr. T. H. Jackson of Westchester, Penn., in the American Naturalist for December, 1869, mentions finding the nest and eggs of this bird. We give his account in his own words: “On the 6th of June, 1869, I found a nest of this species containing five eggs. It was placed in a hollow on the ground, much like the nests of the Oven-Bird (_Seiurus aurocapillus_), and was hidden from sight by the dry leaves that lay thickly around. The nest was composed externally of dead leaves, mostly those of the beech, while the interior was prettily lined with the fine, thread-like stalks of the hair-moss, (_Polytrichium_). Altogether it was a very neat structure, and looked to me as though the owner was habitually a ground nester. The eggs most nearly resemble those of the White-bellied Nuthatch (_Sitta carolinensis_), though the markings are fewer and less distinct. So close did the female sit that I captured her without difficulty by placing my hat over the nest.” The same observing ornithologist informs me that this Warbler arrives in Pennsylvania early in May, and makes the most solitary part of the woods its home, outside of which it is rarely seen. True to its name, it is ever busy hunting out and devouring the worms that lurk among the forest foliage, pursuing its avocation in silence, with the exception of a faint note uttered occasionally. This species is not as shy as many of our Warblers that frequent the woods. Towards the latter part of May they commence constructing their nests. Mr. Jackson adds that the nest above referred to was found on a thickly wooded hillside, a few yards above a running stream. So neatly was it embedded in the ground and covered with dry leaves, that discovery would have been impossible had not the female betrayed its position. Both birds exhibited the greatest alarm at his presence, but on his retiring to a short distance the female returned to the nest, where she was easily captured. The base and periphery of the nest were composed of dry beech-leaves, while the inner lining was made of fine hair-mosses (_Polytrichium_). In the latter part of June, 1871, Mr. Jackson found another nest of this species, containing five young birds about half grown. He was seated on a log, resting after a hard tramp, when a Worm-eating Warbler alighted near him, having a large green worm in its beak. After at first manifesting much uneasiness, and scolding as well as she could, she suddenly became silent and flew to the ground. On his going to the spot both parents flew from the nest. It was in all respects, in regard to materials, manner of construction, and situation, the exact counterpart of the other. Both were placed on steep, wooded hillsides, facing the east. Two of the eggs of this Warbler thus identified by Mr. Jackson, and kindly loaned to me by him, are of a somewhat rounded-oval shape, less obtuse at one end. They have a clear, crystal-white ground, and are spotted with minute dottings of a bright red-brown. These are much more numerous in one than in the other, and in both are confluent at the larger end, where they are beautifully intermingled with cloudings of lilac-brown. These eggs measure, the one .78 by .60 of an inch; the other, .70 by .56 of an inch. Another nest of this species, found by Mr. Joseph H. Batty of New York, on the side of a hill near Montclair, N.J., was also built on the ground, in a part of the woods where there was no underbrush, and was placed in a slight hollow, with dry oak-leaves collected around it, and partly covering it. The nest was made of dry leaves, and lined with grasses and fine roots. It contained four eggs, alike in their marking, and corresponding exactly with those obtained by Mr. Jackson. Mr. Batty nearly stepped on the bird without her leaving the nest. Dr. Coues found the Worm-eating Warbler a rather uncommon summer resident near Washington, breeding there but sparingly. It arrives there during the first week in May, and remains until the third week in September. He describes it as slow and sedate in its movements. Helmitherus swainsoni, AUD. SWAINSON’S SWAMP WARBLER. _Sylvia swainsoni_, AUD. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 563, pl. cxcviii. _Sylvicola sw._ RICH. _Vermivora sw._ BON. _Helinaia sw._ AUD. Birds Am. II, 1841, pl. civ (type of genus). _Helmitherus sw._ BON.; CAB.; BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 252; Rev. 180. SP. CHAR. Bill as long as the head. Upper parts dull olive-green, tinged with reddish-brown on the wings, and still more on the crown and nape; a superciliary stripe and the under parts of the body are white, tinged with yellow, but palest on the tail-coverts; the sides pale olive-brown. There is an obscure indication of a median yellowish stripe on the forehead. The lores are dusky. No spots nor bands on wings or tail. Length, 5.60; wing, 2.85; tail, 2.20. HAB. Coast of South Carolina and Georgia; Cuba (very rare). A young bird (No. 32,241 Liberty Co., Georgia) is very similar to the adult described, but differs in the following respects: the lower parts have a decided soiled, sulphur-yellow tinge, while the brown of the upper parts is much more reddish, there being no difference in tint between the crown and back; also the superciliary stripe is more sharply defined. HABITS. This species is comparatively rare, and, so far as is known, has a very restricted distribution. It was first discovered by Rev. Dr. Bachman, in the vicinity of Charleston, S. C., near the banks of the Edisto River. This was in the spring of 1832. He was first attracted by the novelty of its notes, which were four or five in number and repeated at intervals of a few minutes. These notes were loud and clear, and more like a whistle than a song. They resembled the sounds of some extraordinary ventriloquist,—so much so that he at first supposed the bird to be much farther off than it really was. He was so fortunate as to secure it. The shape of the bill he at once noticed as being different from that of any other American bird then known to him. In the course of that season he obtained two other specimens. Toward the close of the same season he saw an old female, accompanied by its four young. One of the latter, which he procured, did not differ materially from the old birds. He met with them only in swampy and muddy places, and when opened, he always found their stomachs filled with fragments of coleopterous insects, as well as small green worms, such as are common on water-plants. The habits of this species most resemble those of the Prothonotary Warbler, as the latter skips among the low bushes growing about ponds or in marshy places. It is seldom seen on high trees. Nothing is known as to their nesting or eggs. GENUS HELMINTHOPHAGA, CABAN. _Helminthophaga_, CABANIS, Mus. Hein. 1850, 1851, 20. (Type, _Sylvia ruficapilla_, WILS.) [Line drawing: _Helminthophaga ruficapilla._ 2238] GEN. CHAR. Bill elongated, conical, very acute; the outlines very nearly straight, sometimes slightly decurved; no trace of notch at the tip, nor of bristles on the rictus. Wings long and pointed; the first quill nearly or quite the longest. Tail nearly even or slightly emarginate; short and rather slender. Tarsi longer than the middle toe and claw. The species of this section are well characterized by the attenuation and acuteness of the bill, and the absence of any notch. There are, however, considerable subordinate differences in the different species. In some the bill is larger and more acute than others; in one species, the _H. peregrina_, the wings are unusually lengthened, the tail being only about seven twelfths as long. Species and Varieties. COMMON CHARACTERS. Iris brown. Length about 5.00. Nest on the ground, in grass or dead leaves. Eggs clear white, thickest at end, with minute dots of brown of various shades and faint purple. A. Tail with a conspicuous patch of white. _a._ A black patch covering throat and breast. 1. chrysoptera. Above ash, beneath white. Forehead and a patch on the wing yellow. _Hab._ Eastern Province of United States, south to Bogota; Cuba. 2. bachmani. Above olive-green; beneath, with forehead, yellow; crown ash, bounded anteriorly with a black bar. No yellow on wing. _Hab._ South Carolina and Georgia. Cuba in winter. _b._ No black on throat or breast. 3. pinus. Above olive-green; beneath, with forehead, yellow; wings ash, with two white bands; lores black. _Hab._ Eastern Province of United States, south into Guatemala. B. Tail without a conspicuous white patch. _c._ Crown with a concealed patch of rufous (obsolete in ♀). 4. ruficapilla. Above olive-green; head ashy; beneath continuous yellow; a light orbital ring. _Hab._ North America (very rare in Middle and Western Provinces); Greenland. South to Southern Mexico (Oaxaca, Cordova, Orizaba). Yellow of throat spreading over cheeks, and staining lores and eyelids. Atlantic States. (Carlisle, Penn., specimens.) … var. _ruficapilla_. Yellow of throat confined within the maxillæ; lores and eyelids clear white. Mississippi Valley. (Chicago specimens.) … var. _ocularis_. Yellow of throat restricted to a medial stripe, leaving its sides ashy. Middle Province. (Specimen from Fort Tejon, Cal., and East Humboldt Mountains, Nevada.) … var. _gutturalis_. 5. virginiæ. Above ash to the rump, beneath white. A patch on the jugulum, with the upper and lower tail-coverts, yellow. _Hab._ Rocky Mountains of United States, west to East Humboldt Mountains. 6. luciæ. Above ash, beneath continuous white. Upper tail-coverts chestnut. _Hab._ Colorado region of Middle Province. 7. celata. Above continuous olive-green, below continuous pale yellow. (Orange on crown in ♂ only?) … var. _celata_. Above ashy-olive, beneath yellowish olivaceous-white; inner webs of tail-feathers broadly edged with white. (Middle regions of North America; Mexico.) … var. _lutescens_. Above greenish-olive, beneath bright greenish-yellow; white edges to inner webs of tail-feathers obsolete. (Pacific Province of North America.) … var. _obscura_. Similar to var. _celata_, but plumage darker and more dingy. No white edgings to tail-feathers, and apparently _no rufous_ on the crown in either sex. (Georgia, Florida, etc.) _d._ No rufous on crown. 8. peregrina. Above olive-green; head and neck pure ash; beneath continuous white. _Hab._ Eastern Province of North America north to Fort Simpson, H. B. T. south to Panama. Cuba (rare). Helminthophaga chrysoptera, CABAN. GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER. _Motacilla chrysoptera_, LINN. S. Nat. I, 1766, 333. _Sylvia chr._ LATH.—WILS. Am. Orn. II, pl. xv. fig. 5.—BON. _Sylvicola chr._ BON. _Helinaia chr._ AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. cvii. _Helmitherus chr._ BON.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1855, 143 (Bogota). _Helminthophaga chrysoptera_, CAB. Mus. Hein.; Journ. f. Orn. 1860, 328 (Costa Rica).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 255; Rev. 175.—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, II, 1860, 397 (Choctum, Guatemala).—SALVIN, 1867, 135.—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 477 (San Antonio).—LAWRENCE, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. VII, 1861, 293 (Panama).—GUNDL. Cab. Journ. 1861, 326 (Cuba, rare). _Motacilla flavifrons_, GMELIN. _Sylvia flavifrons_, LATH. [Illustration: _Helminthophaga celata._] SP. CHAR. Upper parts uniform bluish-gray; the head above and a large patch on the wings yellow. A broad streak from the bill through and behind the eye, with the chin, throat, and forepart of the breast, black. The external edge of the yellow crown continuous with a broad patch on the side of the occiput above the auriculars, a broad maxillary stripe widening on the side of the neck, the under parts generally, with most of the inner webs of the outer three tail-feathers, white; the sides of the body pale ash-color. _Female_ similar, but duller. Length about 5 inches; wing, 2.65; tail, 2.25. HAB. Eastern Province of United States, San Antonio (DRESSER); Cuba (rare); Guatemala; Costa Rica; Panama; Bogota. Recorded in West Indies from Cuba only; not from Mexico. Veragua; Chiriqui (SALVIN). HABITS. So far as our present knowledge of this Warbler extends, it is nowhere a common species, and is distributed over a comparatively small extent of territory. Wilson met with it in Pennsylvania during the last of April and the first of May, believing it to be only a migrant species on its way to more northern regions. Nuttall was sceptical of these conclusions, as he never met with the species in the New England States. Audubon observed these birds in their migrations through Louisiana, which State they entered from Texas in the month of April. He procured several specimens in Louisiana and Kentucky, and one in New Jersey. He knew nothing as to its breeding, and seems to have accepted Wilson’s inferences in regard to its northern migrations. He never met with this bird in the fall, when, if a Northern species, it should be returning south, and thence inferred that it migrated by night. Professor Baird has obtained this bird near Carlisle, Penn., in July, rendering probable its breeding in that vicinity. W. S. Wood met with it near St. Louis, May 13, 1857, and two days previously in the same year Mr. Kennicott procured an individual in Southern Illinois. Occasionally specimens have been obtained in Massachusetts, and of late these occurrences have become more frequent or more observed. It was first noticed near Boston by J. Eliot Cabot, Esq., who shot one in May, 1838, near Fresh Pond. This was, he thinks, on the 20th of that month. Since then Mr. J. A. Allen has known of several specimens taken within the State. Mr. Jillson has observed it spending the summer in Bolton, and evidently breeding, as has also Mr. Allen at Springfield, and Mr. Bennett at Holyoke. In the summer of 1870, Mr. Maynard obtained its nest and eggs in Newton. The late Dr. Gerhardt found it breeding among the high grounds of Northern Georgia. It has also been taken at Racine, Wis., by Dr. Hoy, and in Ohio. These data seem to show that it is sparingly found from Georgia to Massachusetts, and from New Jersey to Missouri and Wisconsin. Its western limits may be more extended. It was not met with by any of the exploring parties beyond St. Louis, but its retiring habits and its sparse distribution may account for this. Dr. Samuel Cabot was the first naturalist to meet with the nest and eggs of this bird. This was in May, 1837, in Greenbrier County, Va. The nest was constructed in the midst of a low bush on high ground, and contained four eggs. The late Dr. Alexander Gerhardt found the nest and eggs of this Warbler in the spring of 1859, in Whitfield County, Ga. It contained four eggs, and was built on the ground. It was very large for the bird, being five inches in height and four in diameter. The cavity was also quite large and deep for so small a bird, exceeding three inches both in depth and in diameter. The outer and under portions of this nest were almost entirely composed of the dry leaves of several kinds of deciduous trees. These were interwoven with and strongly bound together by black vegetable roots, dry sedges, and fine strips of pliant bark, and the whole lined with a close network of fine leaves, dry grasses, and fibrous roots. Dr. Gerhardt informed me that these birds usually build on or near the ground, under tussocks of grass, in clumps of bushes, or pine-brush, and that they lay from four to five eggs, from the 6th to the 15th of May. The eggs of this species are of a beautiful, clear crystal-white, with a few bright reddish-brown spots around the larger end. Eggs from Racine, Wis., and from Northern Georgia, differ greatly in their relative size. The former measure .70 of an inch in length and .53 in breadth; the latter, .63 by .49. A single specimen of this species was obtained by Mr. Salvin, at Choctum, in Guatemala. Helminthophaga bachmani, CABAN. BACHMAN’S WARBLER. _Sylvia bachmani_, AUD. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 483, pl. clxxxiii. _Sylvicola b._ RICH. _Vermivora b._ BON. _Helinaia b._ AUD. Syn. Birds Am. II, 1841, 93, pl. cviii.—LEMBEYE, Av. Cuba, 1850, 36, pl. vi. fig. 1. _Helmitherus b._ BON. _Helminthophaga b._ CAB. Jour. III, 1855, 475 (Cuba, in winter).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 255; Rev. 175.—GUNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba, rare); Repert. 65, 232. SP. CHAR. Above olive-green, as also are the sides of the head and neck. Hind head tinged with ash. A broad patch on the forehead, bordered behind by black; chin, stripe from this along the side of the throat, and the entire under parts, deep yellow. Throat and forepart of breast black. A patch on the inner web of the outer two tail-feathers near the end white. Length, 4.50; wing, 2.35; tail, 2.05. _Female_ with merely a patch of dusky on the jugulum, and with the black bar on vertex obsolete. HAB. Coast of South Carolina and Georgia; Cuba in winter. HABITS. Bachman’s Warbler is a comparatively new and but little known species of this interesting group. It was first discovered, July, 1833, by Rev. Dr. John Bachman, a few miles from Charleston, S. C., and in the same vicinity he afterwards discovered a few others of both sexes. He described it as a lively, active bird, gliding among the branches of the thick bushes, occasionally mounting on the wing and seizing insects in the air, in the manner of a Flycatcher. The individual first obtained was an old female which had, to all appearances, just reared a brood of young. With this partial exception, nothing is known in relation to its habits. As all the species of this genus, without any at present known exception, construct their nests upon the ground, it is a natural inference that it probably nests in a similar situation. The Smithsonian Institution possesses but a single specimen of this bird, obtained near Charleston, S. C. It was not observed by any naturalist of the several governmental exploring expeditions, and, so far as we are at present informed, its only known places of abode are South Carolina and Cuba, where it is extremely rare. Its nest and eggs still remain unknown. [Illustration: PLATE XI. 1. Helminthophaga pinus, _Linn._ ♂ Pa., 2229. 2. “ chrysoptera, _Linn._ ♂ 10156. 3. “ bachmani, _Aud._ ♂ S. C., 2903. 4. H. celata, _Say. var._ Cape St. Lucas, 16949. 5. “ _Say. var._ Rocky Mts. 6. “ _Say. var._ Florida. 7. H. ruficapilla, _Wils._ Pa., 2238. 8. “ _Wils. var._ Cal. 9. H. luciæ, _Cooper_. Cal., 31892. 10. H. peregrina, _Wils._ 19496. In spring. 11. “ _Wils._ In autumn. 12. H. virginiæ, _Bd._ Arizona, 58334.] Helminthophaga pinus, BAIRD. BLUE-WINGED YELLOW WARBLER. _Certhia pinus_, LINN. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 187. _Sylvia pinus_, LATH., VIEILL. (not of WILSON). _Helminthophaga pinus_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 254; Rev. 174.—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1, 1859, 11 (Guatemala).—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 28, no. 176. _Sylvia solitaria_, WILSON, Am. Orn. II, pl. xv.—AUD. Orn. Biog. I, pl. xx. _Sylvicola sol._ RICH. _Vermivora sol._ SW. _Helinaia sol._ AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. cxi. _Helmitherus sol._ BON.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1856, 291 (Cordova). _Helminthophaga sol._ CAB. SP. CHAR. Upper parts and cheeks olive-green, brightest on the rump; the wings, tail, and upper tail-coverts, in part, bluish-gray. An intensely black patch from the blue-black bill to the eye, continued a short distance behind it. Crown, except behind, and the under parts generally, rich orange-yellow. The inner wing and under tail-coverts white. Eyelids, and a short line above and behind the eye, brighter yellow. Wing with two white bands. Two outer tail-feathers with most of the inner web, third one with a spot at the end, white. _Female_ and _young_ similar, duller, with more olivaceous on the crown. Length, 4.50; wing, 2.40; tail, 2.10. HAB. Eastern United States and Mexico to Guatemala (Cordova; Coban). Not noted from West Indies. HABITS. The Blue-winged Yellow Warbler is not known so far to the north as New England, and is rare even in Eastern and Southern New York. It seems to be distributed through the United States from Pennsylvania to Florida, and from the Mississippi Valley eastward. It has also been taken in Central America. Mr. Trippe states that it breeds in the vicinity of Orange, N. Y. Mr. Audubon found it abundant in the barrens of Kentucky, and as far north on the Mississippi as St. Genevieve. In regard to the song of this bird, Mr. Trippe states that its notes are very forcible and characteristic. Once heard, they will always be remembered. He describes them as a rapid chirrup resembling _chūūchich, k´-a-re-r´r´r´r´r_, uttered very quickly. According to Mr. Ridgway, they are wonderfully similar to the rude lisping chirrup of the _Coturniculus passerinus_. Wilson says that these Warblers come from the South early in May, frequenting thickets and shrubberies in search of insects, which they seek in the branches. They are also fond of visiting gardens and orchards, gleaning for insects among the low bushes. They generally build their nests on the edge of sequestered woods. These Mr. Wilson states to have been, in every instance observed by him, fixed on the ground, in a thick tussock of long grass, and built in the form of an inverted cone, the sides being formed of the dry bark of strong fibrous weeds lined with fine dry grasses. These materials, he remarks, are not arranged in the usual circular manner, but shelve downward from the top, the mouth being wide and the bottom narrow. He describes the eggs as five in number, pure white, with a few faint dots of reddish near the larger end. The young appear the first week in June. The nests were always in an open but retired part of the woods, and were all as thus described. According to Mr. Audubon its song consists of a few weak notes that are by no means interesting. His description of its nest agrees with that of Wilson. He states that it usually has two broods in the season, one in May, the other in July. The young disperse as soon as they are able to provide for themselves. He describes them as of solitary habits, and adds that they leave Louisiana for the South early in October. Its flight is short, undetermined, and performed in zigzag lines. It will ascend twenty or thirty yards in the air as if about to go to a greater distance, when, suddenly turning round, it will descend to the place from which it set out. It rarely pursues insects on the wing, feeding chiefly on the smaller kind of spiders, and seizing other insects as they come within its reach. The above accounts of its breeding, and especially of its nest, do not correspond with the observations of Mr. Ridgway, near Mt. Carmel, Ill., where the bird is abundant. A nest collected by him is a very loose open structure, composed chiefly of broad, thin, and flexible strips of the inner bark of deciduous trees, chiefly the bass-wood. It contained five eggs, and was obtained May 8. It was first discovered by noticing the bird with materials in her bill. The situation of this nest “was in no wise,” says Mr. Ridgway, “as described by Wilson, not having any covered entrance.” The nest was very bulky, and so loosely made that only the inner portion could be secured. “I have found other nests,” adds Mr. Ridgway, “all corresponding with this one. There can be no doubt as to its identity, as the birds were seen building the nest, and were closely watched in their movements. Both male and female were seen several times.” (No. 10,140, Smith. Coll.) The eggs of this species measure .70 of an inch in length by .53 in breadth. Their ground-color is white, sprinkled with a few reddish-brown spots. Helminthophaga ruficapilla, BAIRD. NASHVILLE WARBLER. _Sylvia ruficapilla_, WILS. Am. Orn. III, 1811, 120, pl. xxvii, fig. 3.—AUD. Orn. Biog. I, 1832, 450, pl. lxxxix. _Helminthophaga ruficapilla_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 256; Rev. 175.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 373 (Xalapa).—DRESSER, Ibis, 65, 477 (Texas).—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 82. _Sylvia rubricapilla_, WILS. Am. Orn. VI, 1812, 15, General Index.—NUTT., BON. _Sylvicola rub._ RICH. _Vermivora rub._ BON.—REINHARDT, Vid. Med. for 1853, 1854, 82 (Greenland).—BREWER, Pr. Bost. Soc. N. H. VI, 1856, 4 (nest and eggs). _Helinaia rub._ AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. cxiii. _Helmitherus rub._ BON.—SCL. P. Z. S. 1856, 291 (Cordova); 1859, 363 (Xalapa). _Helminthophaga rub._ CAB.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1858, 298 (Oaxaca; Feb. and Aug.). _Mniotilta rub._ REINHARDT, Ibis, 1861, 6 (Greenland). _Sylvia leucogastra_, SHAW, Gen. Zoöl. X, II, 1817, 622. “_Sylvia nashvillei_,” VIEILLOT.—GRAY. _Sylvia mexicana_, HOLBÖLL. SP. CHAR. Head and neck above and on sides ash-gray, the crown with a patch of concealed dark brownish-orange hidden by ashy tips to the feathers. Upper parts olive-green, brightest on the rump. Under parts generally, with the edge of the wing, deep yellow; the anal region paler; the sides tinged with olive. A broad yellowish-white ring round the eye; the lores yellowish; no superciliary stripe. The inner edges of the tail-feathers margined with dull white. _Female_ similar, but duller; the under parts paler, and with more white; but little trace of the red of the crown. Length, 4.65; wing, 2.42; tail, 2.05. HAB. Eastern Province of North America; rare in the Middle Province (Fort Tejon, Cal., and East Humboldt Mountains, Nev.); Greenland (REINHARDT); Oaxaca (February and August, SCLATER); Xalapa and Cordova (SCLATER); Orizaba (winter, SUMICHRAST). Not recorded from West Indies. It is an interesting fact, that, in this species, we find in the yellow a tendency to become more and more restricted as we pass westward. In adult spring males from the Atlantic States this color invades the cheeks, and even stains the lores and eyelids. In two adult spring males from Chicago it is confined within the maxillæ, the cheeks being clear ash, and the loral streak and orbital ring pure white; while in an adult male (autumnal, however) from the East Humboldt Mountains (Nevada, No. 53,354, U. S. Geol. Expl., 40th par.) the yellow is restricted to a medial strip, even the sides of the throat being ashy; the ash invades the back too, almost to the rump, while in Eastern specimens it extends no farther back than the nape. A male (No. 10,656, J. Xantus) from Fort Tejon, Cal., is much like the Nevada specimen, though the peculiar features of the remote Western form are less exaggerated; it is about intermediate between the other specimen and the specimens from Chicago. As there is not, unfortunately, a sufficiently large series of these birds before us, we cannot say to what extent these variations with longitude are constant. HABITS. The Nashville Warbler appears to be a species of somewhat irregular occurrence; at one time it will be rather abundant, though never very numerous, and at another time comparatively rare. For a long while our older naturalists regarded it as a very rare species, and knew nothing as to its habits or distribution. Wilson, who first met with it in 1811, never found more than three specimens, which he procured near Nashville, Tenn. Audubon only met with three or four, and these he obtained in Louisiana and Kentucky. These and a few others in Titian Peale’s collection, supposed to have been obtained in Pennsylvania, were all he ever saw. Mr. Nuttall at first regarded it as very rare, and as a Southern species. In that writer’s later edition he speaks of it as a bird having a Northern distribution as far as Labrador. Dr. Richardson records the occurrence of a single straggler in the fur country. So far as known, it occurs as a migrant in all the States east of the Missouri, and is a summer resident north of the 40th parallel. It probably breeds in the high ground of Pennsylvania, though this fact is inferred rather than known. It breeds in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and in Maine in the vicinity of Calais, being more abundant there than anywhere else, as far as has been ascertained. Two individuals of this species have been taken in Greenland: one at Godthaab, in 1835; and the other at Fiskenæsset, August 31, 1840. In Massachusetts it has so far been found in only a few restricted localities, Andover, Lynn, and Hudson, though it undoubtedly occurs elsewhere. About the time Wilson obtained his first specimen, a living bird of this species flew into the parlor of the late Colonel Thomas H. Perkins of Brookline, and is now in the collection of his grandson, Dr. Cabot. The latter gentleman states that when he first began making collections this Warbler was a very rare visitant to his neighborhood, but has of late become much more common, though varying greatly in this respect in different seasons. Specimens have been obtained in Western Iowa by Mr. H. W. Parker, of Grinnell. A few instances of its occurrence west of the Mississippi Valley are known. One of these was by Xantus near Fort Tejon; another near Lake Tahoe, in the Sierra Nevada, by Mr. Gruber; and in the East Humboldt Mountains, Nevada, by Mr. Ridgway. Specimens of this Warbler were obtained in the winter by M. Boucard at Oaxaca, Mexico. In the summer of 1854, Mr. Charles S. Paine found it breeding in Randolph, Vt., but was unable to discover the nest. “They spend the summer,” he wrote, “among low bushes, and probably build their nests among the thickets. I have watched their movements on several occasions. Once I detected an old bird with food in her bill about to feed her young. I could hear the young birds, yet was unable to find the nest.” Two years later, Mr. George O. Welch, of Lynn, found the nest of this Warbler on the ground in a small thicket. It contained young partially fledged, and one egg unhatched. The nest was built in a slight depression, in a dry place, among fallen leaves and in the shelter of a thicket of young oak-trees. This egg in shape was of a rounded oval, and measured .59 by .50 of an inch; one end was slightly more pointed than the other. The ground-color was white, slightly tinged with pink, and marked over the entire surface with purplish-brown dots. Around the larger end these spots form a beautiful wreath of confluent markings. Since then other nests have been found in the same locality, all on the ground and built in like situations. They have a diameter of four and a height of two inches. The cavity has a diameter of two and a depth of one and a quarter inches. The outer portions are built of dry mosses, intermingled with strips of the bark of the wild grape and the red cedar and a few herbaceous twigs, and lined with a thick layer of dried carices, small leaves of the white pine, and fine grasses. The whole structure is loosely put together. The nests are generally concealed by overarching leaves, which, however, form no part of the nest itself. The late Elijah P. Barrow, of Andover, Mass., a young naturalist of much promise, found several nests of this rare Warbler, all of which were concealed by grass. The eggs he found varied in length from .59 to .61 of an inch, and in breadth from .50 to .51 of an inch. Both parents, as observed by him, were entirely silent. The Nashville Warbler has been said to be a comparatively silent and songless bird, rarely giving forth any sounds, and these are compared by Dr. Richardson to the creaking noise made by the whetting of a saw. Wilson compares these sounds to the cracking of dry twigs or the striking together of small pebbles. Mr. J. A. Allen speaks of its song as being similar to that of the Chestnut-sided Warbler, which latter bird, as is well known, has notes so closely resembling those of the Summer Yellow-Bird that it is difficult to distinguish one from the other by their notes. Mr. T. M. Trippe states, also, that this Warbler has a very fine song, resembling that of the Summer Yellow-Bird more nearly than any other. These Warblers arrive in Massachusetts about the first of May, and remain about three weeks, when the larger portion move farther north. More recently Mr. Paine writes me that the Nashville Warbler has of late years become a common bird in certain localities in Central Vermont. They come and keep company with the Canada Warbler, but are more restless than that species at the time of their first appearance. They always in the breeding-season take up their abode in thickets, where there are also tall trees. Mr. Paine adds that their song consists of repetitions of single notes, the last terminating somewhat abruptly. Their song ceases by the 10th of June. After their young are ready to fly, they disperse about the woods and fields, and are then not readily discovered. Helminthophaga virginiæ, BAIRD. ROCKY MOUNTAIN WARBLER; VIRGINIA’S WARBLER. _Helminthophaga virginiæ_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. under explanation of plates, 1860, xi, pl. lxxix, fig. I (Fort Burgwyn, N. M.); Rev. 177.—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 85. SP. CHAR. Somewhat like _H. ruficapilla_. _Male._ Top and sides of head, back, and wings light ashy-plumbeous; quills and tail-feathers brown, edged with pure ashy-plumbeous, the latter indistinctly and narrowly margined with whitish internally and at the end. Rump, with upper and lower tail-coverts, bright yellow, in vivid contrast with the rest of the body. Crown with a concealed patch of rich chestnut. Rest of under parts brownish-white, with a patch of rich yellow on the jugulum. Inside of wings and axillars pure white. A white ring round the eye. Bill and legs dusky. The colors much duller in autumn. _Female, spring._ Similar to the male, but chestnut spot on crown obsolete, the yellow jugular patch less distinct, the upper tail-coverts more greenish, and the lower less rich yellow. Length, 5.00; extent, 7.25; wing, 2.50 when fresh. Dried skin: length, 4.90; wing, 2.50; tail, 2.20; tarsus, .67. HAB. Southern Rocky Mountains (Middle Province of United States); East Humboldt, Wahsatch, and Uintah Mountains. A young bird (No. 53,355, East Humboldt Mountains, Nevada, August 5) is olive-gray above, becoming green on the rump and upper tail-coverts; the middle and secondary coverts narrowly tipped with pale grayish-buff, producing two indistinct bands. The lower parts are pale dirty-buff, except the lower tail-coverts, which are lemon-yellow; there is scarcely a tinge of yellow on the jugulum, and not a trace of chestnut on the crown. HABITS. But little is as yet known in regard to the habits and distribution of this somewhat rare and recently discovered species. It was first met with by Dr. W. W. Anderson, at Fort Burgwyn in New Mexico, and described by Professor Baird in 1860, in a note to the explanation of Vol. II. of the Birds of North America. It was named in honor of Mrs. Virginia Anderson, the wife of its discoverer. An immature individual of this species was obtained August 15, 1864, by Dr. Coues, at Fort Whipple, near Prescott, in the Territory of Arizona. As it bears a close resemblance to the _Helminthophaga ruficapilla_, it is not improbable that its habits bear a very close resemblance to those of that species. In the summer of 1869, Mr. Robert Ridgway was so fortunate as to meet with the nest and eggs of this bird near Salt Lake, Utah (Smith. Coll. 15,239). This was June 9. The nest was embedded in the deposits of dead or decaying leaves, on ground covered by dense oak-brush. Its rim was just even with the surface. It was built on the side of a narrow ravine at the bottom of which was a small stream. The nest itself is two inches in depth by three and a half in diameter. It consists of a loose but intricate interweaving of fine strips of the inner bark of the mountain mahogany, fine stems of grasses, roots, and mosses, and is lined with the same with the addition of the fur and hair of the smaller animals. The eggs were four in number, and measure .64 by .47 of an inch. They are of a rounded-ovoid shape, have a white ground with a slightly roseate tinge, and are profusely spotted with numerous small blotches and dots of purplish-brown and lilac, forming a crown around the larger end. This bird was first observed by Mr. Ridgway among the cedars and pines of the East Humboldt Mountains, where in July it was quite common. It was very abundant in the Wahsatch Mountains near Salt Lake City, throughout the summer chiefly inhabiting the thickets of scrub-oak on the slopes of the cañons in which they nested, and where they were daily seen, but where, owing to the thickness of the bushes, they were with difficulty obtained. He describes its song as almost exactly like that of _Dendroica æstiva_. The usual note is a soft _pit_, quite different from the sharp _chip_ of _H. celata_. Helminthophaga luciæ, COOPER. LUCY’S WARBLER. _Helminthophaga luciæ_, COOPER, Pr. Cal. Acad. July, 1861, 120 (Fort Mohave).—BAIRD, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 178.—ELLIOT, Illust. Birds N. Am. I, v.—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 84. SP. CHAR. General form and size that of _H. ruficapilla_. Above light-cinereous; beneath white, having a soiled, very pale buff, almost white tinge on the throat, breast, and flanks. A patch on the vertex, as in _H. ruficapilla_, and the upper tail-coverts, dark chestnut-brown. Lores to nostrils and region round the eye, like the throat, in rather decided contrast to the ash of the crown. Quills and tail-feathers brown, narrowly edged externally with gray. An obsolete terminal white patch on the inner web of the outer feather; this web in most of the other tail-feathers likewise narrowly edged with white. Axillars and inner face of wings white. Iris brown. Tarsi blue. Length, in life, 4.40; extent, 6.90; wing, 2.40. Length of skin, 3.90; wing, 2.33; tail, 1.86; tarsus, .64; middle toe and claw, .50; bill above, .35; gape, .50. HAB. Fort Mohave, Colorado River (Middle Province of United States); Fort Whipple, Arizona. HABITS. This is also a new or recently discovered species of this interesting group of Warblers. In regard to its nest and eggs nothing is positively ascertained, yet as all the birds of this genus are known to build on the ground, and to have a great uniformity in the characteristics of their eggs, it seems to be a matter of natural inference that this species also is a ground builder, and has eggs similar to those of the Nashville Warbler. For the little we know in regard to its habits and distribution, we are indebted to the observations of Dr. J. G. Cooper of California, who first discovered it, and to Dr. Coues, who has since met with it in Arizona. Dr. Cooper first observed this species near Fort Mohave, where it made its appearance about the last of March. His attention was called to it by its peculiar notes, resembling those of some _Dendroicæ_, but fainter. After considerable watching and scrambling through dense mezquite thickets in its pursuit, he succeeded in shooting one, and found it to be a new species. Afterwards they became more numerous, frequenting the tops of the mezquite-trees in pursuit of insects, and constantly uttering their short but pleasing notes. About ten days after the first appearance of the males, Dr. Cooper obtained the first female, and thinks that without doubt they are much later in their migrations, as is the case with other Warblers. He was not able to discover their nest, having to leave the valley late in May. Mr. Holden obtained other specimens of this bird, near the 34th parallel, in March of 1863. Dr. Coues met with three individuals of this species near Fort Whipple, where it is a summer resident. It arrives there between the 15th and the 20th of April, and remains until the latter part of September. It mates about the last of April, and the young birds appear early in June. Dr. Coues regards its habits as more like those of the true Ground Warblers than those of the other species of this group. It shows a decided preference for thickets and copses, rather than for high open woods, and is also an exceedingly shy and retiring species. To the extreme difficulty of observing or procuring it Dr. Coues attributes its having so long remained unnoticed. It is described as exceedingly active in all its motions, and quite as restless as a _Polioptila_, to which class, in its colors, it also bears a close resemblance. The only note Dr. Coues ever heard it utter was a quick and often repeated _tsip_, as slender and as wiry as that of a Gnatcatcher. Dr. Cooper, however, has described its song as rich and pleasing, the little performer being mounted on the top of some mezquite or other bush. Dr. Cooper supposes this species to breed, not in the Colorado Valley, but in the more mountainous regions. Dr. Coues hazards the conjecture that this bird builds in low bushes. Should it prove so, it would in this respect differ from all the other members of this well-marked group, and from the other Ground Warblers, which, in its general habits, it so much resembles. Helminthophaga celata, var. celata, BAIRD. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER. _Sylvia celata_, SAY, Long’s Exp. R. Mts. I, 1823, 169.—BON. Am. Orn. I, pl. v, fig. 2.—AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. clxxviii. _Sylvicola cel._ RICH. _Vermivora cel._ JARD. _Helinaia cel._ AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. cxii. _Helmitherus cel._ BON.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1857, 212 (Orizaba). _Helminthophaga cel._ BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 257; Rev. Am. Birds, I, 1865, 176 (in part).—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska).—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1858, 298 (Oaxaca, December); 1859, 373; 1862, 19 (La Parada). _H. celata_, var. _celata_, RIDGW. Rept. U. S. Geol. Expl. 40th Par. SP. CHAR. Above grayish olive-green, rather brighter on the rump. Beneath entirely greenish yellowish-white, except a little whitish about the anus; the sides tinged with grayish-olivaceous. A concealed patch of pale orange-rufous on the crown, hidden by the grayish tips to the feathers. Eyelids and an obscure superciliary line yellowish-white, a dusky obscure streak through the eye. Inner webs of tail-feathers broadly edged with white. _Female_ with little or none of the orange on the crown, and the white edgings to inner webs of tail-feathers. _Young_ lacking the orange entirely, and with two fulvous-whitish bands on the wing. Length, 4.70; wing, 2.25; tail, 2.00. HAB. Middle Province of North America; Yukon and McKenzie River district. Very rare in the Eastern Province of United States; Mexico in winter; Oaxaca, La Parada, (SCLATER); Orizaba, winter (SUMICHRAST). This variety inhabits the interior regions of North America, from the Yukon southward into Mexico; westward, its range meets that of the var. _lutescens_ at about the meridian of 116°, while eastward it extends beyond the Mississippi, though rare east of the latter region. Specimens from Southern Illinois (where it is abundant in its migrations) and from Wisconsin are precisely like Rocky Mountain examples; but several in the collection before us from the South Atlantic States (Florida, Georgia, etc.) are so different as almost to warrant their separation as a different variety. These individuals are most like the style of the interior,—var. _celata_,—but are even less yellowish, and the whole plumage is very dark and dingy; all of them, too, lack any trace whatever of orange on the crown. Should all specimens from this region agree in the latter respect, the series from the Southeastern States is certainly entitled to recognition as a variety, for which we propose the name _obscura_. HABITS. The geographical distribution of _H. celata_ is involved in some doubt, owing probably to its irregularity of migration. In a few occasional instances this species has been observed in the Atlantic States. Several have been obtained near Philadelphia. Mr. Audubon affirms to having seen it in the Middle States about the 10th of May, and in Maine later in the month. Beyond that he did not trace it. Mr. J. A. Allen procured one specimen of this bird in Springfield, Mass., May 15, 1863. There were quite a number among the fruit-trees of the garden and orchard, then in bloom, and, mistaking them for _Helminthophaga ruficapilla_, he at first neglected to shoot any, until, being in doubt, he procured one, and found it the Orange-Crown. The group passed on, and one was all he obtained. It is not given by Mr. Turnbull as one of the birds of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, nor by Mr. Boardman or Professor Verrill as occurring in Maine. I am informed by Mr. Ridgway that it is a regular spring and autumn migrant in Southern Illinois, and in some seasons is quite common. It was taken as a migratory species at Oaxaca, Mexico, during the winter months, by M. A. Boucard. Mr. Audubon’s account of the habits and movements of this species must be received with much caution. His description of its nest is entirely inaccurate, and much that he attributes to this species we have reason to believe relates to the habits of other birds. On the Pacific coast it seems to be quite abundant, at different seasons, from Cape St. Lucas to the arctic regions, where it breeds. Mr. Kennicott obtained several specimens at Fort Yukon and at Fort Resolution, and Mr. Boss met with them at Fort Simpson. Xantus obtained these birds both at Fort Tejon and at Cape St. Lucas. It is common in Southern California during the winter, frequenting low bushes and the margins of streams. Dr. Gambel met with it in early spring on the island of Santa Catalina, where he had an opportunity of listening to its simple and lively song. This he describes as commencing in a low, sweet trill, and ending in _tshe-up_. It is sometimes considerably varied, but is described as generally resembling _er-r,r,r,r-shè-up_. Dr. Cooper speaks of this Warbler as an abundant and constant resident of California, near the coast, and found in summer throughout the Sierra Nevada. In March they begin to sing their simple trill, which, he says, is rather musical, and audible for a long distance. Dr. Coues met with this Warbler in Arizona, at Fort Yuma, September 17, at Fort Mohave, October 1, and also at the head-waters of Bill Williams River. Lieutenant Couch found it at Brownsville, Tex., seeking its food and making its home among the low shrubbery. Dr. Suckley found it very abundant at Fort Steilacoom, in Washington Territory, where it kept in shady places among thick brush, generally in the vicinity of watercourses. Dr. Heermann found a few pairs incubating near the summits of the highest mountains on the Colorado River. The nests of this species, seen by Mr. Kennicott, were uniformly on the ground, generally among clumps of low bushes, often in the side of a bank, and usually hidden by the dry leaves among which they were placed. He met with these nests in the middle of June in the vicinity of Great Slave Lake. They were large for the size of the bird, having an external diameter of four inches, and a height of two and a half, and appearing as if made of two or three distinct fabrics, one within the other, of nearly the same materials. The external portions of these nests were composed almost entirely of long, coarse strips of bark loosely interwoven with a few dry grasses and stems of plants. Within it is a more elaborately interwoven structure of finer dry grasses and mosses. These are softly and warmly lined with hair and fur of small animals. Nests from more arctic regions are of a different style of structure, homogeneous in materials,—which are chiefly stems of small plants and the finer grasses,—and are of a more compact make and smaller in size. Their eggs are from four to six in number, and vary in length from .70 to .60 of an inch, and in breadth from .50 to .45 of an inch. They have a clear white ground, marked with spots and small blotches of reddish-brown and fainter marking of purplish-slate. The number of spots varies greatly, some eggs being nearly unspotted, others profusely covered. Mr. Ridgway met with this Warbler in great abundance during its autumnal migration among the shrubbery along the streams of the Sierra Nevada, at all altitudes. In summer it was only seen among the high aspen woods on the Wahsatch Mountains. Fully fledged young birds were numerous in July and August. Their usual note was a sharp _chip_. This bird was found breeding near Fort Resolution, on the Yukon, at Fort Rae, and at Fort Anderson. The notice of geographical distribution of the different races, at the beginning of the article, will serve to show to what varieties the preceding remarks severally belong. Helminthophaga celata, var. lutescens, RIDGWAY. PACIFIC ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER. _Helminthophaga celata_, COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. XII, ii, 1859, 178.—LORD, Pr. R. Art. Inst. Woolwich, IV, 1864, 115.—BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds, I, 1865, 176 (in part).—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 83. _H. celata_, var. _lutescens_, RIDGWAY, Report U. S. Geol. Expl. 40th Par. SP. CHAR. _Male._ Upper surface continuous bright olive-green. Whole lower parts, including superciliary stripe and eyelids, bright yellow, almost gamboge; abdomen somewhat whitish. Inner webs of tail-feathers just perceptibly edged with white. Whole crown bright orange-rufous, scarcely concealed. Wing, 2.40; tail, 1.90; bill, .40; tarsus, .67; middle toe, .45. Wing-formula, 2, 3, 1, 4. _Female._ Similar, but orange of crown almost obsolete. Wing, 2.30; tail, 1.90. _Young of the year._ Similar to adult, but with a brownish tinge above; middle and secondary coverts tipped with dull fulvous, furry, inconspicuous bands. No trace of orange on the crown. HAB. Pacific Province of North America, from Alaska to Cape St. Lucas. Straggling eastward to about the 116th meridian. Not found in Mexico? The differences between the Pacific coast specimens of the _H. celata_ and those from the interior regions—first pointed out in the Review of American Birds—are very readily appreciable upon a comparison of specimens. The present bird is a coast variety, entirely replacing the true _celata_ (var. _celata_) in the region above indicated. Helminthophaga peregrina, CABAN. TENNESSEE WARBLER. _Sylvia peregrina_, WILS. Am. Orn. IV, 1811, 83, pl. xxv, fig. 2.—AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cliv. _Sylvicola per._ RICH. _Vermivora per._ BON. _Helinaia per._ AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. cx. _Helmitherus per._ BON. _Helminthophaga per._ CAB. Mus. Hein.—IB. Jour. Orn. 1861, 85 (Costa Rica).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 258; Rev. 178.—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1860, 31 (Guatemala).—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 373 (Oaxaca); Catal. 1861, 29, no. 180.—LAWRENCE, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. 1861, 322 (Panama).—GUNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba, very rare). _Sylvia tennessæi_, VIEILLOT, Encycl. Méth. II, 1823, 452. _? Sylvia missuriensis_, MAX. Cab. Jour. VI, 1858, 117. SP. CHAR. Top and sides of the head and neck ash-gray; rest of upper parts olive-green, brightest on the rump. Beneath dull white, faintly tinged in places, especially on the sides, with yellowish-olive. Eyelids and a stripe over the eye whitish; a dusky line from the eye to the bill. Outer tail-feather with a white spot along the inner edge near the tip. _Female_ with the ash of the head less conspicuous; the under parts more tinged with olive-yellow. Length, 4.50; wing, 2.75; tail, 1.85. HAB. Eastern Province of North America; Calais, Me.; north to Fort Simpson, H. B. T.; Mexico; Oaxaca? Guatemala; Costa Rica; Panama R. R. Very rare in Cuba. Veragua (SALVIN). Chiriqui (LAWRENCE). Autumnal specimens and young birds are sometimes so strongly tinged with greenish-yellow as to be scarcely distinguishable from _H. celata_. The wing is, however, always longer, and the obscure whitish patch on the inner edge of the exterior tail-feather, near its tip, is almost always appreciable. In _celata_ this edge is very narrowly and uniformly margined with whitish. A young bird of the year, from Port Simpson (27,228), has two distinct greenish-white bands on the wings, and the forehead and cheeks greenish-yellow. A corresponding age of _H. celata_ has the wing-bands more reddish-brown, the wings shorter, and no white patch on the outer tail-feather. HABITS. Like the Nashville Warbler the present species has received a name inappropriate to one with so northern a distribution. It was first obtained on the banks of the Cumberland River by Wilson, and has since been known as the Tennessee Warbler. But two specimens were ever obtained by him, and he regarded it as a very rare species. He found them hunting nimbly among the young leaves, and thought they possessed many of the habits of the Titmice. Their notes he described as few and weak, and in their stomachs he found, upon dissection, small green caterpillars and a few winged insects. Mr. Audubon also regarded it as a rare species, and only three specimens ever fell within his observations. These were obtained in Louisiana and at Key West. He describes them as appearing to be nimble, active birds, expert catchers of flies, and fond of hanging to the extremities of branches, uttering a single mellow _tweet_ as they fly from branch to branch in search of food, or while on the wing. Mr. Nuttall appears not to have met with it. Dr. Richardson procured only a single specimen at Cumberland House, in the latter part of May. This was in a dense thicket of small trees, and was flying about among the lower branches. He was unable to discover its nest, or to learn anything in regard to its habits. A little more light has since then been given both as to its geographical distribution and its mode of nesting. Specimens of this species have been obtained in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Oaxaca, Mexico, and Panama. A specimen of this species was also taken in Colombia, S. A., by Mr. C. W. Wyatt. Dr. Gundlach mentions it as occasionally found in Cuba. Mr. Drexler secured specimens of it at Moose Factory and at Fort George in the arctic regions. Specimens were taken by Mr. Bernard R. Ross at Fort Simpson. Mr. Robert Kennicott met with it on the northern shores of Lake Winnipeg, June 6. They were then abundant, and had already mated. He again met with them at Fort Resolution, and Mr. Clarke found them at Fort Rae, Mr. W. F. Hall in Maine, Mr. Bell on the Upper Missouri, and Professor Baird in Pennsylvania. Mr. Ridgway has obtained it both in spring and in fall in Southern Illinois, where it is abundant in some seasons. It does not appear to occur on the Pacific coast. Mr. Boardman writes that the Tennessee Warbler is, in the summer time, quite a common bird in St. Stephens and vicinity. Its notes, he adds, resemble the low, subdued whistle of the common Summer Yellow-Bird. Mr. Maynard found this Warbler very common near Lake Umbagog during the breeding-season. It was found in all the wooded localities in the regions north of the neighboring mountains. Its song, he states, resembles that of _H. ruficapilla_, the notes of the first part being more divided, while the latter part is shriller. A nest of this Warbler (Smith. Coll., 3476), obtained on the northern shore of Lake Superior by Mr. George Barnston, is but little more than a nearly flat bed of dry, matted stems of grass, and is less than an inch in thickness, with a diameter of about three inches. It is not circular in shape, and its width is not uniform. Its position must have been on some flat surface, probably the ground. The eggs resemble those of all the family in having a white ground, over which are profusely distributed numerous small dots and points of a reddish-brown, and a few of a purplish-slate. They are of an oblong-oval shape, and measure .68 by .50 of an inch. A nest from near Springfield, Mass., obtained by Professor Horsford, the parent bird having been secured, was built in a low clump of bushes, just above the ground. It is well made, woven of fine hempen fibres of vegetables, slender stems of grass, delicate mosses, and other like materials, and very thoroughly lined with hair. It measures two and three fourths inches in diameter and two in height. The cavity is two inches wide and one and three fourths deep. The eggs measure .60 by .50 of an inch, are oblong-oval in shape, their ground-color a pearly white, marked in a corona, about the larger end, with brown and purplish-brown spots. GENUS PARULA, BONAP. _Chloris_, BOIE, Isis, 1826, 972 (not of Moehring, 1752). (Type, _Parus americanus_.) _Sylvicola_, SWAINSON, Zoöl. Journ. III, July, 1827, 169. (Not of Humphrey, Mus. Calonnianum, 1797, 60; genus of land mollusks.) (Same type.) _Parula_, BONAP. Geog. & Comp. List, 1838. (Same type.) _Compsothlypis_, CABANIS, Mus. Hein. 1850, 1851, 20. (Same type.) GEN. CHAR. In the species of this genus the bill is conical and acute; the culmen very gently curved from the base; the commissure slightly concave. The notch when visible is further from the tip than in _Dendroica_, but usually is either obsolete or entirely wanting. Bristles weak. The tarsi are longer than the middle toe. The tail is nearly even, and considerably shorter than the wing. Color, blue above, with a triangular patch of green on the back; anterior lower parts yellow. Two species—one with three varieties—of this genus, as lately restricted, are known in America, only one, however, has as yet been detected within the limits of the United States. They may be distinguished as follows:— P. americana. Eyelids white. Yellow beneath restricted to anterior half. Two white bands on wing; a dusky collar across the jugulum. _Hab._ Eastern Province of United States, south to Guatemala; Bahamas; Cuba; Jamaica; St. Croix; St. Thomas. P. pitiayumi. Eyelids dusky. Yellow beneath, extending back along sides to the crissum. _Two white bands on wing._ Above plumbeous-blue; lores and eyelids deep black. Abdomen wholly yellow. Wing, 2.20; tail, 1.75. _Hab._ South America from Bogota to Paraguay … var. _pitiayumi_.[34] Above ashy-blue; lores and eyelids scarcely darker. Abdomen wholly white. Wing, 2.35; tail, 2.05. _Hab._ Tres Marias Islands, Western Mexico … var. _insularis_.[35] _Only a trace of white on wings, or none at all._ Above indigo-blue. Wing, 2.10; tail, 1.70. _Hab._ Costa Rica and Guatemala … var. _inornata_.[36] [Line drawing: _Parula americana_, Bonap.] _Compsothlypis gutturalis_, CABANIS (_Parula gut._, BAIRD, Rev. Am. B.), and _Conirostrum superciliosum_, HARTLAUB (_Parula superciliosa_, BAIRD, Rev.), have been referred by later systematists to this genus; but they are much more closely related to _Conirostrum_,—a genus usually assigned to the _Cærebidæ_. The _“P.” gutturalis_ is confined to Costa Rica; but _“P.” superciliosa_ is a species of the table-lands of Mexico, and likely to be detected in Arizona or New Mexico. The characters of this species are as follows:— _Conirostrum superciliosum_, HARTL. R. Z. 1844, 215. Whole dorsal region, including rump, olive-green; rest of upper parts ashy. Anterior half beneath yellow, with a crescentic bar of chestnut-brown across the jugulum; posterior lower parts white, ashy laterally. A conspicuous superciliary stripe of white. Wing, 2.60; tail, 2.10. Parula americana, BONAP. BLUE YELLOW-BACKED WARBLER. _Parus americanus_, LINN. Syst. Nat. 10th ed. I, 1758, 190. _Motacilla am._ GMELIN. _Sylvia am._ LATH., AUD. _Sylvicola am._ RICH., AUD.—JONES, Nat. in Bermuda, 1839, 59. _Parula am._ BON. List Birds N. Am. 1838.—GOSSE, Birds Jam. 1847, 154 (Jamaica).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 238; Rev. 169.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1857, 202 (Xalapa).—IB. Ibis, 1859, 10 (Guatemala).—IB. Catal. 1861, 26, 163.—NEWTON, Ibis, 1859, 143 (Santa Cruz; winter).—CASSIN, Pr. A. N. S. 1860, 376 (St. Thomas).—GUNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba; very common). _Compsothlypis am._ CAB. Mus. Hein. 1850, 20.—IB. Jour. III, 1855, 476 (Cuba). _Ficedula ludoviciana_, BRISSON. _Motacilla lud._ GM. _Motacilla eques_, BODD. _Sylvia torquata_, VIEILL. _Thryothorus torq._ STEPHENS. _Sylvia pusilla_, WILS. _Sylvicola pus._ SWAINS. Figures: AUD. Orn. Biog. I, pl. xv.—IB. Birds Am. II, pl. xci.—VIEILL. Ois. Am. II, pl. xcix.—WILS. Am. Orn. IV, pl. xxviii.—BUFFON, pl. enl. dccxxxi, fig. 1; dccix, fig. 1. SP. CHAR. Above blue, the middle of the back with a patch of yellowish-green. Beneath yellow anteriorly, white behind. A reddish-brown tinge across the breast. Lores and space round the eye dusky; a small white spot on either eyelid; sides of head and neck like the crown. Two conspicuous white bands on the wings. Outer two tail-feathers with a conspicuous spot of white. _Female_ similar, with less brown on the breast. Length, 4.75; wing, 2.34; tail, 1.90. Nest of long moss. HAB. Eastern Province of United States, north to the Lakes (“Greenland”), west to the Missouri Valley; in winter, south to Guatemala (not seen on the west coast of Mexico). West Indies; Bahamas; Cuba; Jamaica; St. Croix; St. Thomas; Jalapa, Guatemala (SCLATER); Orizaba, winter (SUMICHRAST); Yucatan (LAWRENCE); Porto Rico and Inagua (BRYANT). Autumnal males are browner on the chin, yellower on the throat and jugulum. Head tinged with greenish; secondaries edged with greenish-yellow. Autumnal females are light greenish-olive above, dirty-white beneath. [Illustration: _Parula americana._ 2219] In very brightly colored spring males, there is frequently (as in 58,335, Philadelphia) a well-defined, broad blackish band across the jugulum, anterior to an equally distinct and rather broader one across the breast, of a brown tint, spotted with black, while the sides are much spotted with chestnut-brown; the blue above is very pure, and the green patch on the back very sharply defined. HABITS. The Blue Yellow-Back is one of our most interesting and attractive Warblers. Nowhere very abundant, it has a well-marked and restricted area within which it is sparingly distributed. It is found from the Mississippi Valley to the Atlantic, and from Canada southward. In its winter migrations it visits the West Indies, the Bahamas, and Central and South America. Halifax on the east, and Platte River on the west, appear to be the northern limit of its distribution. Dr. Woodhouse met with it in the Indian Territory during the breeding-season. Mr. Alfred Newton found this species, apparently only a winter visitant, in the island of St. Croix. Most of the birds left about the middle of March, though a few remained until early in May. A single specimen of this species was taken at South Greenland in 1857. This Warbler has been found breeding as far to the south as Tuckertown, N. J., by Mr. W. S. Wood; and at Cape May, in the same State, by Mr. John Krider. At Washington, Dr. Coues found it only a spring and autumn visitant, exceedingly abundant from April 25 to May 15. Possibly a few remained to breed, as he met with them in the first week of August. In the fall they were again abundant from August 25 to the second week in October. He found them inhabiting exclusively high open woods, and usually seen in the tops of the trees, or at the extremities of the branches, in the tufts of leaves and blossoms. Even where most common it is not an abundant species, and is to be found only in certain localities, somewhat open and swampy thickets, usually not of great extent, and prefers those well covered with the long gray lichens known as Spanish moss. In such localities only, so far as I know, do they breed. This Warbler has also been ascertained to breed in Southern Illinois, where Mr. Ridgway found it in July, engaged in feeding fully fledged young birds. It is there most common in spring and fall. A true Warbler in most of its attributes, this bird has many of the habits of Titmice. Like these it frequents the tops of the taller trees, feeding on the small winged insects and caterpillars that abound among the young leaves and blossoms. It has no song, properly so called, its notes are feeble and few, and can be heard only a short distance. The song of this species is said by Mr. Trippe, of Orange, N. Y., to be a somewhat sharp and lisping, yet quite varied and pleasing, series of notes. Mr. Audubon speaks of this species as breeding in Louisiana, but his description of the nest differs so entirely from such as are met with in Massachusetts as to suggest doubts as to the correctness of the identification. He describes them as flitting over damp places, the edges of ponds and streams, and pursuing their prey with great activity. They resort to the woods as soon as the foliage appears on the forest trees, and glean among the leaves for the smaller winged insects. The nests of this Warbler, so far as has fallen under my observation, have always been made of long gray lichens still attached to the trees on which they grow. With great skill do these tiny architects gather up, fasten together, and interweave, one with the other, the hanging ends and longer branches. By an elaborate intertwining of these long fibres they form the principal part, sometimes the whole, of their nests. These structures are at once simple, beautiful, ingenious, and skilfully wrought. When first made, they are somewhat rude and unfinished, but as their family are gathered, the eggs deposited, incubated, and hatched, a change has been going on. Little by little has the male bird busied himself, when not procuring food for his mate, in improving, strengthening, and enlarging the nest. These same acts of improvement upon the original nests are noticed with Humming-Birds, Vireos, and a few other birds. The nests are sometimes constructed on the sides of trunks of trees, when covered with the long gray lichens, but are more frequently found hanging from branches usually not more than six or eight feet from the ground. Thus surrounded by long hanging mosses in clumps not distinguishable from the nests themselves, they would not be readily recognized were it not that those familiar with the habits of the bird may be readily guided to the spot by the artless movements of the unsuspecting parents. These birds are confiding, easily approached, and rarely exhibit any signs of alarm. Even when their nest is disturbed they make but little complaint, and do not manifest any very great signs of emotion. When built against a trunk these nests consist only of an interweaving of the moss above and below a very small opening, within which a small cup-shaped flooring has been made of the same material, and usually cannot be removed without destroying all semblance of a nest. When pensile they are imperfectly circular in shape, with an entrance on one side, and rarely with any lining. Occasionally they are models of symmetry and beauty. The eggs, four or five in number, have a clear white ground, and are sparingly spotted with markings of reddish-brown, slate, purple, and lilac. In some the first predominate, in other the last three shades are more abundant, and usually form a confluent ring around the larger end. They measure from .62 to .65 of an inch in length, and from .49 to .50 in breadth. SECTION SYLVICOLEÆ. This section has been already characterized as having a distinctly notched bill, well provided with bristles. Of the two genera one, _Perissoglossa_, has the bill slender, acute, something like _Helminthophaga_, and with the tongue lengthened and much lacerated at end; the other, _Dendroica_, with less acute bill and tongue shorter, merely notched at tip, and a little fringed only. GENUS PERISSOGLOSSA, BAIRD. _Perissoglossa_, BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds, 1864, 181. (Type, _Motacilla tigrina_, GM.) [Line drawing: _Perissoglossa tigrina_, Baird.] GEN. CHAR. Form of _Dendroica_, but bill slender, acute, with very obsolete notch; the commissure gently arched or curved from the base; the gonys also straight, or even slightly concave. Tongue lengthened, narrow, deeply bifid (for one third), and deeply lacerated or fringed externally at the end; the edge along the median portion folded over on the upper surface, but not adherent. The curvature of the bill in _Perissoglossa tigrina_ is quite peculiar among the _Sylvicolidæ_ with notched bills. Some Helminthophagas (without notch) approximate this character, though in none, excepting _H. bachmani_, is it in equal amount,—all the others having the gonys very slightly convex, instead of straight, or even slightly concave. It is most probable that the _Helinaia carbonata_ of Audubon belongs here, as it appears very closely allied to the type of this genus. The two species may be distinguished as follows:— COMMON CHARACTERS. _Male._ Top of head black. Above olive, becoming yellowish on rump. Head, neck, and lower parts bright yellow, becoming whitish posteriorly. Dorsal feathers with black centres; breast and sides streaked with black. A black streak through the eye. P. tigrina. Large white patches on inner webs of tail-feathers. Sides of head and middle of throat tinged with chestnut. One large white patch on wing, covering both rows of coverts. Outer web of lateral tail-feather blackish. P. carbonata. No white patches on tail-feathers. No chestnut about head. Two bands on the wing, the anterior one white, the posterior yellow. Outer web of lateral tail-feather whitish. Perissoglossa tigrina, BAIRD. CAPE MAY WARBLER. _Motacilla tigrina_, GMELIN, Syn. Nat. I, 1788, 985. _Sylvia tig._ LATH. _Dendroica tig._ BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 286.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 33, no. 198; P. Z. S. 1861, 71 (Jamaica, April).—MARCH, Pr. An. Sc. 1863, 293 (Jamaica; breeds).—A. & E. NEWTON, Ibis, 1859, 144 (St. Croix. Notes on anatomy of tongue).—GUNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba; not rare).—SAMUELS, 240. _Perissoglossa tigrina_, BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds, 1864, 181. _Sylvia maritima_, WILSON, Am. Orn. VI, 1812, 99, pl. liv, fig. 3.—BON.; NUTT.; AUD. Orn. Biog. V, pl. ccccxiv.—D’ORB. La Sagra’s Cub. 1840, 70, pl. x. _Sylvicola mar._ JARD., BON., AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. lxxxv. _Certhiola mar._ GOSSE, Birds Jam. 1847, 81.—IB. Illust. _Rhimamphus mar._ CAB. Jour. III, 1855, 474 (Cuba.) SP. CHAR. Bill very acute, conical, and decidedly curved. Bill and feet black. Upper part of head dull black, some of the feathers faintly margined with light yellowish-brown. Collar scarcely meeting behind; rump and under parts generally rich yellow. Throat, forepart of breast, and sides, streaked with black. Abdomen and lower tail-coverts pale yellow, brighter about the vent. Ear-coverts light reddish-chestnut. Back part of a yellow line from nostrils over the eye of this same color; chin and throat tinged also with it. A black line from commissure through the eye, and running into the chestnut of the ear-coverts. Back, shoulder, edges of the wing and tail, yellowish-olive; the former spotted with dusky. One row of small coverts, and outer bases of the secondary coverts, form a large patch of white, tinged with pale yellow. Tertials rather broadly edged with brownish-white. Quills and tail dark brown, the three outer feathers of the latter largely marked with white on the inner web; edge of the outer web of the outer feathers white, more perceptible towards the base. Length, 5.25; wing, 2.84; tail, 2.15. _Female._ Above olivaceous-ash, most yellowish on rump; no black nor chestnut on head. Wing-coverts inconspicuously edged with whitish. Tail-spots very inconspicuous. Beneath dull white tinged with yellowish on the breast, and streaked as in the male, but with dusky grayish instead of black. HAB. Eastern Province of United States, north to Lake Winnipeg and Moose Factory; all the West Indies to St. Croix. Breeds in Jamaica. Not recorded from Mexico or Central America. The chestnut about the head in adult males varies in amount with the individual; sometimes (as in 20,633, May, Moose Factory, Hudson’s Bay Territory) there is an oblong spot of chestnut in the middle of the crown, but generally this is absent. Very frequently the chestnut tinges the throat. All variations in these respects appear, however, to be individual, and not dependent at all on locality. West Indian specimens appear to be absolutely identical with those from North America. Autumnal specimens are browner, the chestnut markings much obscured. [Illustration: PLATE XII. 1. Perissoglossa tigrina, _Gm._ ♂ H. B. Ter., 20633. 2. “ “ “ ♀ Pa., 678. 3. “ carbonata, _Aud._ (Copied from Audubon). 4. Dendroica virens, _Gm._ ♂ Pa., 941. 5. “ occidentalis, _Towns._ ♂ Cal., 5518. 6. “ chrysopareia, _Scl. & Salv._ ♂. 7. “ townsendi, _Nutt._ ♂ Guat., 8017. 8. “ nigrescens, _Towns._ ♂ Ariz., 1908. 9. “ coronata, _Linn._ ♂ Pa., 8384. 10. “ cærulescens, _Linn._ ♂ Pa., 3419. 11. “ “ “ ♀ Pa., 2308. 12. “ coronata, _Linn._ ♀.] HABITS. This somewhat rare species, so far as its history and distribution are known with certainty, is migratory in the principal portions of the United States, in the spring and fall passing to the north of the 42d parallel to breed. The first specimen was obtained near the extreme southern point of New Jersey by George Ord, in 1811, and described and figured by Wilson. From this accidental circumstance it derives its inappropriate name of Cape May Warbler. Wilson never met with a second specimen, and Mr. Nuttall was wholly unacquainted with it. Mr. Audubon also never met with a specimen in all his wanderings, and was able to add nothing to its history. Those figured by him were procured by Mr. Edward Harris, near Philadelphia, through which region these birds appear to pass rapidly in their northern migrations. Mr. J. A. Allen obtained a specimen near Springfield, Mass., May 15, 1863, and specimens have also been procured at East Windsor Hill, Conn., by Dr. Wood. It was not met with in Western Maine by Mr. Verrill, but in Eastern Maine and in New Brunswick Mr. Boardman has found it a not uncommon summer visitant, though of irregular frequency. He has no doubt that they remain there to breed. They reach Calais as early as the second week in May, or as early as their appearance usually in the neighborhood of Philadelphia has been noticed. Mr. Kumlien has also obtained specimens from year to year, about the middle of May, in Southern Wisconsin, where they do not remain to breed, and Mr. Ridgway has taken them in the beginning of May in Southern Illinois. It is also by no means uncommon in Cuba; was met by the Newtons as a migrant in St. Croix, and is not only one of the birds of Jamaica, but is resident and breeds in the highlands of that island. It is not known to occur in Central America, Mexico, or west of the Mississippi River. Specimens were procured at Moose Factory about May 28. Its nests and eggs have not been, with certainty, obtained in the United States, though an egg obtained in Coventry, Vt., in 1836, and attributed at the time to this bird, closely resembles its identified eggs from Jamaica. Specimens of the bird, as well as its nests and eggs, have also been received from St. Domingo by Mr. Turnbull of Philadelphia. In the summer of 1871 a nest of this species was found by Mr. H. B. Bailey on the Richardson Lakes, in the extreme northwestern part of Maine. The nest was in a low spruce-tree, less than five feet from the ground, and when found contained only a single egg. Unfortunately it was left until more eggs were deposited, and in the mean while the tree was cut, and the nest and eggs were destroyed. Mr. W. T. March of Jamaica, in his notes on the birds of that island, states that this species may always be found, in its various changes of plumage, about the mangrove swamps and river-banks. During the summer months it was common about Healthshire and Great Salt Pond, and at other times very generally distributed over the island. He also met with several specimens of its nests and eggs, but their position was not stated. The nests had apparently been taken from a bush or tree, were three and one fourth inches in diameter by two and one half in height, with cavities unusually large and deep for the size of the nests. They were wrought almost entirely of long strips of thin flexible bark, strongly and firmly interwoven. The outer portions consisted of coarser and longer strips, the inner being much finer and more delicate. With the outer portions were also interwoven bits of mosses, lichens, and the outer bark of deciduous trees. The entire fabric was a remarkable one. The eggs measure .70 by .55 of an inch, have a pinkish-white ground, blotched with purple and brown of various shades and tints. They are disposed chiefly about the larger end, usually in a ring. The eggs are oval in shape and slightly pointed at one end. Perissoglossa carbonata, BAIRD. CARBONATED WARBLER. _Sylvia carbonata_, AUD. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 308, pl. lx (Kentucky).—NUTT. _Helinaia carbonata_, AUD. Syn.—IB. Birds Am. II, 1841, 95, pl. cix. _Dendroica carbonata_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 287; Rev. Am. Birds, 207. SP. CHAR. Bill brownish-black above, light blue beneath. Iris hazel. Feet light flesh-color. Upper part of the head black. Forepart of the back, lesser wing-coverts, and sides dusky, spotted with black. Lower back dull yellowish-green, as is the tail, of which the outer web of the outer feather is whitish. Tip of the second row of coverts white, of the first row yellow; quills dusky, their outer webs tinged with yellow. A line from the lore over the eye; sides of the neck and the throat bright yellow. A dusky line behind the eye. The rest of the under parts dull yellow, excepting the sides. Length, 4.75 inches; bill above, 4.42; tarsus, .75. (AUDUBON). HAB. Kentucky. This species continues to be known only by the description and figure of Audubon. Judging from the description, this species is closely related to _P. tigrina_, but seems to be distinct in the pure black of the top of the head, the absence of orange-brown on the cheeks, the white of the wing being on the middle coverts instead of the greater, and the tail-feathers being yellowish-green; the outer web of outer feather white, instead of a large spot on the inner web, etc. The back appears more distinctly streaked. HABITS. Two specimens of this Warbler, obtained near Henderson, Ky., May, 1811, by Mr. Audubon, are all its claim to be recognized as a good species. None have since been seen. These birds are described as having been busily engaged in collecting insects among the branches of a dogwood tree. Their motions were like those of other Warblers. This is all we as yet know as to the history of this species, and its claims to be regarded as a good and distinct species are involved in doubt. GENUS DENDROICA, GRAY. _Sylvicola_, GRAY, Genera Birds, 2d ed. 1841, 32. (Not of Humphreys nor Swainson.) _Dendroica_, GRAY, Genera Birds, Appendix, 1842, 8. _Rhimamphus_, HARTLAUB, Rev. Zool. 1845, 342. (Not of Rafinesque, Am. Monthly Mag. 1818, and Jour. de Phys. 1819.) [Line drawing: _Dendroica coronata._ 38714] GEN. CHAR. Bill conical, attenuated, depressed at the base, where it is, however, scarcely broader than high, compressed from the middle. Culmen straight for the basal half, then rather rapidly curving, the lower edge of upper mandible also concave. Gonys slightly convex and ascending. A distinct notch near the end of the bill. Bristles, though short, generally quite distinct at the base of the bill. Tarsi long; decidedly longer than middle toe, which is longer than the hinder one; the claws rather small and much curved; the hind claw nearly as long as its digit. The wings long and pointed; the second quill usually a very little longer than the first. The tail slightly rounded and emarginate. _Colors._ Tail always with a white or yellow spot; its ground-color never clear olive-green. In _D. æstiva_ edged internally with yellow. Eggs usually with a white or a bluish-white ground, marked with purplish-brown and obscure lilac; in some, mingled with varying shades of sienna-brown. Nest, so far as known, in bushes and trees, except _D. palmarum_, which is on the ground. [Illustration: _Dendroica auduboni._] The genus _Dendroica_ is one of the most extensive as to species of any in North America, and scarcely admits of any subdivision. There is a little variation in the bill, wings, etc., the chief peculiarities being in _D. castanea_ and _pennsylvanica_, in which the bill is broader, and more depressed, with longer bristles; in _D. striata_, where the bill is narrow with scarcely any bristles; and in _D. palmarum_ and _kirtlandi_, where the wings are very short, scarcely longer than the tail. _D. palmarum_ has the tarsus unusually long. The colors in all are strongly marked, and the species are among the most beautiful of all belonging to our fauna, and are the most conspicuous for their numbers and in their migrations. The difference in manners between certain members of this genus is remarkable; thus, the _D. palmarum_ is very terrestrial in its habits, walking upon the ground with the ease and grace of a Titlark (_Anthus_), and, like these birds, it has a wagging motion of the tail. On the other hand, the _Dendroica dominica_ is as much a Creeper as is the _Mniotilta varia_; creeping not only along the branches, but the cornices and lattices of buildings, with the facility of a Nuthatch (_Sitta_). Both these species, however, may often be seen hopping among the foliage of the trees, now and then snapping an insect on the wing, in the manner of others of the family. Species and Varieties. Inner webs of tail-feathers with a large patch, or broad edge, of yellow GROUP A. Inner webs of tail-feathers with a large patch, or broad edge, of white. Wings with conspicuous white markings GROUP B. Wings without conspicuous white markings[37] GROUP C. Group A.—_Golden Warblers._ Rump and crissum without rufous markings _Series I._ Rump and crissum with rufous markings _Series II._ _Series I._ Prevailing color rich yellow, shaded on upper parts with olive-green. ♂ with streaks of chestnut across the breast and along the sides, and with or without a greater or less tinge of the same on the crown. ♀ with the streaks beneath obsolete or entirely wanting; no rufous on crown. _Juv._ paler and duller than the ♀, sometimes quite ashy. A. Tarsus less than .65 of an inch. Outer webs of tail-feathers with yellow predominating. 1. D. æstiva. Crown generally pure yellow, sometimes with only a tinge of rufous; lower webs of wing-coverts and tertials pure yellow; rump and upper tail-coverts much mixed with the same. Wing-formula,[38] 12, 3; wing, 2.60; tail, 2.05; bill, from nostril, .30; tarsus, .62. _Hab._ Entire continent of North America; in winter south to Bogota and Cayenne; Trinidad (only locality in West Indies). B. Tarsus not less than .70 of an inch. Outer webs of tail-feathers with dusky predominating. _a._ Crown without any rufous, or with only a tinge. 2. D. petechia. _Nape olive-green_ (except in _juv._); _sides streaked_ (except in _juv._). Crown greenish, sometimes tinged with orange-rufous anteriorly; lower webs of wing-coverts, etc., not pure yellow, and rump and upper tail-coverts without any admixture of yellow. _Hab._ West Indies (except Barbadoes and Trinidad); not on the Continent. Lower part of throat streaked; outer webs of wing-coverts hardly appreciably different from the general surface. Above golden yellowish-olive; crown generally without a trace of rufous. Wing-formula, 23, 4, 1, 5; wing, 2.55; tail, 2.10; bill, .30; tarsus, .80. _Hab._ Cuba and the Bahamas … var. _gundlachi_.[39] Lower part of throat not streaked; outer webs of wing-coverts decidedly yellowish, and quite different from the general surface. Above greenish yellow-olive; crown almost always strongly tinged with rufous. Wing-formula, 4, 3, 2, 5, 1, 6; wing, 2.70; tail, 2.25; bill, .35; tarsus, .79. _Hab._ Jamaica and Hayti? … var. _petechia_.[40] Whole throat sometimes streaked; back also sometimes with streaks of dark castaneous; green above lighter than in var. _petechia_, the rump sometimes tinged with yellow. Wing-formula, 2, 3, and 4 equal, 51; wing, 2.50; tail, 2.00; bill, .34; tarsus, .78. _Hab._ Porto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. Bartholomew … var. _ruficapilla_.[41] 3. D. aureola.[42] _Nape always ashy; sides never streaked._ Abdomen, anal region, and axillars nearly white; forehead and crown strongly tinged with rufous; nape dark ashy. Wing-formula, 2, 3, and 4 equal, 5, 16; wing, 2.55; tail, 2.00; bill, .32; tarsus, .75. _Hab._ Galapagos Islands. _b._ Crown with only a sharply defined ovate patch of dark purplish-rufous. 4. D. capitalis.[43] A broad superciliary stripe of pure yellow; wing-formula, 3 = 4, 2, 1 = 5; wing, 2.30; tail, 2.00; bill, .30; tarsus, .70. (♀ distinguishable from that of the varieties of _petechia_ by the distinctly yellow upper eyelid, and considerably shorter tarsus.) _Hab._ Barbadoes Island, West Indies. _c._ Head all round rufous. 5. D. vieilloti. (♀ not distinguishable from that of other species.) _Hab._ Continental Middle America. _Breast and sides with broad streaks of rufous; outer webs of wing-coverts and tertials pure yellow._ Rufous of the throat with the posterior outline sharply defined against yellow of jugulum. Wing-formula, 3, 4, 2, 1, 5; wing, 2.75; tail, 2.10; bill, .34; tarsus, .75. _Hab._ New Granada (Carthagena, etc.) … var. _vieilloti_.[44] Rufous of the throat covering the jugulum and blending with the streaks of the breast. Wing-formula, 3, 2, 4, 1, 5; wing, 2.45; tail, 2.05; bill, .27; tarsus, .64. _Hab._ Isthmus of Panama … var. _rufigula_.[45] _Breast and sides with only very narrow or scarcely appreciable streaks of rufous; outer webs of wing-coverts, etc., scarcely different from general surface._ Rufous of the head confined to it, and abruptly defined all round. Wing-formula, 3, 2 = 4, 1, 5; wing, 2.70; tail, 2.25; bill, .31; tarsus, .72. _Hab._ Mexico (from Honduras and Yucatan to Mazatlan) … var. _bryanti_.[46] _Series II._ Prevailing color yellow; crown, rump, and crissum with spots of rufous; a band of the same on the side of the head, from bill (meeting both on forehead and on chin) around eye and over ear-coverts. 6. D. eoa.[47] _Hab._ Jamaica (GOSSE). Group B. Base of primaries with white patch. Two white bands on wing _Series I._ No white bands on wing _Series II._ Base of primaries without white patch. Rump yellow. Crown with a yellow spot _Series III._ Crown without a yellow spot _Series IV._ Rump not yellow. Throat white (with black streaks in _striata_ and _pharetra_) _Series V._ Throat yellow or orange _Series VI._ Throat black, or mixed with black _Series VII._ _Series I._ 7. D. olivacea. ♂. Head and neck, all round, fine light orange-rufous; a broad black “spectacle” along side of the head. ♀. Head yellowish, dusky on top; spectacle obsolete. _Hab._ Whole of Eastern Mexico; Guatemala. _Series II._ 8. D. cærulescens. ♂. Head dark blue above and black underneath; a black patch covering whole lateral and under side of head and lateral lower parts. Rest of upper parts dark blue; bases of primaries and abdomen pure white. ♀. Above olive, with a light superciliary stripe; beneath wholly light greenish-buff; base of primaries white. _Hab._ Eastern Province of United States; in winter south into Cuba, Jamaica, and St. Domingo. _Series III._ 9. D. coronata. A yellow patch on each side of the breast; above ashy streaked with black; belly white. ♂. Breast more or less black; upper parts ash with a bluish tinge. ♀. Breast only streaked with black; ash of upper part grayish or brownish. Throat white; a white superciliary streak; two white bands on wing. _Hab._ Eastern Province of North America, north to Alaska and Greenland; in winter south to Panama and West Indies (resident in Jamaica!) … var. _coronata_. Throat yellow; no white superciliary streak; one white patch formed by the fusion of the two bands on the wing. _Hab._ Western Province of North America from British Columbia, south to Cape St. Lucas and Jalisco, Western Mexico; east to Rocky Mountains. … var. _auduboni_. _Series IV._ 10. D. maculosa. Whole lower parts bright yellow; black streaks across breast and along sides; crown ash; lores, auriculars, and back black. ♀ scarcely different. _Hab._ Eastern Province of North America, from Fort Simpson to Panama; Cuba and Bahamas. _Series V._ A. Above ashy-blue, or soft bluish-green. 11. D. cærulea. Lower parts pure white or greenish-white; with or without a narrow band across the breast; above fine ashy-blue, or soft bluish-green; if blue (♂), the back and crown streaked with black; if green (♀ and _juv._), these streaks obsolete. _Hab._ Eastern Province of United States (rare northward except in Mississippi Valley), south to Bogota in winter; Cuba. B. Above not ashy-blue nor bluish-green, but streaked with black upon an ashy greenish-olive or yellowish ground, or else bright olive-green. _a._ Sides more or less rufous, and without black or dusky streaks on under surfaces. 12. D. pennsylvanica. ♂. Crown pure yellow; throat and auriculars pure white; ♀ _ad._ similar, but crown greenish, and more or less streaked. _Juv._ Above bright olive-green, nearly grass-green, _without streaks_ except on the back; side of head, and sides, clear ashy, the latter with or without a trace of chestnut; eyelids and medial lower parts pure white. _Hab._ Eastern Province of United States, south to Panama; Bahamas. 13. D. castanea. ♂. Crown reddish-chestnut; throat and sides rufous; auriculars black. ♀ similar, but crown thickly streaked, sometimes without a trace of rufous; jugulum and throat only tinged with rufous. _Juv._ Above greenish-olive, streaks obsolete; beneath, _including lower tail-coverts_, pale greenish-buff, or whitish-buff, and without any trace of streaks on the sides (distinction from ♀ of _D. striata_) the sides usually with a tinge of chestnut. _Hab._ Eastern Province of North America, from Hudson’s Bay Territory to New Granada. _b._ Sides without any rufous, and with black or dusky streaks. _Medial lower parts not streaked; inner webs of tail-feathers with broad patch of white._ 14. D. striata. ♂. Crown deep black; auriculars and lower parts white; throat with two series of black streaks, converging and forming an angle on the chin. Above ashy streaked with black. ♀ similar, but crown greenish streaked with black; lower parts tinged with greenish. _Juv._ Above greenish-olive, the streaks obsolete; beneath pale greenish-yellow; _the lower tail-coverts pure white_. _Hab._ Eastern Province of North America, north to Greenland and Kodiak, south to Bogota, Cuba, and Bahamas. _Medial lower parts streaked with black; inner webs of tail-feathers merely edged with white._ 15. D. pharetra.[48] ♂. Above grayish-white, with broad streaks of black; posteriorly, plain brownish-gray; lower parts with cuneate spots of black. _Hab._ Jamaica. _Series VI._ A. A black “mask” around the eye and on auriculars, and extending down the side of the throat; a light superciliary stripe continued back into a large space, of similar color, on side of neck. 16. D. blackburniæ. Crown with an orange or yellowish spot (exposed or concealed); superciliary stripe, side of neck and throat, intense orange-red (♂ ad.), or varying from this to pale buff (_juv._). ♀ intense black above; back streaked with white or yellowish. ♀ olive-gray above, streaked with black. _Juv._ olive-gray above without distinct streaks. _Hab._ Eastern Province of United States, south to Ecuador; Bahamas. 17. D. dominica. Crown without an orange or yellowish spot; superciliary stripe and side of neck pure white; throat gamboge-yellow; above ash, without streaks. Superciliary stripe bright yellow anterior to the eye. Bill, .45; tarsus, .60; wing, 2.60; tail, 2.00. _Hab._ Atlantic United States and West Indies … var. _dominica_. Superciliary stripe pure white anterior to the eye. Bill, .35; tarsus, .60; wing, 2.70; tail, 2.20. _Hab._ Mississippi region of United States; Mexico (Yucatan on east coast, and Colima on west coast); Guatemala and Honduras … var. _albilora_. B. No black “mask.” Superciliary stripe scarcely reaching behind the eye. Sides of neck ashy like the back. 18. D. graciæ. Auriculars, neck, crown, and upper parts generally, ashy; a supra-loral stripe, a crescent on the lower eyelid, and the anterior lower parts gamboge-yellow. Crissum white. _Back and sides streaked with black; abdomen white._ Yellow of throat terminating abruptly at the jugulum; supra-loral stripe extending about .20 of an inch past the eye, this portion of it white; dorsal streaks broad. Wing, 2.60; tail, 2.20. _Hab._ Arizona (Fort Whipple) … var. _graciæ_. Yellow of throat covering whole jugulum, and not ending abruptly; supra-loral stripe scarcely passing the eye, and wholly yellow; dorsal streaks narrow. Wing, 2.20; tail, 1.95. _Hab._ British Honduras (Belize) … var. _decora_. _Back and sides not streaked with black; abdomen yellow._ Yellow of throat extending back to the crissum; supra-loral stripe as in the last; dorsal streaks wanting. Wing, 2.10; tail, 1.95. _Hab._ Porto Rico … var. _adelaidæ_.[49] _Series VII._ Throat black in ♂, mixed with black in ♀. A. Sides streaked; black of throat with its posterior outline concave. _a._ Side of head white and black. 19. D. nigrescens. A small yellow spot over the lore; above ash; beneath white. ♂. Whole crown, uniform glossy black; back streaked with black. ♀. Crown ash streaked with black; throat mixed with white anteriorly. _Juv._ Crown and cheeks ashy; throat mostly white; back without streaks. _Hab._ Western and Middle Province of United States, south, in winter, into Western Mexico (Oaxaca). _b._ Side of head yellow and black, or yellow and olive. _Black of throat covering jugulum; a hidden yellow spot in middle of forehead._ 20. D. chrysopareia. Black above, pure white below; no tinge of yellow behind the black jugular patch. _Hab._ Eastern Middle America, from Guatemala to Texas (San Antonio). 21. D. virens. Olive-green above, the crown and back without streaks; beneath white, the breast and anal region tinged with black. _Hab._ Eastern Province of North America, from Greenland to Panama; Cuba; Oaxaca; Heligoland, Europe! _Black of throat confined anteriorly to the jugulum; no yellow spot on forehead._ 22. D. townsendi. Above olive-green, the crown and back with conspicuous black streaks; beneath yellow anteriorly, and white posteriorly. ♀, black of throat mixed with yellow; _juv._, no black on throat, and streaks on back obsolete. _Hab._ North and Middle Province of United States, south, in winter, into Guatemala. B. Sides not streaked; black of throat with its posterior outline convex. 23. D. occidentalis. Above ash tinged with olive; beneath white. Head nearly all yellow. ♂. Top of head yellow with a few small black spots; nape black; back streaked with black; sides pure white. (♀ not seen.) _Juv._ Yellow of crown overlaid by olive; above greenish-plumbeous, without any black on nape or back; throat yellowish-whitish; sides tinged with ashy. _Hab._ Western and Middle Province of United States, south to Guatemala. Group C. A. Above ash; no supra-loral stripe; eyelids not yellow. 24. D. kirtlandi. Above, including side of head and neck, bluish-ash; crown and back streaked with black; beneath (except crissum) pale yellow; breast speckled, and sides streaked with black; lores and orbital region, black; eyelids white. _Hab._ Eastern Province of United States (Cleveland, Ohio), and Bahamas. 25. D. pityophila.[50] Above, including side of head and neck, dull ash; the forehead and crown olive-green; crown and back not streaked; beneath white; the throat and jugulum yellow; sides ashy; no specks on breast, nor streaks on sides, but a few along side of neck, between the ash and yellow. _Hab._ Cuba. B. Olive-green or brown above; a supra-loral stripe of yellow; eyelids yellow. _a._ Above olive-green, without streaks; crissum white; sides of breast with obsolete grayish streaks. 26. D. pinus. Forehead and ear-coverts olive; abdomen white; yellow supra-loral stripe not continued behind the eye. ♀ more grayish; _juv._ above umber, beneath light grayish-brown, tinged with yellow. _Hab._ Eastern Province of United States; Bahamas. ? 27. D. montana. Forehead and ear-coverts yellow; abdomen yellow; yellow supra-loral stripe continued past the eye into the yellow of the auriculars. (♀ and other stages unknown.) _Hab._ “Blue Mountains of Virginia.” _b._ Above olive-green, the back streaked with chestnut; crissum yellow; streaks of black on sides. 28. D. discolor. Bright gamboge-yellow beneath; streak on lores and along side of neck, as well as along sides and flanks, deep black; dorsal feathers chestnut medially. ♀ duller, but similar; _juv._ not seen. _Hab._ Eastern Province of United States: in winter, throughout West Indies. _c._ Above olive-brown, the back not streaked; crissum gamboge-yellow; streaks of reddish-chestnut on sides. 29. D. palmarum. _Ad._ Forehead and crown deep rufous; superciliary stripe bright yellow, continued back over auriculars; sexes alike. _Juv._ and _ad._ in winter. Crown brownish, streaked with dusky; streaks on sides more dusky. _Hab._ Eastern Province of North America, north to Fort Simpson and Hudson’s Bay; Bahamas; Cuba, St. Domingo, and Jamaica, in winter. Dendroica æstiva, BAIRD. YELLOW WARBLER; SUMMER YELLOW-BIRD. _Motacilla æstiva_, GM. Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 996.—_Sylvia æstiva_, LATH.; VIEILL. II, pl. xcv.—AUD. Orn. Biog. I, pl. xxxv. 93. _Sylvicola æst._ SWAINS.—AUD. Birds. Am. II, pl. lxxxviii. _Rhimamphus æst._ BON.; CAB. Jour. III, 472 (Cuba). _Dendroica æst._ BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 282; Rev. 195.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 32, no. 194 (Ecuador, Cayenne, N. Granada).—TAYLOR, Ibis, 1864, 81 (Trinidad).—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. XII, II, 1859, 181 (N. W. coast).—SAMUELS, 237.—DALL & BANNISTER, (Alaska).—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 87. _Sylvia carolinensis_, LATH. Ind. Orn. II, 1790, 551. _? Sylvia flava_, VIEILLOT, II, 1807, 31, pl. lxxxi. _Sylvia citrinella_, WILS. II, pl. xv, fig. 5. _Sylvia childreni_, AUD. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, pl. xxxv (young). _? Sylvia rathbonia_, AUD. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, pl. lxv. _Sylvicola r._ AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. lxxxix. _Motacilla rubiginosa_, PALLAS, Zoög. Rosso-Asiat. I, 1831, 496 (Kodiak). _Rhimamphus chryseolus_, BON. Bull. Soc. Linn. Caen, II, 1851, 32 (_D. æstiva_, from South America; Cayenne). Other localities: _Xalapa_, SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 363. _Guatemala_, SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1859, page 11. _Panama_, winter, LAWR. Ann. N. Y. Lyc. 1861, 322. _Turbo, N. Granada_, CASS. Pr. A. N. Sc. 1860, 191. _Bogota_, SCLATER, Pr. 1855, 143. _City of Mexico_, IB. 1864, 172. SP. CHAR. Bill lead-color. Head all round, and under parts generally, bright yellow; rest of upper parts yellow-olivaceous, brightest on the rump. Back with obsolete streaks of dusky reddish-brown. Fore breast and sides of the body streaked with brownish-red. Tail-feathers bright yellow; the outer webs and tips, with the whole upper surfaces of the innermost one, brown; extreme outer edges of wing and tail-feathers olivaceous like the back; the middle and greater coverts and tertials edged with yellow, forming two bands on the wings. _Female_ similar, with the crown olivaceous like the back, and the streaks wanting on the back, and much restricted on the under parts. Tail with more brown. Length of male, 5.25; wing, 2.66; tail. 2.25. (No. 940.) _Young._ Dull brownish-olive above; pale ochraceous-yellow beneath, with the throat more whitish; the yellow of tail restricted to inner half of inner webs. The latter feature will serve to distinguish it from any other North American species. HAB. Entire North America, and in winter into South America as far as Ecuador, Cayenne, and Trinidad. Not recorded from West Indies, where replaced by allied species. In the great abundance of this species and its wide range of distribution, there are many variations in size and color, though none that are not readily understood. In young birds the yellow of the tail-feathers is more restricted, sometimes confined to the edge of the inner webs. In adults there is occasionally a tinge of orange in the forehead. _Sylvia rathbonia_ of Audubon is described with even tail, and the tail-feathers brown, edged externally with yellow; the reverse of _æstiva_. It is generally, however, considered a synonyme. Birds of this type (“Golden Warblers”) of six or eight additional species are known to occur in the West Indies, the Galapagos, and in Middle America; one of them, _D. bryanti_, possibly to be met with in Southern Arizona. (See Baird, Review Am. Birds, 193.) After comparing a series of about one hundred and twenty North and Central American specimens (the latter being winter visitors to the region where obtained), nothing really characteristic of any particular region can be detected. Specimens from the Pacific coast of the United States are perfectly identical in colors with those from the Atlantic States; and they agree in size and proportions, except of the bill, which is appreciably longer and broader in the Eastern than in the Western birds. The most highly colored examples are from the interior regions, along the Mississippi Valley from Louisiana to Northern Illinois, and over the plains north to Fort Simpson. The majority of the specimens from this region are just appreciably different from others, in having the yellow more intense and prevalent, almost subduing the olive shades above; the crown more tinged with orange. Sometimes (as in No. 4,301, Calcasieu Pass, La.) the rump and upper tail-coverts are absolutely _pure_ yellow, only a medial stripe on the feathers being olivaceous like the back. The orange-rufous tinge on the crown is deepest in Nos. 4,665, Fort Lookout, and 4,300, Calcasieu Pass. Three adult summer males from Alaska (Nos. 54,429, Kodiak; 54,425, Yukon River; and 27,267, Fort Yukon), as well as one from Maine (52,378, Calais), differ from others in having the olive pervading the whole surface above, even to the bill, the forehead being only tinged with yellow, and the edges of wing-coverts merely inclining to this color. The lower parts are much as in Southern specimens, though the yellow is less intense. Females from Arizona (as 49,712, Camp Grant, May; 40,664, Fort Whipple, May; and 34,340, Los Pinos, New Mexico, June) differ from others in very bleached plumage, the lower parts being almost white, and the upper surface quite ashy. But this is, in fact, an actual bleaching, frequently to be seen in birds from that region. HABITS. The geographical range of the common Summer Yellow-Bird is very nearly coextensive with North America. In its northern distribution it is found as far toward the arctic shores as any of our land birds. Richardson speaks of it as well known throughout the fur countries as far as the woods extend, and mentions meeting with it among the earliest arrivals in spring, coming in company with the equally well-known Robin and the Grakle. At Fort Franklin, latitude 66°, he saw it the 15th of May, about the time of its first appearance in New England. This was supposed to be the limit of its northern range, but more recent observations give abundant evidence of its presence, in considerable numbers, to the very shores of the Arctic Ocean. The late Mr. Hepburn, in manuscript notes, states it to be a common summer visitant both of California and Vancouver’s Island, and that along the coast he has traced it as far north as the frontier line of 54° 40′, where it arrives at the beginning of May, but does not nest until the end of the month. Mr. Dall, in his notes on the birds of Alaska, states that this Warbler is a rather common bird all through that territory, and gives its arrival as about the 10th of May. Its extreme southern limit is not so distinctly traced, but is at least as far as the northern portions of South America, inclusive of Cayenne and Ecuador. In all of the West Indies except Trinidad it is replaced by several closely allied species or local races. In Trinidad, Mr. E. C. Taylor states that he found this species common, and could perceive no difference from North American specimens. In Guatemala it is abundant in the winter. Dr. Coues found this Warbler abundant in Arizona, where it is a summer resident, from April 25 to the middle of September. There, as elsewhere, its preference for watercourses was noticed. Wherever found, it is always most abundant in alluvial meadows, and more rare in other localities. Dr. Samuel Cabot found this Warbler common in Central America, and Dr. Cragin, of Surinam, sent the Boston Society several specimens from Guiana. Dr. Woodhouse found it abundant in Texas and New Mexico, as did Drs. Suckley and Cooper in Washington Territory and California. It breeds over the whole area of North America, from Georgia on the southeast and from Mexico, northward. Dr. Sumichrast found it, only as a migratory bird, abundant on the plains of Mexico. The notes of Mr. Kennicott and the memoranda of Messrs. McFarlane, Ross, and Lockhart attest the extreme abundance of this species in the farthest Arctic regions. In nearly every instance the nests were placed in willows from two to five feet from the ground, and near water. In one instance Mr. Ross found the eggs of this species in the nest of _Turdus swainsoni_, which had either been deserted or the parent killed, as the eggs were in it, and would probably have been hatched by the Warbler with her own. Dr. Cooper found this Warbler very abundant in Washington Territory, and noticed their arrival in large numbers at the Straits of Fuca as early as April 8. The Summer Yellow-Bird arrives in New England with great uniformity from the first to the middle of May. Its coming is usually the harbinger of the opening summer and expanding leaves. Unlike most of its family, it is confiding and familiar, easily encouraged, by attention to its wants, to cultivate the society of man. It confidingly builds its nest in gardens, often in close vicinity to dwellings, and in the midst of large villages and cities, among the shrubbery of frequented parks. This Warbler, soon after its arrival, begins the construction of its nest. It is usually placed in low bushes, three or four feet from the ground. Occasionally very different positions are chosen. Hedges of buckthorn and hawthorn, barberry-bushes, and other low shrubs, are their favorite places of resort. On one occasion the nest was placed some forty feet from the ground, in the top of a horse-chestnut tree overhanging the main street of a village. Such high positions are, however, not very common. The nest is invariably fastened to several twigs with great firmness, and with a remarkable neatness and skill. A great variety of materials is employed in the construction of their nests, though not often in the same nest, which is usually quite homogeneous. The more common materials are the hempen fibres of plants, fibrous strips of bark, slender stems of plants and leaves, and down of asclepias. Interwoven with these, forming the inner materials, are the down from willow catkins, the woolly furze from fern-stalks and the _Eriophorum virginicum_, and similar substances. These are lined with soft, fine grasses, hair, feathers, and other warm materials. Cotton, where procurable, is a favorite material; as also is wool, where abundant. I have known instances where nests were built almost exclusively of one or the other material. A pair of these birds, in 1836, built their nest under a parlor window in Roxbury, where all their operations could be closely watched. When discovered, only the framework, the fastening to the supporting twigs, had been erected. The work of completion was simple and rapid. The female was the chief builder, taking her position in the centre of the nest and arranging the materials in their places as her mate brought them to her. Occasionally, with outstretched wings and expanded tail, she would whirl herself round, giving to the soft and yielding materials their hemispherical form. At intervals she arrested her revolutions to stop and regulate with her bill some unyielding portion. When her mate was dilatory, she made brief excursions and collected material for herself, and when the materials brought her were deemed unsuitable, they were rejected in a most summary and amusing manner. The important part of the tail-feathers in shaping the nest and placing the materials in position was a striking feature in this interesting performance. The greater portion of the nest was thus constructed in a single day. The wonderful sagacity displayed by this Warbler in avoiding the disagreeable alternative of either having to abandon its own nest or of rearing the young of the intrusive Cow Blackbird, when one of these eggs is dropped in her nest, was first noticed by Mr. Nuttall. The egg of the parasite, being too large for ejectment, is ingeniously incarcerated in the bottom of the nest, and a new lining built over it. Occasionally, either by accident or design, the intrusive egg has been fractured. Mr. Nuttall states that where the parasitic egg is laid after her own, the Summer Yellow-Bird acts faithfully the part of a foster-parent. This, however, is not according to my observations. In several instances I have known the Summer Yellow-Bird utterly refuse to act the part of a foster-parent, and, rather than do so, sacrifice her own eggs. So far as I know, this Warbler will never sit upon or hatch out the egg of the Cowbird, under any circumstances. Some powerful instinct, bordering closely upon reason, seems to teach these intelligent Warblers the character of the intruder, and they sacrifice their own eggs rather than rear the parasite. In this dilemma they will always, so far as I know, incarcerate their own eggs with the Cowbird’s and reconstruct the nest above them. In one instance the same pair of Yellow-Birds twice, in the same nest, covered up alien eggs in this manner, building, in fact, three nests one above the other, between the walls of which had been successively included two eggs of the Cowbird. This three-storied nest measured seven inches in length, and was built almost exclusively of raw cotton. The covering of the imprisoned eggs was about two thirds of an inch thick. In both instances the Cowbird’s eggs had been broken, apparently by design. So far as I am aware this Warbler raises but one brood in Massachusetts in a season. In Pennsylvania it is said to raise two, and even three. The eggs are usually five and occasionally six in number. This Warbler is conspicuous in its devotion to its young, evincing a strong attachment and an anxiety in regard even to an unoccupied nest, and betraying the site by this solicitude. They will also resort to various expedients to draw one away from their nest, by feigned lameness and other stratagems and manœuvres. The song of the Summer Yellow-Bird is simple but pleasing, and is easily recognized when once known, though liable to be confounded with that of the Maryland Yellow-Throat, and also said to resemble the song of several other Warblers. In confinement they usually become very tame, confiding, and reconciled to their imprisonment, and have been known to perch on an outstretched finger, and to catch flies in a room. Their eggs vary in length from .61 to .70 of an inch, and in breadth from .49 to .52. They have a ground-color of a light green. Their dots and blotches vary greatly in number, size, and manner of distribution. Their colors are light purple, darker purplish-brown, and other shades of brown and lilac. Dendroica coronata, GRAY. YELLOW-RUMP WARBLER; MYRTLE WARBLER. _Motacilla coronata_, LINN. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 333. _Sylvia coronata_, LATH.; VIEILLOT; WILS.; NUTT.; AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cliii. _Sylvicola coronata_, SWAINS.; BON.; AUD. Birds, Am. II, pl. lxxvi.—JONES, Nat. Bermuda, 59 (abundant in April). _Dendroica coronata_, GRAY, Genera, 1842, 2.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 272; Rev. 187.—MARCH, P. A. N. Sc. 1863, 292 (Jamaica, in summer; breeding).—GUNDL. Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba; common).—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. XII, ii, 1859, 180 (Puget Sound).—SAMUELS, 226.—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska).—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 89. _Rhimanphus cor._ CAB. Jour. 1855, 473 (Cuba). _Motacilla canadensis_, LINN. 12th ed. 1766, 334 (_Ficedula canadensis cinerea_, Br. III, 524, pl xxvii, fig. 1). _Parus virginianus_, LINN. 12th ed. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 342. _Motacilla umbria, cincta, pinguis_, GM. _Sylvia xanthopygia_, VIEILL. _Sylvia xanthoroa_, VIEILL. Localities quoted: _S. Greenland_, REINHARDT, Ibis, 1861, 5. _Cordova_, SCL. P. Z. S. 1856, 291. _Xalapa_, IB. 1859, 363. _Guatemala_, SCL. & SALV. 1859, 11. _Panama_, LAWR. Ann. N. Y. Lyc. VIII, 63. _Cuba_, winter, CAB. Jour. III, 473. _Bahamas_, winter, BRYANT, Bost. Pr. VII, 1859. _Jamaica_, GOSSE, Birds Jam. 155. _St. Domingo_, SALLÉ, P. Z. S. 1857, 231. _Costa Rica_, LAWR. _Orizaba_, winter, SUMICHRAST. SP. CHAR. Above bluish-ash, streaked with black. Under parts white. The forepart of breast and the sides black, the feathers mostly edged narrowly with white. Crown, rump, and sides of breast yellow. Cheeks and lores black. The eyelids and a superciliary stripe, two bands on the wing and spots on the outer three tail-feathers, white. _Female_ of duller plumage and browner above. Length, 5.65; wing, 3.00; tail, 2.50. HAB. Eastern Province of North America, and northward, extending sparsely along United States boundary to Pacific Ocean; Denver City, Colorado; Fort Yukon; Greenland; Eastern Mexico to Panama R. R.; Western West Indies and Bermuda. Breeds in Jamaica! Autumnal and winter birds are very much duller and more obscurely colored, the upper parts of an umber cast with the streaks almost obsolete; the black of the breast wanting or but just indicated, and the yellow patches on crown almost concealed by the brown tips to the feathers, and those on side of breast quite dull. A spring male (52,283) from Washington is remarkable in having the adjoining series of feathers down the middle of the back with their inner webs broadly edged with yellow. In this respect it differs from all others that we have noticed. HABITS. The Yellow-crowned Wood Warbler is one of the most common species of this genus, as well as one of the most widely distributed. It is found, at different seasons, throughout the eastern part of the continent, as far west as the Great Plains, extending at the far north to the Pacific Ocean. It has been found in Greenland, three specimens having been taken within twenty years, and on the shores of the Arctic Ocean, and during the winter in the West India Islands, Mexico, and Central America. Specimens from Florida and Fort Steilacoom, Panama, Guatemala, and Jamaica, and from Fort Rae, Anderson River, and the Yukon, in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution, attest its wide distribution. In Jamaica, in the neighborhood of Spanishtown, this species has been known to breed. In view of the fact that this bird is regarded, with good reason, as one of our most northern species, breeding to the very shores of the frozen seas, the occurrence seems erratic and remarkable. Yet it is not without corresponding vagaries in other species, the _cærulescens_ breeding in Cuba and the _tigrina_ in St. Domingo and Jamaica. Mr. Paine, of East Randolph, Vt., states that these Warblers arrive in his vicinity about the first of May, and remain there nearly two weeks, and then all pass north. They do not return on their southern flight until the last of September, when they remain about three weeks. It is a very active, restless bird, chirping continually and very sharply as it flies around in search of insects, but has not, so far as he knows, any song. In Southern Illinois, as Mr. Ridgway informs me, this bird is a common winter sojourner, remaining late in spring with the migratory species. It is very abundant throughout the winter in woods, orchards, and door-yards. Mr. Salvin found this species frequenting the more open districts about Duenas, Guatemala, apparently preferring scattered bushes to the denser underwood, and was an abundant species there throughout the winter season. It is but quite recently that we have known with certainty its place and manner of breeding. Neither Wilson, Nuttall, nor Audubon appear to have met with its nest, though the latter received one from Professor McCulloch of Halifax. In the summer of 1855, early in July, I obtained a nest of this species in Parsboro’, Nova Scotia. It was built in a low bush, in the midst of a small village, and contained six eggs. The parents were very shy, and it was with great difficulty that one of them was secured for identification. Though late in the season, incubation had but just commenced. The nest was built on a horizontal branch, the smaller twigs of which were so interlaced as to admit of its being built upon them, though their extremities were interwoven into its rim. The nest was small for the bird, being only two inches in depth and four and a half in diameter. The cavity is one and a half inches deep and two and a half wide. Its base and external portions consist of fine, light, dry stalks of wild grasses, and slender twigs and roots. Of the last the firm, strong rim of the nest is exclusively woven. Within, the nest is composed of soft, fine grasses, downy feathers, and the fine hair of the smaller mammals. Mr. Audubon, who observed very closely the habits of these birds during a winter in Florida, describes them as very social among themselves, skipping along the piazza, balancing themselves in the air opposite the sides of the house in search of spiders and insects, diving through the low bushes of the garden after larvæ and worms, and at night roosting among the orange-trees. In his visit to Maine he found them very abundant in early May. The woods seemed alive with them, and wherever he landed, on his way to Labrador, he found them in great numbers. [Illustration: PLATE XIII. 1. Dendroica auduboni, _Towns._ ♂ Rocky Mts., 11965. 2. “ blackburniæ, _Gm._ ♂ Pa., 939. 3. “ “ “ ♀ Pa., 944. 4. Dendroica castanea, _Wils._ ♂ Pa., 2231. 5. “ “ “ ♀ Pa., 949. 6. “ pinus, _Wils._ ♂ Pa., 2942. 7. Dendroica pennsylvanica, _Linn._ ♂ Pa., 2233. 8. “ “ “ ♂ _juv._, Ill., 60883. 9. “ striata, _Forst._ ♂ Pa., 1545. 10. Dendroica cærulea, _Wils._ ♂ Ohio, 7349. 11. “ “ “ ♀ Mo., 6980. 12. “ striata, _Forst._ ♀ Pa., 978.] This Warbler is an expert flycatcher, feeds chiefly on insects, and is a great devourer of small caterpillars; but in the winter its food is largely composed of berries, especially those of the _Myrica cerifera_. It will also feed on grass-seeds. In the warmer wintry days in Florida, when insects are abundant, Mr. Audubon states that these birds are particularly active in their pursuit, and the trees seem full of them. At this time they emit, at each movement, a single note, _twēēt_, so very peculiar that they may be at once recognized by the cry. Wilson states that these Warblers appear in Pennsylvania, from the North, early in October, and stay there several weeks. Some of them remain in the Southern States all winter. They feed with great avidity upon the berries of the red cedar. In Western Massachusetts it is a very abundant spring and autumn visitant, making but a brief stay in spring, but passing northward in large numbers. In autumn it remains longer, and passes south more leisurely. Mr. B. P. Mann found its nest and eggs in Concord, but this was probably an exceptional instance. In Eastern Maine it arrives May 25, and, as Mr. Boardman thinks, remains to breed. Both Dr. Suckley and Dr. Cooper met with this species in Washington Territory, where it is very rare. No writers have observed or noted the song of this bird, except Mr. T. M. Trippe (American Nat., II. p. 171), who states that during its spring migrations it has a very sweet song or warble, uttered at short intervals. It reaches the high northern latitudes late in May, and leaves that region in September. The observations of Mr. McFarlane show that the nests of this bird are moderately common at Anderson River, and are generally built in low spruce-trees four or five feet from the ground. In one or two instances it was placed on the ground. The eggs of this Warbler vary from .72 to .80 of an inch in length, and from .50 to .55 in breadth. Their ground-color is white, often tinged with a bluish shade, and blotched and spotted with reddish-brown, purple, and darker shades of brown. They are of a rounded oval shape. Dendroica auduboni, BAIRD. AUDUBON’S WARBLER; WESTERN YELLOW-RUMP. _Sylvia auduboni_, TOWNSEND, J. A. N. Sc. VII, II, 1837.—IB. Narrative, 1839, 342.—AUD. Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 52, pl. cccxcv. _Sylvicola auduboni_, BON. List. 1838.—AUD. Birds Am. II, 1841, 26, pl. lxxvii. _Dendroica auduboni_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 273; Rev. 188.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1858, 298 (Oaxaca; October); 1860, 250 (Orizaba).—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1860, 273 (San Geronimo, Guat.).—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. Rep. XII, II, 1859, 181.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1864, 172 (City of Mexico).—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 88. SP. CHAR. Above bluish-ash, streaked with black, most marked on the middle of the back; on the head and neck bluish-ash. Middle of crown, rump, chin, and throat, and a patch on the side of the breast, gamboge-yellow; space beneath and anterior to the eyes, forepart of breast and sides, black; this color extending behind on the sides in streaks. Middle of belly, under tail-coverts, a portion of upper and lower eyelids, and a broad band on the wings, with a spot on each of the four or five exterior tail-feathers, white; rest of tail-feathers black. _Female_ brown above; the other markings less conspicuous and less black. Length, 5.25; wings, 3.20; tail, 2.25. _Young_, first plumage, whole body, including head all round and rump, conspicuously streaked with slaty-black upon an ashy ground above and white below. No yellow on crown, rump, breast, or throat. Wings and tail as in autumnal adult. HAB. Western and Middle Provinces of the United States; Cape St. Lucas; Western Mexico and Orizaba? Oaxaca (cold regions, October, SCLATER); Guatemala (SALVIN). This bird is very closely allied to _D. coronata_, but is distinguished by the yellow (not white) throat; the absence of a superciliary white stripe (the eyelids white, however); the restriction of the black of the face to the lores, and to a suffusion round the eye; and the presence of one broad band on the wings, instead of two narrow ones. HABITS. This beautiful Warbler, so strikingly simulating the _D. coronata_ in the character of its markings, and now so well known as a common species on the Pacific coast, was first met with by Mr. Townsend near the Columbia River, where he found it very abundant. His account of its habits is inconsistent, and probably not reliable. Mr. Nuttall, who was with Mr. Townsend, differs, also, essentially in his account. He states that he first saw them about the middle of April, and that their song bore a very close resemblance to that of the _D. æstiva_, but was delivered in a much superior style. They remained his summer companions, breeding among the shady firs on the borders of prairie openings, where there was an abundant supply of insect food. By the 8th of June he found their young already out, in small and busy flocks, solicitously attended by their parents. They greatly resembled the young of the _coronata_. These birds frequented large trees, particularly the water-oaks, and the lower branches of gigantic firs. Dr. Cooper found this Warbler one of the most abundant species of Washington Territory, and believed them to be, to some extent, a resident species, as he met them about the Straits of Fuca in March. He speaks of its song as lively, and heard everywhere on the borders of the woods, even near the coast, where few of the smaller species ever visit. In the fall he noticed straggling flocks of the young wandering about the low shrubbery in large numbers. The same writer also states that this species is in winter a very abundant bird in the southern part of California, flitting about among the bushes and low trees. The males are then in the dull plumage of the females, and do not put on their richer hues until March or April. He saw none south of San Francisco after May 1, but they began to reappear in September. As he found newly fledged young near Lake Tahoe, he thinks they breed throughout the higher Sierra Nevada. At the sea level in latitude 37° they appear late in September, and remain until March 20. Dr. Suckley regarded this bird as the most abundant species visiting the western portion of Washington Territory. Near Fort Steilacoom it was found principally among the oak-trees on the plains. Dr. Woodhouse found it abundant in New Mexico, confining itself to the timbered and mountainous districts, and especially plentiful among the San Francisco Mountains, feeding among the tall pines. Dr. Coues found it exceedingly common in Arizona, where some spend the winter, and a few possibly remain in the summer to breed. Dr. Heermann found them remaining in the Sacramento Valley throughout the winter, and quotes Dr. Kennerly as finding these birds on the Boca Grande and at different points in Sonora. Mr. Gambel found these Warblers on all his route from New Mexico to California in great abundance, their habits greatly resembling those of the _D. coronata_. They display a great deal of familiarity, entering the towns, resorting to the gardens and hedge-rows, and even the corrals of the houses, descending also to the ground in company with Blackbirds and Sparrows. This Warbler is thus shown to have a very extended distribution. It is now known to be found, at different seasons, from Central America to British Columbia, and from New Mexico to the Pacific. We are indebted to the late Mr. Hepburn for all the knowledge we possess in reference to its nests, eggs, and breeding-habits. He procured their nests and eggs in Vancouver’s Island. They were built in the forked branches of small shrubs. Around these the materials of which they were built were strongly bound, and to it the nests were thus securely fastened. They were quite long and large for the bird, being four inches in height, and three and a half in diameter. The cavity is small, but deep. The external periphery of the nest is made of coarse strips of bark, long dry leaves of wild grasses, and strong stalks of plants, intermingled with finer grasses, pieces of cotton cloth, and other materials. The inner nest is also a singular combination of various materials, yet carefully and elaborately put together. It is made up of fine grasses, feathers, lichens, mosses, fine roots, etc., all felted together and lined with a warm bedding of fur and feathers. Mr. Hepburn’s observations, so far as they go, seem to show that this bird does not usually build in such lofty positions as Nuttall and others conjectured. According to Mr. Hepburn, they arrive in Vancouver’s Island in the middle of April, and generally frequent high trees, constructing their nests in the upper branches, though also frequently building in low bushes, a few feet from the ground. The number of their eggs is four. These, he states, have a pure white ground, and are spotted, usually chiefly about the larger end, with red markings. Mr. Salvin met with both this species and the _D. coronata_ at San Geronimo, November, 1859. They congregated together on the ground, where they principally obtained their food. Dr. Cooper, in his paper on the fauna of Montana, mentions this Warbler as the only one of the genus seen by him between Fort Benton and Fort Vancouver. It was very common throughout the mountains, and he found it in every portion of the country west of them, even where scarcely a bush was to be seen. According to the careful observations of Mr. Robert Ridgway, this Warbler, during the summer months, in the Great Basin, chiefly inhabits the pines of the high mountain ranges, as well as the cedar and piñon woods of the desert mountains. In winter it descends to the lower portions, being then found among the willows, or, in small roving companies, hopping among the tree-tops in the river valleys. In manners it is said by him to resemble the _coronata_, but in their notes they differ very widely. A nest, containing three young, was found by Mr. Ridgway near the extremity of a horizontal branch of a pine-tree, about ten feet from the ground. The eggs of the Audubon Warbler do not resemble those of any _Dendroica_ with which I am acquainted, but are most like those of the Hooded Warbler. They measure .70 by .50 of an inch, have a reddish or pinkish white ground, and are sparingly marked with fine brown markings, tinted with a crimson shading. Dendroica maculosa, BAIRD. BLACK AND YELLOW WARBLER. _Motacilla maculosa_, GM. Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 984. _Sylvia m._ LATH.; VIEILL.; BON.; NUTT.; AUD. Orn. Biog. I, II, V, pl. 1. 123. _Sylvicola m._ SWAINS.; BON.; AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. xcvi. _Rhimanphus m._ CAB. Jour. III, 1855, 474 (Cuba). _Dendroica m._ BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 284; Review, 206.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 363, 373 (Xalapa).—BRYANT, Pr. Bost. Soc. VII, 1859 (Bahamas).—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1859, 11 (Guatemala).—LAWRENCE, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. 1861, 322 (Panama; winter).—GUNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba; very rare).—SAMUELS, 238. _Sylvia magnolia_, WILS. III, pl. xxiii, fig. 3. SP. CHAR. _Male, in spring._ Bill dark bluish-black, rather lighter beneath. Tail dusky. Top of head light grayish-blue. Front, lore, cheek, and a stripe under the eye, black, running into a large triangular patch on the back between the wings, which is also black. Eyelids and a stripe from the eye along the head white. Upper tail-coverts black, some of the feathers tipped with grayish. Abdomen and lower tail-coverts white. Rump and under parts, except as described, yellow. Lower throat, breast, and sides streaked with black; the streaks closer on the lower throat and fore breast. Lesser wing-coverts, and edges of the wing and tail, bluish-gray, the former spotted with black. Quills and tail almost black; the latter with a square patch of white on the inner webs of all the tail-feathers (but the two inner) beyond the middle of the tail. Two white bands across the wings (sometimes coalesced into one) formed by the middle and secondary coverts. Part of the edge of the inner webs of the quills white. Feathers margining the black patch on the back behind and on the sides tinged with greenish. Length, 5 inches; wing, 2.50; tail, 2.25. Autumnal males differ in absence of black of back, front, sides of head, and to a considerable degree beneath, and in much less white on the wings and head. _Female in spring._ Similar, but all the colors duller. Black of the back restricted to a central triangular patch. HAB. Eastern Province of North America to Fort Simpson; Eastern Mexico to Guatemala and Panama; Bahamas; Cuba (very rare). HABITS. The Black and Yellow Warbler, one of the most beautiful of this attractive family, was supposed by our earlier writers to be exceedingly rare. Wilson never met with more than two specimens,—one in Ohio, the other on the Mississippi,—and spoke of it as a very scarce species. In regard to its song he was quite at fault, denying to it any notes deserving the name of song. Nuttall, who had only seen it occasionally in Massachusetts, in the middle of May, regarded it as rare, and was unacquainted with its notes. Its history is now much better known, and neither its great rarity nor its deficiency as to melody can any longer be admitted. At certain seasons and in particular places it is a very common species. It may be found during the breeding-season throughout North America east of the Great Plains, between latitude 44° and Fort Simpson in the fur country. During its migrations it may be met with in most of the Eastern States, in Eastern Mexico, and the northern portions of South America. It has been found in the Bahamas, and also in Cuba, where it is not common. Specimens have been received from Mexico, Guatemala, and Panama, and from Fort Resolution, Rupert House, and Fort Simpson, in Arctic America, and as far to the west as the mouth of Vermilion River. Dr. Bryant met with it in the Bahamas as early as the 15th of March, where it was quite common. M. Boucard found it at Playa Vicente, in the hot portion of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico. In Western Massachusetts, Mr. Allen found it a common spring and autumn visitor, occurring in its northern flights from the middle of May to the first of June, and in the autumn as late as September 20. Professor Verrill found it in Western Maine, but not common, both in spring and fall, but had no reason to believe that it bred there. Mr. Boardman does not include it in his list of Calais birds, and I did not find it among the islands in the Bay of Fundy. In the vicinity of Halifax, during the months of June and July, it is one of the most common of the Warblers, occurring in every direction. Mr. Audubon observed these Warblers in Louisiana, in their migrations, as early as the middle of March; but its appearance there, as well as in Kentucky and Ohio, appeared to be occasional and accidental. In autumn he has met with them in large numbers among the mountains of Northern Pennsylvania, They were passing southward with their young. While on his way to Labrador he noticed them in Maine, near Eastport, in May, very abundant along the roads, the fields, and the low woods, as well as in the orchards and gardens. The season was then not advanced, the weather cold; and these birds sheltered themselves by night among the evergreens, and were often so chilled as to be readily taken by the hand. He also met them wherever he landed in the neighboring islands in the Bay of Fundy and at Labrador. The song of this Warbler is clear and sweetly modulated, and surpasses that of most of this family. It seems to prefer the interior of low woods, where its notes may chiefly be heard during the early summer, as it sings while it is searching for its food among the branches, in the manner of the Vireos. Like nearly all the members of this family, in its search for food it blends the habits of the Creepers with those of the Flycatchers, feeding upon insects in their every form, running up and down the trunks for the ova, larvæ, and pupæ, expertly catching the insect on the wing, and equally skilful in hovering over the expanded bud and searching the opening leaves. Mr. Audubon found its nest placed deep among the branches of low fir-trees, supported by horizontal twigs, constructed of moss and lichens, and lined with fibrous roots and feathers. One found in Labrador, in the beginning of July, contained five eggs, small and rather more elongated than is common in this genus. They were white, and sprinkled with reddish dots at the larger end. The female fluttered among the branches, spreading her wings and tail in great distress, and returning to her nest as soon as the intruders were a few yards off. In August he saw a number of their young already following their parents and moving southward. In his expedition to Texas, Mr. Audubon again met this bird, in considerable numbers, early in April. Their eggs, he states, measure three fourths of an inch in length by nine sixteenths in breadth. In some the ground-color, instead of pure white, is of a yellowish tinge. The writer found this Warbler abundant near Halifax in the early summer of 1850, frequenting the thick hemlock woods, confiding in its habits, unsuspicious, and easily approached. The distress, as described by Audubon, manifested in behalf of its own young, it is as ready to exhibit when the nest of a feathered neighbor is disturbed. A pair of Hudson’s Bay Titmice, protesting against the invasion of their home, by their outcries brought a pair of these Warblers to their sympathetic assistance; and the latter manifested, in a more gentle way, quite as much distress and anxiety as the real parents. With expanded tail and half-extended wings they fluttered overhead among the branches, approaching us almost within reach, uttering the most piteous outcries. Sir John Richardson found this Warbler as common and as familiar as the _D. æstiva_ on the Saskatchewan, and greatly resembling it in habits, though gifted with a much more varied and agreeable song. Mr. Kennicott met this Warbler on Great Slave Lake, June 12, 1860, where he obtained a female, nest, and five eggs. The nest, loosely built, was placed in a small spruce about two feet from the ground, and in thick woods. The bird was rather bold, coming to her nest while he stood by it. This nest was only one and a half inches deep, with a diameter of three and a half inches; the cavity only one inch deep, with a diameter of two and a half inches. It was made almost entirely of fine stems of plants and slender grasses, and a few mosses. The cavity was lined with finer stems, and fine black roots of herbaceous plants. The eggs of this Warbler are, in shape, a rounded oval, one end being but slightly more pointed than the other. They measure .62 of an inch in length and .49 in breadth. Their ground-color is a light ashen hue, or a dull white, and this is more or less sprinkled with fine dots and blotches of a light brown. For the most part these are grouped in a ring about the larger end. Mr. R. Deane, of Cambridge, found this bird breeding near Lake Umbagog. Its nest was in the fork of a low spruce about three feet from the ground. The nest contained four eggs, and was made of dry grasses, spruce twigs, and rootlets. It was lined with fine black roots, being a rather coarse structure for a Warbler. The eggs were nearly spherical, averaging .62 by .51 of an inch. Their ground-color was a creamy-white, sparsely marked with a few large blotches of lilac and umber. Dendroica cærulea, BAIRD. CÆRULEAN WARBLER; WHITE-THROATED BLUE WARBLER. _Sylvia cærulea_, WILS. Am. Orn. II, 1810, 141, pl. xvii, fig. 5. _Sylvicola c._ SWAINS.; JARD.; RICH.; BON.; AUD. Orn. Biog. I, pl. xlix; NUTT. _Dendroica c._ BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 280; Rev. 191.—GUNDL. Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba; very rare).—SAMUELS, 579. _Sylvia rara_, WILSON, II, pl. xxvii, fig. 2.—BON.; AUD. Orn. Biog. I, pl. xlix. _Sylvia azurea_, STEPH. Shaw, Zoöl. X, 1817.—BON. Am. Orn. II, 1828, pl. xxvii (♀).—AUD. Orn. Biog. I, pl. xlviii, xlix; NUTT. _Sylvia bifasciata_, SAY, Long’s Exped. I, 1823, 170. _Sylvia populorum_, VIEILL. Encyc. Méth. II, 1823, 449 (from Wilson). Other localities: _Bogota_, SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1857, 18. _Panama R. R._, LAWRENCE, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. 1861, 322. _Yucatan_, LAWR. _Veragua_, SALV. SP. CHAR. _Male._ Above bright blue, darkest on the crown, tinged with ash on the rump; middle of back, scapulars, upper tail-coverts, and sides of the crown, streaked with black. Beneath white; a collar across the breast, and streaks on the sides, dusky-blue. Lores, and a line through and behind the eye (where it is bordered above by whitish), dusky-blue; paler on the cheeks. Two white bands on the wings. All the tail-feathers except the innermost with a white patch on the inner web near the end. _Female_, greenish-blue above, brightest on the crown; beneath white, tinged with greenish-yellow, and obsoletely streaked on the sides; eyelids and a superciliary line greenish-white. Length, 4.25; wing, 2.65; tail, 1.90. HAB. Eastern United States, north to Niagara Falls; Cuba (very rare); Guatemala; Veragua, Panama, and Bogota. Not recorded from Mexico (except Yucatan), or West Indies (except Cuba). The autumnal adult plumage of both sexes is, in every respect, exactly like the spring dress. Young males in late summer are very similar to adult females, but are purer white below, and less uniform greenish-blue above, the dark stripes on sides of the crown and black centres to scapulars being quite conspicuous; the young female, at the same season, is similar in pattern to the adult, but is dull green above, without any tinge of blue, and light buffy-yellow below. There is considerable variation in adult males, especially in the width of the pectoral collar; one (No. 60,877, Mt. Carmel, Wabash Co., Ill., Aug. 9) has this entirely interrupted. In this individual there is no trace of a whitish supra-auricular streak; while others from the same locality, and obtained at the same date, have the band across the jugulum continuous, and a quite distinct white streak over the ear-coverts. HABITS. Of this somewhat rare Warbler very little is as yet well known. Its habits and distribution during the breeding-season need more light than we now possess to enable us to give its story with any degree of exactness. Its appearance in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri early in May, when Warblers that go north to breed are on their way, at first suggested its belonging to that class. It is not known to proceed any farther north, except in accidental instances; though the writer has been assured, and has no reason to doubt the fact, that it abounds and breeds in the neighborhood of Niagara Falls. I can find no good evidence that it ever occurs in Massachusetts. Individuals have been obtained in northern South America, Panama, and Cuba. Dr. Woodhouse describes it as quite common in Texas and in the Indian Territory, where it breeds, as he obtained both the old and the young birds. It was also abundant among the timbered lands of the Arkansas and its tributaries. It was not obtained in any other of the government expeditions, nor was it found in Arizona by Dr. Coues. Mr. T. M. Trippe noticed a single individual near Orange, N. Y. Wilson supposed them to breed in Pennsylvania, though he was never able to find their nests. He usually met with these birds in marshes or on the borders of streams among the branches of poplars. Their habits were those of the Flycatchers. He saw none later than the 20th of August. Describing this species as the Blue-green Warbler, as met with by him on the banks of the Cumberland early in April, he mentions its gleaning for food among the upper branches of the tallest trees, rendering it difficult to be procured. Its resemblance, in habits, to Flycatchers, he again remarks. Its only note was a feeble _cheep_. According to Audubon, this Warbler appears in Louisiana, where it also breeds early in spring, and leaves the first of October. Like all its family, it is quite lively, has a similar flight, moves sideways up and down the branches, and hangs from the ends of the twigs in its search for insects. Mr. Audubon also states that the liveliness of the notes of this Warbler renders it conspicuous in the forests, the skirts of which it frequents. Its song, though neither loud nor of long continuance, he speaks of as extremely sweet and mellow. He found it as numerous in the State of Louisiana as any other Warbler, so that he could sometimes obtain five or six in a single walk. The nest he describes as placed in the forks of a low tree or bush, partly pensile, projecting a little above the twigs to which it is attached, and extending below them nearly two inches. The outer part is composed of the fibres of vines and the stalks of herbaceous plants, with slender roots arranged in a circular manner. The nest is lined with fine dry fibres of the Spanish moss. The eggs are five in number, of a pure white with a few reddish spots about the larger end. When disturbed during incubation, the female is said to trail along the branches with drooping wings and plaintive notes, in the manner of _D. æstiva_. After the young have left the nest, they move and hunt together, in company with their parents, evincing great activity in the pursuit of insects. They are also said to have a great partiality for trees the tops of which are thickly covered with grapevines, and to occasionally alight on tall weeds, feeding upon their seeds. In his visit to Texas, Mr. Audubon met a large number of these birds apparently coming from Mexico. On one occasion he encountered a large flock on a small island. Mr. Nuttall mentions finding these birds very abundant in Tennessee and also in West Florida. In only a single instance has the writer met with this Warbler. This was about the middle of June, at the Fairmount Water Works in the city of Philadelphia, where, among the tops of the trees, a single individual was busily engaged in hunting insects, undisturbed by the large numbers and vicinity of visitors to the grounds. It kept in the tops of the trees, moving about with great agility. Mr. Ridgway gives the Cærulean Warbler as the most abundant species of its genus in the Lower Wabash Valley, not only during the spring and fall migrations, but also in the summer, when it breeds more plentifully even than the _D. æstiva_. It inhabits, however, only the deep woods of the bottom lands, where it is seldom seen, and only to be distinguished by the naturalist. Inhabiting, mostly, the tree-tops, it is an inconspicuous bird, and thus one that easily escapes notice. In its habits it is perhaps less interesting than others of its genus, being so retired, and possessing only the most feeble notes. Dendroica blackburniæ, BAIRD. BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER; ORANGE-THROATED WARBLER. _Motacilla blackburniæ_, GMELIN, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 977. _Sylvia bl._ LATH.; WILSON, III, pl. xxiii.—NUTT.; AUD. Orn. Biog. II, V, pl. cxxxv, cccxcix. _Sylvicola bl._ JARD.; RICH.; AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. lxxxvii. _Rhimanphus bl._ CAB. Mus. Hein. 1850, 19. _Dendroica bl._ BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 274; Rev. 189.—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1859, 11 (Guatemala).—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 363 (Xalapa); IB. 1860, 64 (Ecuador).—IB. Catal. 1861, 30, no. 187 (Pallatanga and Nanegal, Ecuador).—SAMUELS, 227.—SUNDEVALL, Ofv. 1869, 611.—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 478. _? Motacilla chrysocephala_, GMELIN, I, 1788, 971 (_Figuier orangé et F. étranger_, BUFF. V, 313, pl. lviii, fig. 3, Guiana). _Sylvia parus_, WILS. V, pl. xliv, fig. 3.—AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cxxxiv. _Sylvicola parus_, AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. lxxxiii. _Sylvia lateralis_, STEPH. _? Motacilla incana_, GMEL. I, 1788, 976. _Sylvia incana_, LATH.; VIEILL. _? Sylvia melanorhoa_, VIEILL. Nouv. Dict. XI, 1817, 180 (Martinique).—IB. Encycl. Méth. II, 444. Localities quoted: _Bogota_, SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1855, 143. _Panama_, LAWR. Ann. N. Y. Lyc. VII, 62. _Costa Rica_, CAB. Jour. 1860, 328. _Bahamas_, BRYANT, Bost. Pr. VII, 1859. _Veragua_, SALVIN. _Orizaba_ (winter; rare), SUMICHRAST. SP. CHAR. Upper parts nearly uniform black, with a whitish scapular stripe and a large white patch in the middle of the wing-coverts. An oblong patch in the middle of the crown, and the entire side of the head and neck (including a superciliary stripe from the nostrils), the chin, throat, and forepart of the breast, bright orange-red. A black stripe from the commissure passing around the lower half of the eye, and including the ear-coverts; with, however, an orange crescent in it, just below the eye, the extreme lid being black. Rest of under parts white, strongly tinged with yellowish-orange on the breast and belly, and streaked with black on the sides. Outer three tail-feathers white, the shafts and tips dark brown; the fourth and fifth spotted much with white; the other tail-feathers and quills almost black. _Female_ similar; the colors duller; the feathers of the upper parts with olivaceous edges. Length, 5.50; wing, 2.83; tail, 2.25. HAB. Eastern Province of United States; Eastern Mexico, and south to Bogota and Ecuador; Bahamas alone of West Indies with certainty. Autumnal males resemble the females. They have two white bands instead of one; the black stripes on the sides are larger; under parts yellowish; the throat yellowish, passing into purer yellow behind. Autumnal young birds have the same pattern of coloration, but the dark portions are dull grayish-umber, with the streaks very obsolete, and the light parts dull buffy-white, tinged with yellow on the jugulum; there is neither clear black, bright yellow, nor pure white on the plumage, except the latter on the wing-bands and tail-patches. HABITS. This somewhat rare and very beautiful Warbler requires additional investigation into its habits before its history can be regarded as satisfactorily known. Save in reference to its wider distribution during its southern migrations, little more is known as to its habits than where Audubon left its history nearly thirty years since. The Smithsonian collection has specimens from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois, and from Central America. Mr. Sclater has received specimens from Mexico, and from Ecuador in South America. Other writers mention having specimens from Guiana, Martinique, and Panama, and Dr. Bryant found it in the Bahamas. It is thus known to have a wide distribution from the Atlantic to the Mississippi River, as far to the north probably as Labrador. Its area of reproduction is not known with exactness, but the southern limit is supposed to be the high wooded districts of Pennsylvania, New York, and New England. A young bird was taken by Holböll, October 16, 1845, at Frederikshaab, Greenland. In 1837 an egg was sent me from Coventry, Vt., which purported to belong to this bird; and in the following summer its nest and eggs were procured in a wild, secluded part of Roxbury, Mass. In neither case was the identification entirely free from doubt. Dr. Bachman states that when a resident of Lansingburg, N. Y., in 1833, he saw a pair of these birds in the act of constructing their nest. Mr. Allen has no doubt that a few breed in the vicinity of Springfield, Mass., as he has obtained them as late as June 24. He found it most common in mixed or hard-wood forests. It arrives about the middle of May. Professor Verrill gives it as a summer resident of Western Maine, though rarely seen on account of its habit of keeping concealed among the dense foliage. Mr. Boardman gives the same account of its residence in summer in the neighborhood of Calais. Mr. Audubon did not regard this bird and his “Hemlock Warbler” as the same species, but gave distinct and different accounts of their habits. We have therefore to receive with caution these records of peculiarities. He found the Blackburnian Warbler breeding in Northeastern Maine, in New Brunswick, in the Magdaleine Islands, and in Labrador and Newfoundland. He states, correctly, that it has a very sweet song of five or six notes, much louder than seemed possible from the size of the bird. It pursues its insect prey among the branches of the fir-trees, moving along after the manner of the common Redstart. Mr. McCulloch, of Halifax, gave Mr. Audubon a nest of this bird with three eggs. The nest was formed externally of different textures, lined with fine delicate strips of bark and a thick bed of feathers and horse-hair. The eggs were small, conical, with a white ground spotted with light red at the larger end. The nest was in the small fork of a tree five feet from the ground, and near a brook. The nest obtained in Roxbury was in a bush, a few feet from the ground, in a very wild region of forest and rocks. Externally, except in its length, which was less, it resembled a nest of the _G. trichas_, being made of coarse, dry grasses. Internally it was much more warmly lined with feathers and soft fur than is the case in nests of the Yellow-Throat. The eggs were of a crystal whiteness, marked at their larger end with dark purple, and but for their smaller size might have been mistaken for those of _G. trichas_. The position of the nest, however, was conclusive in regard to this point. The egg from Coventry was substantially similar, except that reddish-brown dots were mingled with the purple markings, in the form of a wreath around the larger end. Wilson describes this Warbler as songless, but attributes to its counterpart, the Hemlock Warbler, a very sweet song of a few low notes,—a very different account from that given by Audubon of the song of the Blackburnian. Mr. Paine states that this species is resident during the summer months in Randolph, Vt. It is, he says, a very close companion of the _D. virens_, arriving at the same time with it even to a day, or about the 10th of May. Its dry chirping song may then be heard in striking contrast with the sweet notes of the _virens_. He was not able to find its nest. Mr. C. W. Wyatt met with this species as a winter resident at Alto, in Colombia, South America. Its upward range seemed to be terminated only by the paramos. Among the oaks on the Pamplona road he found it very common just under the paramo, the bright orange throat of the male making it a very conspicuous bird. He was led to believe that they were not found there at a lower elevation than five thousand feet. Dendroica dominica, BAIRD. YELLOW-THROATED GRAY WARBLER. _Motacilla dominica_, L. Syst. Nat. 12th ed. 1766, 334 (_Ficedula dominica cinerea_, BRISS. III, 520, pl. xxvii, fig. 3). _Dendroica dominica_, BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds, 209. _Motacilla superciliosa_, BODDÆRT, Tableau Pl. enl. 686, fig. 1, 1783. _Dendroica superciliosa_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 289.—SCLATER (Xalapa, Oaxaca, Jamaica, Mexico).—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1860, 274 (Duenas, Guat.; Sept.).—MARCH, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1863, 293 (Jamaica).—GUNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba; very common). _Motacilla flavicollis_, GMELIN, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 959. _Sylvia fl._ LATH.; WILS. II, pl. xii, fig. 6. _Motacilla pensilis_, GMELIN, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 960. _Sylvia p._ LATH.; VIEILL. (St. Domingo).—BON.; AUD. Orn. Biog. I, pl. lxxxv; NUTT. _Sylvicola pens._ RICH; BON.; AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. lxxix.—GOSSE, Birds Jam. 1847, 156 (Jamaica). _Rhimanphus pens._ CAB. Jour. III, 474 (Cuba). Other localities: _Cordova_, SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1856, 291. _St. Domingo_, SALLÉ, P. Z. S. 1857, 231. _Jamaica_, GOSSE, Birds Jam. 156. SP. CHAR. Upper parts uniform grayish-blue. Chin and throat bright yellow; under parts white. Forehead, and sometimes most of crown, lores and cheeks, sides of throat, and numerous streaks on the sides of the breast, black. A stripe from the nostrils over and behind the eye, a crescent on the lower eyelid, the sides of the neck behind the black cheekpatch, and two conspicuous bands on the wings, white. Terminal half of the outer webs of the outer two, and terminal third of the third tail-feathers, white. _Female_ almost precisely similar. Length, 5.10; wing, 2.60; tail, 2.30. (3,322.) HAB. Eastern Province of United States, north to Washington and Cleveland; in winter abundant in Cuba; St. Domingo and Jamaica; Mexico (Colima on west coast), and Guatemala. Resident in Jamaica? An autumnal male (No. 1,098, Washington, D. C.) has the bluish-ash above obscured by a wash of brown; the black “mask” less sharply defined, the streaks on forehead wanting; the yellow paler and duller, and the white beneath soiled with brownish. In general pattern of coloration this species resembles two others; one from Arizona, the other from Porto Rico. The diagnoses are as follows:— COMMON CHARACTERS. Upper parts ash-gray, the forehead and sides of vertex black. A line from nostril to above eye (passing into white behind), chin, and throat, yellow, margined laterally with blackish; crissum, inside of wings, axillars; and two bands on wings, white. Superciliary line extending to the nape, and white, excepting sometimes anterior to the eye. Cheeks black, separated from the ash of the neck by a white patch. Eyelids and infra-ocular crescent white. Back not streaked. Bill lengthened, gonys almost concave. Yellow confined to jugulum; rest of under parts white; the sides streaked with black … _dominica_. Superciliary line scarcely extending beyond the eye, and yellow, excepting at extreme end. Cheeks ashy, like sides of neck; dusky only near the eye, and not bordered on side of neck behind by white. Eyelids and infra-ocular crescent yellow. Back streaked. Bill short, gonys slightly convex. Yellow of under parts confined to jugulum; rest of under parts white; the sides streaked with black … _graciæ_. Yellow of under parts extending to crissum. Sides scarcely streaked … _adelaidæ._[51] [Illustration: PLATE XIV. 1. Dendroica æstiva, _Gm._ ♂ Pa., 940. 2. “ maculosa, _Gm._ ♂ D. C., 20634. 3. “ montana. (From Audubon.) 4. “ olivacea, _Giraud_. ♂ Mex., 30692. 5. Dendroica kirtlandi, _Baird_. ♂ Ohio, 4363. 6. “ dominica, _Linn._ ♂ Ga., 3322. 7. “ “ , _var._ albilora, _Ridgw._ ♂ Ohio, 7701. 8. Dendroica palmarum, _Gm._ ♂ N. S., 26929. 9. “ discolor, _Vieill._ ♂ Pa., 1091. 10. “ graciæ, _Coues_. ♂ Ariz., 40680. 11. Seiurus aurocapillus, _Linn._ ♂ Pa., 1433. 12. “ noveboracensis, _Gm._ ♂ Pa., 2434. 13. “ ludovicianus, _Aud._ ♂ Pa., 964.] In the Review (p. 209) several variations in this species are noted; but at that time there was not a sufficient number of specimens to warrant our coming to a conclusion as to their value. Now, however, we have better material before us, and upon the examination of about thirty specimens, including two series of nearly equal numbers,—one from the Atlantic States and the West Indies, the other from the Mississippi region and Middle America,—find that there are two appreciably different races, to be distinguished from each other by points of constant difference. All birds of the first series have the bill longer than any of the latter, the difference in a majority of the specimens being very considerable; they also have the superciliary stripe bright yellow anteriorly, while among the latter there is never more than a trace of yellow over the lores, and even this minimum amount is discernible only in one or two individuals. The West Indian form is, of course, the true _dominica_, and to be distinguished as var. _dominica_; as none of the synonymes of this species were founded upon the Mexican one, however, it will be necessary to propose a new name; accordingly, the term var. _albilora_ is selected as being most descriptive of its peculiar features. The following synopsis, taken from typical specimens, shows the differences between these two races:— (No. 3,322, ♂, Liberty County, Georgia.) Bill (from nostril), .45; tarsus, .60; wing, 2.60; tail, 2.00. Superciliary stripe, anterior to eye, wholly bright yellow; yellow of chin and maxillæ extending to the bill. _Hab._ In summer, Atlantic States of United States, north to Washington. In winter, and possibly all the year, in Cuba, Santo Domingo, and Jamaica … var. _dominica_. (No. 61,136, ♂, Belize, Honduras.) Bill (from nostril), .35; tarsus, .60; wing, 2.70; tail, 2.20. Superciliary stripe wholly white; yellow of chin and maxillæ bordered narrowly next the bill with white. _Hab._ In summer, the Mississippi region of United States, north to Lake Erie; common in South Illinois. In winter, and possibly all the year, in Mexico, south to Guatemala, Yucatan on the Atlantic, and Colima on the Pacific side … var. _albilora_. HABITS. The history of the Yellow-throated Warbler is very imperfectly known. Its geographical distribution is irregular and apparently eccentric. Found occasionally, rather than frequently, in the Southern Atlantic and Gulf States, it occurs irregularly as far north as Washington, New York City, Cleveland, O., Union County, Ill., and Kansas. In the last place it is supposed also occasionally to breed. West of this it has not been traced in any portion of the United States. It was obtained in Tamaulipas, Mexico, by Lieutenant Couch, and on the western coast Mr. Xantus found it at Colima. Mr. Sclater has also procured it from other portions of Mexico, and M. Boucard took it at Oaxaca. It has been obtained in Guatemala and Jamaica. In the latter place it is found the entire season. In Cuba, in the winter, it is quite common. It has also been found in St. Domingo, and probably in the other West India Islands. Mr. Gosse states that these birds do not appear in Jamaica before the 16th of August, and that they leave by the first of April. On the other hand, Mr. March, in his notes on the birds of that island, states that on the 8th of August he obtained an old bird and two young, the latter of which he was confident had been hatched on the island, and his son had met with the birds all through the summer, and had procured a specimen on the 4th of June. Wilson states that the habits of this species partake more of those of the Creeper than of the true Warbler. He met with it in Georgia in the month of February. He speaks of its notes as loud, and as resembling those of the Indigo-Bird. It remained some time creeping around the branches of the same pine, in the manner of a _Parus_, uttering its song every few minutes. When it flew to another tree, it would alight on the trunk and run nimbly up and down in search of insects. They are said to arrive in Georgia in February, after an absence of only three months. Wilson states that they occur as far north as Pennsylvania, but does not give his authority. The food of this species appears to be larvæ and pupæ, rather than winged insects. Those dissected by Mr. Gosse in Jamaica were found to have quite large stomachs, containing caterpillars of various kinds. Nuttall and Audubon are very contradictory in their statements touching its nesting, and it is not probable that the accounts given by either are founded upon any reliable authorities. The former describes a nest remarkable both for structure and situation, said to have been found in West Florida, suspended by a kind of rope from the end of branches over a stream or a ravine. This nest, entirely pensile, is impervious to rain, and with an entrance at the bottom. He gives a very full and minute description of this nest, but gives no authority and no data to establish its authenticity. We can therefore only dismiss it as probably erroneous. On the other hand, Mr. Audubon claims to have seen its nest, of which he gives a very different account. He describes it as very prettily constructed, like the nests of any other of this genus, its outer parts made of dry lichens and soft mosses, the inner of silky substances and fibres of the Spanish moss. The eggs are said to be four in number, with a white ground-color and a few purple dots near the larger end. He thinks they raise two broods in a season in Louisiana. These nests are not pensile, but are placed on the horizontal branch of the cypress, from twenty to fifty feet above the ground. It closely resembles a knot or a tuft of moss, and therefore is not easily discovered from below. A nest containing a single egg, found by Mr. Gosse near Neosho Falls, and supposed to belong to this species, but not fully identified, was built in a low sapling a few feet from the ground, and is a very neat structure, such as is described by Audubon. The egg is pure crystal-white, oblong and pointed, and marked with purple and brown. Mr. Ridgway informs me that in Southern Illinois, at least in the valley of the Lower Wabash, the Yellow-throated Warbler may be said to be at least a regular, though not common, summer sojourner. Though it inhabits chiefly the swampy portions of the bottom-lands, it makes frequent visits to the orchards and door-yards, less often, however, in the breeding than in the migrating season. In its manners it is almost as much of a Creeper as the _Mniotilta varia_, being frequently seen creeping not only along the branches of trees, but over the eaves and cornices of buildings, with all the facility of a Nuthatch. Eggs supposed to be of this species, taken near Wilmington, N. C., by Mr. Norwood Giles (16,199, Smith. Coll.), have a ground-color of dull ashy-white, with a livid tinge. They are thickly speckled, chiefly around the larger end, with irregular markings of rufous, and fainter ones of lilac interspersed with a very few minute specks of black. They are broadly ovate in form, and measure .70 by .55 of an inch. Dendroica graciæ, COUES. ARIZONA WARBLER. _Dendroica graciæ_ (COUES), BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds, I, April, 1865; p. 210.—ELLIOT, Illust. Birds N. Am. I, vi.—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 563 (Appendix). SP. CHAR. _Adult male_ (No. 40,680, May 1, 1865, Dr. E. Coues). Whole upper parts, including ear-coverts and sides of neck, ash-gray; small cuneate streaks over the crown, coalesced laterally into a broad stripe on each side, with larger cuneate streaks on the interscapular region, and inconspicuous linear streaks on upper tail-coverts, black. Two conspicuous white bands across the wing, formed by the tips of middle and secondary coverts; secondaries passing externally into light ash. Lateral tail-feather entirely white, except about the basal third of the inner web (the dusky running some distance toward the end along the edge), and a broad streak covering most of the terminal fourth of the outer web, which are clear dusky; the next feather has the outer web exactly the same, but almost the basal half of the inner is dusky; on the next the white is confined to an oblong spot (not touching the inner edge) on about the terminal third, while the outer web is only edged with white; the rest have no white at all. A superciliary stripe extending about .20 of an inch behind the eye (that portion behind the eye white), the lower eyelid, maxillæ, chin, throat, and jugulum pure gamboge-yellow. Rest of lower parts, including lining of wing, pure white; the sides conspicuously streaked with black; lores, and a few obsolete streaks along the junction of the ash and yellow, dusky. Wing, 2.60; tail, 2.20; bill (from nostril), .30; tarsus, .60. _Adult female_ (40,685, May 24). Similar to the male, but colors duller, and markings less sharply defined. Wing, 2.45; tail, 2.00. _Young_ (36,992, August 11). Above brownish-gray _without streaks_. Beneath ochraceous-white, obsoletely streaked along the sides. Yellow superciliary stripe not well defined, and only a tinge of yellow on the jugulum, the throat being grayish-white. Wings and tail nearly as in the adult. The young in autumnal plumage is similar, but the yellow occupies its usual area; it is, however, much duller, as well as lighter, than in the adult. HAB. Fort Whipple, near Prescott, Arizona. Belize, British Honduras (var. _decora_). This species is most closely related to _D. adelaidæ_, from Porto Rico; but in the latter the yellow beneath extends back to the crissum, covering even the sides; there are also no streaks on the sides or back; the proportions, too, are quite different, the wings and tail being scarcely three fourths as long, while the bill and feet are much the same size, the tarsi even much shorter. A specimen (No. 41,808 ♂) from Belize, Honduras, differs so essentially from the Fort Whipple specimens, that it is, beyond doubt, entitled to a distinctive name. The differences between these two very well marked races can best be expressed in a table, as follows:— (40,680, ♂, Fort Whipple, Arizona). Bill (from nostril), .30; tarsus, .60; wing, 2.60; tail, 2.20. Superciliary stripe extending .20 behind the eye, that portion behind the eye white; yellow of jugulum not spreading over breast (ending 1.35 from the bill). Streaks of crown coalesced into a broad stripe on each side; those of back broad, and those on upper tail-coverts almost obsolete. Wing-bands, .20 wide. Lore dusky-grayish. _Hab._ Fort Whipple, near Prescott, Arizona; abundant, breeding (COUES) … var. _graciæ_. (41,808, ♂, Belize). Bill, .30; tarsus, .60; wing, 2.20; tail, 1.95. Superciliary stripe scarcely passing the eye, wholly yellow; yellow of jugulum spreading over breast (ending 1.60 from the bill). Streaks of the crown scarcely coalesced along its sides; those on back not longer than those on crown, and those on upper tail-coverts very conspicuous. Wing-bands, .10 wide. Lore deep black. _Hab._ Belize, Honduras, resident? … var. _decora_. HABITS. We are indebted to Dr. Elliott Coues for all that we at present know in reference to this recently discovered species. He first met with it July 2, 1864, in the Territory of Arizona. Dr. Coues first noticed this bird among the pine woods covering the summit of Whipple’s Pass of the Rocky Mountains. He saw no more in his journey into Central Arizona until he was again among the pines at Port Whipple. There he again found it, and it proved to be a very common bird. Dr. Coues anticipates that this species will yet be found to occur in the forests of the San Francisco Mountains, and that its range will be ascertained to include all the pine tracts of New Mexico and Arizona, from the valley of the Rio Grande to that of the Great Colorado River. He also has no doubt that it breeds near and around Fort Whipple. Specimens found at Belize, first believed to be identical with those from Arizona, are now referred to a race called _decora_. According to Dr. Coues’s observations, the Warbler arrives at Fort Whipple about the 20th of April, and remains in that neighborhood until the third week in September. It is found almost exclusively in pine woods, is active, industrious, and noisy, and possesses very marked flycatching habits, flying out from its perch to catch passing insects. It has been, so far, found almost exclusively among the tallest trees. In regard to the song of this species, Dr. Coues states that it appears to have several different notes. One of these is the ordinary _tsip_, given out at all times by both old and young of all kinds of small insectivorous birds. Its true song, heard only in spring, consists of two or three loud sweet whistles, sometimes slurred, followed by several continuous notes, resembling _chir-r-r_, in a wiry but clear tone. Their notes are of great power for the size of the bird. It also has another and quite different song, which Dr. Coues thought greatly resembled the notes of the common American Redstart. As all the birds he noticed had mated by the first of May, he has no doubt that they raise two broods in a season; and the fact that he found newly fledged young as late as the middle of August seems to corroborate the correctness of his supposition. In regard to the eggs, nest, or breeding-habits of this species, we have as yet no information. Dendroica pennsylvanica, BAIRD. CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. _Motacilla pennsylvanica_, LINN. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 333, no. 19; GMELIN. _Sylvia p._ LATH.; WILSON, I, pl. xiv, fig. 5. _Dendroica p._ BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 279; Rev. 191.—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1859, 11; 1860, 273 (Coban, Guat.; November).—SAMUELS, 231. _Sylvia icterocephala_, LATH. Ind. Orn. II, 1790, 538.—VIEILL.; BON.; AUD. Orn. Biog. I, pl. lix. _Sylvicola ict._ SWAINS.; JARD.; AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. lxxxi. _Dendroica ict._ SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 363 (Xalapa), 373 (Oaxaca). Other localities: _Bahamas_, BRYANT, Pr. Bost. Soc. VII, 1859. _Costa Rica_, CAB. Jour. 1860, 328. _Panama_, winter, LAWR., Ann. N. Y. Lyc. 1861, 322. _Yucatan_, LAWR. _Veragua_, SALV. SP. CHAR. _Male._ Upper parts streaked with black and pale bluish-gray, which becomes nearly white on the forepart of the back; the middle of the back glossed with greenish-yellow. The crown is continuous yellow, bordered by a frontal and superciliary band, and behind by a square spot of white. Loral region black, sending off a line over the eye, and another below it. Ear-coverts and lower eyelid and entire under parts pure white, a purplish-chestnut stripe starting on each side in a line with the black mustache, and extending back to the thighs. Wing and tail-feathers dark brown, edged with bluish-gray, except the secondaries and tertials, which are bordered with light yellowish-green. The shoulders with two greenish-white bands. Three outer tail-feathers with white patches near the end of the inner webs. _Female_ like the male, except that the upper parts are yellowish-green, streaked with black; the black mustache scarcely appreciable. Length, 5.00; wing, 2.50; tail, 2.20. HAB. Eastern Province of the United States; Bahamas; Guatemala to Costa Rica and Panama R. R. Not recorded from Mexico proper or West Indies, except Bahamas. The young in autumn is very different from either male or female in spring. The entire upper parts are of a continuous light olive-green; the under parts white; the sides of the head, neck, and breast ash-gray, shading insensibly into and tingeing the white of the chin and throat. No black streaks are visible above or on the cheeks, and the eye is surrounded by a continuous ring of white not seen in spring. In this plumage it has frequently been considered as a distinct species. The male in this plumage may usually be distinguished from the female by possessing a trace, or a distinct stripe, of chestnut on the flanks, the young female at least lacking it. HABITS. The geographical distribution of this common species during its season of reproduction is inferred rather than positively known. So far as I am aware, it is not known to breed farther south than Massachusetts. Yet it is probable that, when we know its history more exactly, it will be found during the breeding-season in different suitable localities from Pennsylvania to Canada. Mr. H. W. Parker, of Grinnell, Iowa, mentions this bird as common in that neighborhood. Until recently it was regarded as a rather rare species, and to a large extent it had escaped the notice of our older ornithological writers. Wilson could give but little account of its habits. It passed rapidly by him in its spring migrations. He did not regard it as common, presumed that it has no song, and nearly all that he says in regard to it is conjectural. Mr. Audubon met with this species but once, and knew nothing as to its habits or distribution. Mr. Nuttall, who observed it in Massachusetts, where it is now known to be not uncommon in certain localities, also regarded it as very rare. His account of it is somewhat hypothetical and inexact. Its song he very accurately describes as similar to that of the _D. æstiva_, only less of a whistle and somewhat louder. He represents it as expressed by _tsh-tsh-tsh-tshyia_, given at intervals of half a minute, and often answered by its mate from her nest. Its lay is characterized as simple and lively. Late in June, 1831, he observed a pair collecting food for their young on the margin of the Fresh Pond swamps in Cambridge. Mr. Allen has found this species quite common in Western Massachusetts, arriving there about the 9th of May, and remaining through the summer to breed. He states—and his observations in this respect correspond with my own—that during the breeding-season they frequent low woods and swampy thickets, nesting in bushes, and adds that they are rarely found among high trees. They leave there early in September. Professor Verrill found this Warbler a common summer visitant in Western Maine, arriving about the second week in May, and remaining there to breed. Mr. Boardman thinks it reaches Eastern Maine about the middle of May, and is a common summer resident. I did not meet this species either in New Brunswick or Nova Scotia, nor was Dr. Bryant more fortunate, but Lieutenant Bland gives it in his manuscript list of the birds found in the neighborhood of Halifax. Mr. Ridgway informs me that this species breeds in the oak openings and among the prairie thickets of Southern Illinois. During the eight months that are not included in their season of reproduction, this species is scattered over a wide extent of territory. Their earliest appearance in the Northern States (at Plattesmouth) is April 26, and they all disappear early in September. At other times they have been met with in the Bahamas, in Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Panama. It has not yet been detected in the West Indies. M. Boucard obtained specimens at Playa Vicente, in the hot country of Oaxaca, Mexico. In the neighborhood of Calais, Mr. Boardman informs me that this Warbler is common, and that its habits resemble those of the Black-poll Warbler more than those of any other of the genus. It always nests in bushes or in low trees, and in the vicinity of swamps. Among the memoranda furnished to the late Mr. Kennicott by Mr. Ross is one to the effect that the Chestnut-sided Warbler was observed at Lake of the Woods, May 29. How common it is at this point is not stated. Mr. C. S. Paine regards the Chestnut-sided Warbler as one of the sweetest singers that visit Vermont. He describes it as very confiding and gentle in its habits. It is chiefly found inhabiting low bushes, in the neighborhood of taller trees, and it always builds its nest in the fork of a low bush, not more than from three to five feet from the ground. He has seen many of their nests, and they have all been in similar situations. They will permit a very near approach without leaving their nests. These are constructed about the last of May. Their song continues until about the last of June. After this they are seldom heard. J. Elliot Cabot, Esq., had the good fortune to be the first of our naturalists to discover in June, 1839, the nest and eggs of this Warbler. It was fixed on the horizontal forked branch of an oak sapling, in Brookline, Mass. The female remained sitting on her nest until so closely approached as to be distinctly seen. The nest was of strips of red-cedar bark, and well lined with coarse hair, and was compact, elastic, and shallow. It contained four eggs, the ground-color of which was white, over which were distributed numerous distinct spots of umber-brown. These were of different sizes, more numerous towards the larger end. In regard to their breeding in Pennsylvania, Mr. Nuttall mentions in the second edition of his work that he met them among the Alleghanies at Farranville in full song, and had no doubt that they were nesting there at the time. The Chestnut-sided Warbler usually constructs its nest in localities apart from cultivated grounds, on the edges of low and swampy woods, but in places more or less open. Quite a number of their nests have been met with by Mr. George O. Welch, of Lynn, Mass. Their more common situation has been barberry-bushes. The nests vary from about two and a half to three and a half inches in external height, and have a diameter of from three to four inches. The cavity is about two inches deep. They are usually composed externally of loosely intertwined strips of the bark of the smaller vegetables, strengthened by a few stems and bits of dry grasses, and lined with woolly vegetable fibres and a few soft hairs of the smaller animals. They are usually very firmly bound to the smaller branches by silky fibres from the cocoons of various insects. These nests were all found in open places, in low, wild marshy localities, but none far from a cultivated neighborhood, and the situations chosen for the nests do not differ materially from those usually selected by the common _D. æstiva_. The eggs of this Warbler are of an oblong-oval shape, have a ground-color of a rich creamy-white, and are beautifully spotted, chiefly about the larger end, with two shades of purple and purplish-brown. They measure .65 by .49 of an inch. Dendroica striata, BAIRD. BLACK-POLL WARBLER. _Muscicapa striata_, FORSTER, Phil. Trans. LXII, 383, 428. _Motacilla s._ GMELIN. _Sylvia s._ LATH.; VIEILLOT; WILS.; BON.; NUTT.; AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cxxxiii.—LEMBEYE, Av. Cuba, 1850, 33. _Sylvicola s._ SWAINSON; BON.; AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. lxxviii.—REINHARDT, Vid. Med. for 1853, 1854, 73 (Greenland).—MAX. Cab. Jour. VI, 1858, 113. _Mniotilta s._ REINH. Ibis, 1861, 6 (Greenland). _Rhimanphus s._ CAB. Jour. III, 475 (Cuba). _Dendroica s._ BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 280; Rev. 192.—COUES, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1861, 220 (Labrador coast).—GUNDL. Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba; rare).—SAMUELS, 233.—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska). _? D. atricapilla_, LANDBECK, Wiegmann’s Archiv, 1864, 56 (Chile). Other localities quoted: _Bogota_, SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1855, 143. _Bahamas_, BRYANT, Pr. Bost. Soc. VII, 1839. SP. CHAR. _Male._ Crown, nape, and upper half of the head black; the lower half, including the ear-coverts, white, the separating line passing through the middle of the eye. Rest of upper parts grayish-ash, tinged with brown, and conspicuously streaked with black. Wing and tail-feathers brown, edged externally (except the inner tail-feathers) with dull olive-green. Two conspicuous bars of white on the wing-coverts, the tertials edged with the same. Under parts white, with a narrow line on each side of the throat from the chin to the sides of the neck, where it runs into a close patch of black streaks continued along the breast and sides to the root of the tail. Outer two tail-feathers with an oblique patch on the inner web near the end; the others edged internally with white. _Female_ similar, except that the upper parts are olivaceous, and, even on the crown, streaked with black; the white on the sides and across the breast tinged with yellowish; a ring of the same round the eye cut by a dusky line through it. Length of male, 5.75; wing, 3.00; tail, 2.25. HAB. Eastern Province of all North America to Arctic Ocean; Alaska; Greenland; Cuba, in winter (rare); Bahamas; Bogota. Chile? Not recorded from intermediate localities. The autumnal dress of young birds is very different from that of spring. The upper parts are light olive-green, obsoletely streaked with brown; beneath greenish-yellow, obsoletely streaked on the breast and sides, the under tail-coverts pure white, a yellowish ring round the eye, and a superciliary one of the same color. In this dress it is scarcely possible to distinguish it from the immature _D. castanea_. The differences, as far as tangible, will be found detailed under the head of the latter species. The young bird in its first dress is also quite different, again, from the autumnal-plumaged birds. The upper parts are hoary-grayish, the lower white; each feather of the whole body, except lower tail-coverts, with a terminal bar or transverse spot of blackish, those on the upper parts approaching the base of the feathers along the shaft. Wings and tail much as in the autumnal plumage. HABITS. The appearance of this beautiful and familiar Warbler in New England is the sure harbinger of the summer. The last of the migrants that do not tarry, it brings up the rear of the hosts of hyperborean visitors. This species ranges over the whole extent of eastern North America, from Mexico to the Arctic seas. It has not been found farther west than the Great Plains and the Rio Grande. Wherever found it is abundant, and its lively and attractive manners and appearance render it a pleasing feature. It is not known to stop to breed in Massachusetts, but it lingers with us till the last blossom of the apple falls, and until the Bluebird and the Robin have already well-fledged broods, sometimes as late as the 10th of June, and then suddenly disappears. Dr. Woodhouse found it abundant in Texas and the Indian Territory, and individuals have been procured in Missouri and Nebraska. It has been found abundant in the Arctic regions, around Fort Anderson, Fort Yukon, and Fort Good Hope. A single specimen was taken near Godhaab, Greenland, in 1853, as recorded by Professor Reinhardt. Dr. Bryant met with it in the Bahamas, in the spring of 1859, where it was abundant from the 1st to the 10th of May. He describes its habits as similar to those of the _Mniotilta varia_, climbing around the trunks of trees in search of insects with the same facility. Single specimens have been procured from Greenland on the northeast, and from Bogota and Cuba. Dr. Coues found it abundant in Labrador in all well-wooded situations, and describes it as a most expert flycatcher, taking insects on the wing in the manner of the _Contopus virens_. Mr. Allen has never noted the arrival of this bird in Western Massachusetts before the 20th of May, nor later than the 1st of June. They again become abundant the last of September, and remain into October. In Eastern Maine Mr. Boardman reports them abundant, and as remaining to breed. They are there more numerous about open pastures than most Warblers. They nest in low trees, about swampy places. In Central Vermont, Mr. Paine states, the Black-Poll is the last of all the migrant birds that come from the South, and is seen only a few days in the first of June. It seldom stays more than a day or two, and then passes north. It appears singular that a bird coming so late should go yet farther north to breed. He states that its song consists only of a few low, lisping peeps. It may usually be seen wandering over fields in which there are a few scattered trees, and seems to be a very active, restless bird. The writer also met with them in great abundance about Eastport, and in the islands of the Grand Menan group. It was the most common Warbler in that locality. The low swampy woods seemed filled with them, and were vocal with their peculiar love-notes. Wilson states that he occasionally found this Warbler in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and was confident they would be found to breed in those States, but this has never been confirmed. He regarded it as a silent bird, and Mr. Audubon does not compliment its vocal powers. Yet it is a pleasing and varied, if not a powerful singer. Mr. Trippe speaks of its song as faint and lisping, and as consisting of four or five syllables. None of our birds, before its history was well known, has been made the occasion for more ill-founded conjectures than the Black-Poll. Wilson was at fault as to its song and its Southern breeding, and imagined it would be found to nest in high tree-tops, so as not to be readily detected. Nuttall, on the other hand, predicted that it would be found to breed on the ground, after the manner of the _Mniotiltae_, or else in hollow trees. Mr. Audubon, finding its nest in Labrador, indulges in flights of fancy over its supposed rarity, which, seen in the light of our present knowledge, as an abundant bird in the locality where his expedition was fitted out, are somewhat amusing. That nest was in a thicket of low trees, contained four eggs, and was placed about four feet from the ground, in the fork of a small branch, close to the main stem of a fir-tree. Its internal diameter was two inches, and its depth one and a half. It was formed, externally, of green and white moss and lichens, intermingled with coarse dry grasses. It was lined, with great care, with fine, dry, dark-colored mosses, resembling horse-hair, with a thick bed of soft feathers of ducks and willow grouse. In passing north, these Warblers, says Audubon, reach Louisiana early in February, where they glean their food among the upper branches of the trees overhanging the water. He never met with them in maritime parts of the South, yet they are abundant in the State of New Jersey near the sea-shore. As they pass northward their habits seem to undergo a change, and to partake more of the nature of Creepers. They move along the trunks and lower limbs, searching in their chinks for larvæ and pupæ. Later in the season, in more northern localities, we again find them expert flycatchers, darting after insects in all directions, chasing them while on the wing, and making the clicking sound of the true Flycatcher. They usually reach Massachusetts after the middle of May, and their stay varies from one, usually, to nearly four weeks, especially when their insect-food is abundant. In our orchards they feed eagerly upon the canker-worm, which is just appearing as they pass through. Around Eastport and at Grand Menan they confine themselves to the thick swampy groves of evergreens, where they breed on the edges of the woods. All of the several nests I met with in these localities were built in thick spruce-trees, about eight feet from the ground, and in the midst of foliage so dense as hardly to be noticeable. Yet the nests were large and bulky for so small a bird, being nearly five inches in diameter and three in height. The cavity is, however, small, being only two inches in diameter, and one and a fourth to one and a half in depth. They were constructed chiefly of a collection of slender young ends of branches of pines, firs, and spruce, interwoven with and tied together by long branches of the _Cladonia_ lichens, slender herbaceous roots, and finer sedges. The nests were strongly built, compact and homogeneous, and were elaborately lined with fine panicles of grasses and fine straw. In all the nests found, the number of eggs was five. It is a somewhat noticeable fact, that though this species is seen in New England only by the middle of May, others of its kind have long before reached high Arctic localities. Richardson records its presence at the Cumberland House in May, and Engineer Cantonment by the 26th of April. Mr. Lockhart procured a nest and five eggs at Fort Yukon, June 9. All the nests taken in these localities were of smaller size, were built within two feet of the ground, and all were much more warmly lined than were those from Grand Menan. In a few instances Mr. McFarlane found the nests of this species actually built upon the ground. This, however, is an abnormal position, and only occasioned by the want of suitable situations in protected localities. In one instance a nest was taken on the first of June, containing well-developed embryos. Yet this same species has frequently been observed lingering in Massachusetts a week or more after others of its species have already built their nests and begun hatching. The eggs of this species measure .72 by .50 of an inch. Their shape is an oblong-oval. Their ground-color is a beautiful white, with a slight tinge of pink, when fresh. They are blotched and dotted over the entire surface with profuse markings of a subdued lavender, and deeper markings of a dark purple intermixed with lighter spots of reddish-brown. The usual number is five, though six are occasionally found in a nest. Dendroica castanea, BAIRD. BAY-BREASTED WARBLER. _Sylvia castanea_, WILS. Am. Orn. II, 1810, 97, pl. xiv, fig. 4.—BON.; NUTT.; AUD. Orn. Biog. I, pl. lxix. _Sylvicola castanea_, SWAINS.; JARD.; RICH.; BON.; AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. lxxx. _Rhimanphus castaneus_, CAB. _Dendroica castanea_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 276; Rev. 189.—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1859, 11 (Guatemala).—CASSIN, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1860, 193 (Isthmus Darien; winter).—LAWRENCE, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. 1861, 322 (Isthmus Panama; winter).—SAMUELS, 228. _Sylvia autumnalis_, WILS. III, pl. xxiii, fig. 2.—AUD. Orn. Biog. I, pl. lxxxviii. SP. CHAR. _Male._ Crown dark reddish-chestnut; forehead and cheeks, including a space above the eye, black; a patch of buff-yellow behind the cheeks. Rest of upper parts bluish-gray streaked with black, the edges of the interscapulars tinged with yellowish, of the scapulars with olivaceous. Primaries and tail-feathers edged externally with bluish-gray, the extreme outer ones with white; the secondaries edged with olivaceous. Two bands on the wing and the edges of the tertials white. The under parts are whitish with a tinge of buff; the chin, throat, forepart of breast, and the sides, chestnut-brown, lighter than the crown. Two outer tail-feathers with a patch of white on the inner web near the end; the others edged internally with the same. _Female_ with the upper parts olive, streaked throughout with black, and an occasional tinge of chestnut on the crown. Lower parts with traces of chestnut, but no stripes. Length of male, 5.00; wing, 3.05; tail, 2.40. HAB. Eastern Province of North America to Hudson’s Bay; Guatemala, south to Isthmus of Darien. Not recorded from Mexico or West Indies. The female and immature males of this species differ much from the spring males, and are often confounded with other species, especially with _D. striata_. A careful comparison of an extensive series of immature specimens of the two species shows that in _castanea_ the under parts are seldom washed uniformly on the throat and breast with yellowish-green, but while this may be seen on the sides of the neck and breast, or even across the latter, the chin and throat are nearly white, the sides tinged with dirty brown, even if the (generally present) trace of chestnut be wanting on the sides. There is a buff tinge to the under tail-coverts; the quills are abruptly margined with white, and there are no traces (however obsolete) of streaks on the breast. In _D. striata_ the under parts are quite uniformly washed with greenish-yellow nearly as far back as the vent, the sides of the breast and sometimes of the belly with obsolete streaks; no trace of the uniform dirty reddish-brown on the sides; the under tail-coverts are pure white. The quills are only gradually paler towards the inner edge, instead of being rather abruptly white. HABITS. The Bay-breasted Warbler is one of the many species belonging to this genus whose history is yet very imperfectly known. Everywhere quite rare, it is yet distributed from the Atlantic to the Great Plains, and from the Gulf of Mexico far into the Hudson Bay Territory. In the winter it is known to extend its migrations as far to the south as the northern portions of South America. It has not been traced to Mexico nor to the West India Islands, but has been procured by Mr. Salvin in Guatemala. Nearly all the specimens obtained in the United States have either been taken before the 12th of May or in the autumn, indicative of a more northern breeding-place. In Eastern Massachusetts it is exceedingly rare, passing through after the middle of May and returning in September. Mr. Maynard has obtained a specimen as late as June 19, which, though not necessarily proving that any breed there, indicates that the line of their area of reproduction cannot be distant. In the western part of the same State, Mr. Allen has found it from May 20 to the 25th, and has obtained one specimen in July. In Western Maine, Mr. Verrill has noted its occurrence from the middle of May to June, but it is very rare; and Mr. Boardman reports the same for Eastern Maine, where it is a summer resident. He writes that he has several times shot specimens in the early summer, but that he could never find the nest. It is also given by Lieutenant Bland as one of the birds found in the vicinity of Halifax. It was not observed by any of the governmental exploring expeditions, nor found in Arizona by Dr. Coues. Mr. Lawrence has received specimens from Panama, obtained in winter, Mr. Cassin from Darien, and Mr. Sclater from Guatemala. This species so far eluded the notice of Mr. Audubon as to prevent him from giving any account of its habits. He only mentions its occasional arrival in Pennsylvania and New Jersey early in April, and its almost immediate and sudden disappearance. He several times obtained them at that period, and yet has also shot them in Louisiana as late as June, while busily searching for food among the blossoms of the cotton-plant. Wilson also regarded this species as very rare. He reports it as passing through Pennsylvania about the middle of May, but soon disappearing. He describes these birds as having many of the habits of Titmice, and displaying all their activity. It hangs about the extremity of the twigs, and darts about from place to place with restless diligence in search of various kinds of larvæ. Wilson never met with it in the summer, and very rarely in the fall. Mr. Nuttall noticed this species passing through Massachusetts about the 15th of April. He regarded it as an active insect-hunter, keeping in the tops of the highest trees, darting about with great activity, and hanging from the twigs with fluttering wings. One of these birds that had been wounded soon became reconciled to its confinement, and greedily caught at and devoured the flies that were offered. In its habits and manners it seemed to him to greatly resemble the Chestnut-sided Warbler. Mr. T. M. Trippe speaks of this Warbler as one of the last to arrive near Orange, N. Y. Owing to the fact that at that time the foliage is pretty dense, and that it makes but a short stay, it is not often seen. He speaks of it as not quite so active as the other Warblers, keeping more on the lower boughs, and seldom ascending to the tops of the trees. Mr. C. W. Wyatt met with this species at Naranjo, in Colombia, South America. Eggs of this bird obtained by Mr. George Bush at Coldwater, near Lake Superior, are of an oblong-oval shape, measuring .75 by .52 of an inch, and except in their superior size and fewer markings might be mistaken for eggs of _D. æstiva_. Their ground-color is a bluish or greenish white. The markings are very few and fine, except those in the crown around the larger end, and there the blotches are deeper and more numerous. Their colors are dark reddish-brown and purple. Mr. Maynard found this species the most abundant of the _Sylvicolidæ_ at Lake Umbagog, where it breeds. Two nests were taken in June. One was found June 3, in a tree by the side of a cart-path in the woods, just completed. It was built in the horizontal branch of a hemlock, twenty feet from the ground, and five or six from the trunk of the tree. By the 8th of June it contained three fresh eggs. The other was built in a similar situation, fifteen feet from the ground, and contained two fresh eggs. These nests were large for the bird, and resembled those of the Purple Finch. They were composed outwardly of fine twigs of the hackmatack, with which was mingled some of the long hanging _Usnea_ mosses. They were very smoothly and neatly lined with black fibrous roots, the seed-stalks of _Cladonia_ mosses, and a few hairs. They had a diameter of about six inches, and a height of about two and a half inches. The cavity was three inches wide and an inch and a quarter deep. The eggs varied in length from .71 to .65 of an inch, and in breadth from .53 to .50. Their ground-color was a bluish-green, thickly spotted with brown, and generally with a ring of confluent blotches of brown and lilac around the larger end. Occasionally the spots proved to be more or less of an umber-brown, and in some specimens the spots were less numerous than in others. These birds were found in all the wooded sections of that region, where they frequented the tops of tall trees. Their song, he states, in its opening, is like that of the Black-Poll, with a terminal warble similar to that of the Redstart, but given with less energy. Dendroica cærulescens, BAIRD. BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER. _Motacilla canadensis_, LINN. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 336 (not p. 334, which is _D. coronata_). _Sylvia canadensis_, LATH.; WILSON.—AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cxlviii, clv.—SALLÉ, P. Z. S. 1857, 231 (St. Domingo). _Sylvicola canadensis_, SWAINS.; JARD.; BON.; AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. xcv. _Rhimanphus can._ CAB. _Dendroica canadensis_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 271.—IB. P. Z. S. 1861, 70 (Jamaica).—GUNDL. Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba; very common).—SAMUELS, 224. _Motacilla cærulescens_, GM. S. Nat. I, 1788, 960. _Sylvia cær._ LATH.; VIEILL. II, pl. lxxx.—D’ORB. Sagra’s Cuba, Ois. 1840, 63, pl. ix, figs. 1, 2. _Dendroica cær._ BAIRD, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 186. _Sylvia pusilla_, WILS. V, pl. xliii, fig. 3 (Juv.). _Sylvia leucoptera_, WILS. _Sylvia palustris_, STEPH. _Sylvia macropus_, VIEILLOT. _Sylvia sphagnosa_, BON.; NUTTALL; AUD. _Sylvicola pannosa_, GOSSE, Birds Jam. 1847, 162 (female).—IB. Illust. no. 37. SP. CHAR. Above uniform continuous grayish-blue, including the outer edges of the quill and tail-feathers. A narrow frontal line, the entire sides of head and neck, chin and throat, lustrous black; this color extending in a broad lateral stripe to the tail. Rest of under parts, including the axillary region, white. Wings and tail black above, the former with a conspicuous white patch formed by the bases of all the primaries (except the first); the inner webs of the secondaries and tertials with similar patches towards the base and along the inner margin. All the tail-feathers, except the innermost, with a white patch on the inner web near the end. Length, 5.50; wing, 2.60; tail, 2.25. _Female_, olive-green above and dull yellow beneath. Sides of head dusky olive, the eyelids and a superciliary stripe whitish. Traces of the white patches at the base of the primaries and of the tail. HAB. Eastern Province of United States; Jamaica, Cuba, and St. Domingo in winter; very abundant; Bahamas (BRYANT). Not recorded from Mexico or Central America. The white patch at the base of the primary, together with the total absence of outer markings on the wings, is peculiar to this species, and is found in both sexes. The female is more different from the male than that of any other species. The plumage of the male in autumn is similar to the spring dress, but the back and wings are washed with greenish, and the black of the throat variegated with white edges to the feathers. A younger male (788, October 10, Carlisle, Penn.) differs in having the black appearing in patches, the throat being mostly white; there is also a narrow white superciliary stripe. HABITS. The Black-throated Blue Warbler, at different seasons of the year, is distributed over nearly the whole eastern portion of North America. Abundant in the West Indies in winter, as also in the South Atlantic States in early spring and late in fall, it is found during the breeding-season from Northern New York and New England nearly to the Arctic regions. A few probably stop to breed in the high portions of Massachusetts, and in late seasons they linger about the orchards until June. They undoubtedly breed in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Dr. Woodhouse states that he found it abundant in Texas; but this is the only instance, so far as is known, of its occurring west of the Mississippi Valley. Towards the close of the remarkably mild winter of 1866, a pair of these birds were observed for several days in a sheltered portion of Boston. They were in excellent condition, and were very busily employed hunting for the larvæ and eggs of insects and spiders in the corners and crevices of the walls of houses and out-buildings, evidently obtaining a full supply. In Southern Illinois, Mr. Ridgway cites this Warbler as one of the least common of the spring and fall visitants. Audubon found this species in nearly every Southern and Southwestern State during their migrations. They arrive in South Carolina late in March, are most abundant in April, and leave early in May. They keep in the deep woods, passing among the branches about twenty feet from the ground. He traced them as far north as the Magdaleine Islands, but found none in Newfoundland, and but a single specimen in Labrador. They breed in Nova Scotia, and a nest was given him found near Halifax by Dr. MacCulloch. These were said to be usually placed on the horizontal branch of a fir-tree, seven or eight feet from the ground, and to be composed of fine strips of bark, mosses, and fibrous roots, and lined with fine grasses and a warm bed of feathers. The eggs, five in number, were white, with a rosy tint, and sprinkled with reddish-brown dots, chiefly at the larger end. This Warbler is an expert catcher of the smaller winged insects, pursuing them quite a distance, and, when seizing them, making the clicking sound of the true Flycatcher. So far as they have been observed, they have no song, only a monotonous and sad-sounding _cheep_. Nuttall, in the second edition of his Manual, mentions having observed several pairs near Farranville, Penn., on the Susquehanna, and among the Alleghanies. It was in May, and in a thick and shady wood of hemlock. They were busy foraging for food, and were uttering what he describes as slender, wiry notes. In Western Massachusetts, Mr. Allen states it to be common from the 15th to the 25th of May, and again in September. They were found by Mr. C. W. Bennett on Mount Holyoke during the breeding-season, and by Mr. B. Hosford on the western ridges during the same period. They are common, Mr. Boardman states, in the thick woods about Calais, through all the breeding-season. In Jamaica, during the winter, it exclusively frequents the edges of tall woods in unfrequented mountainous localities. They are found in that island from October 7 until the 9th of April. Mr. Gosse, who has closely observed their habits during winter, speaks of their playing together with much spirit for half an hour at a time, chasing each other swiftly round and round, occasionally dodging through the bushes, and uttering at intervals a pebbly _cheep_. They never remain long alighted, and are difficult to kill. Restlessness is their great characteristic. They often alight transversely on the long pendent vines or slender trees, hopping up and down without a moment’s intermission, pecking at insects. They are usually very plump and fat. De la Sagra states that this bird occasionally breeds in Cuba, young birds having been killed that had evidently been hatched there. The record of this Warbler, as presented by different authors, is apparently inconsistent and contradictory: rare with some observers, abundant with others; remaining in Jamaica until well into April, yet common in South Carolina in March, and even appearing in Massachusetts in midwinter; supposed to breed in the highlands of Cuba, yet, except in the case of the nest taken near Halifax, its manner of breeding was unknown until lately. It is probably rare in lowlands everywhere, and nowhere common except among mountains, and, while able to endure an inclement season where food is abundant, is influenced in its migratory movements by instinctive promptings to change its quarters entirely in reference to a supply of food, and not by the temperature merely. Its presence in Boston in winter was of course a singular accident; but its plump condition, and its contented stay so long as its supply of food was abundant, sufficiently attested its ability to endure severe weather for at least a limited period, and while its food was not wanting. Mr. Trippe states that these birds reach Northern New Jersey during the first week of May, and stay a whole month, remaining there longer than any other species. At first they have no note but a simple chirp; but, before they leave, the males are said to have a singular drawling song of four or five notes. Mr. Paine states that this Warbler is a resident, but not very common bird, in Randolph, Vt. He has usually noticed it in the midst of thick woods, not generally in tall trees, but among the lower branches or in bushes. The song he describes as very short and insignificant, its tones sharp and wiry, and not to be heard at any great distance. He knows nothing as to its nest. They arrive at Randolph from the South about the middle of May. We are indebted to Mr. John Burroughs for all the knowledge we possess in relation to the nest and eggs of this species, which had previously baffled the search of other naturalists. He was so fortunate as to meet with their nest in the summer of 1871. Early in July, in company with his nephew, Mr. C. B. Deyoe, Mr. Burroughs visited the same woods, in Roxbury, Delaware County, N. Y., in which he had in a previous year found the nest of the Mourning Ground Warbler. The trees were mostly hemlock, with an undergrowth of birch and beech. They first noticed the parent birds with food in their bills, and then set about deliberately to find their nest by watching their movements. But the birds were equally vigilant, and watched them quite as determinedly. “It was diamond cut diamond.” They were so suspicious, that, after loading their beaks with food, they would swallow it themselves, rather than run the risk of betraying their secret by approaching the nest. They even apparently attempted to mislead them by being very private and confidential at a point some distance from the nest. The two watched the birds for over an hour, when the mosquitoes made it too hot for them to hold out any longer, and they made a rush upon the ground, determined to hunt it over inch by inch. The birds then manifested the greatest consternation, and when, on leaping over an old log, the young sprang out with a scream, but a few feet from them, the distracted pair fairly threw themselves under their very feet. The male bird trailed his bright new plumage in the dust; and his much more humbly clad mate was, if anything, more solicitous and venturesome, coming within easy reach. The nest was placed in the fork of a small hemlock, about fifteen inches from the ground. There were four, and perhaps five, young in the nest, and one egg unhatched, which, on blowing, proved to have been fresh. The nest measures three and a half inches in diameter, and a trifle more than two in height. The cavity is broad and deep, two and a third inches in diameter at the rim, and one and a half deep. Its base and periphery are loose aggregations of strips of decayed inner bark from dead deciduous trees, chiefly basswood, strengthened by fine twigs, rootlets, and bits of wood and bark. Within this is a firm, compact, well-woven nest, made by an elaborate interweaving of slender roots and twigs, hair, fine pine-needles, and similar materials. The egg is oval in shape, less obtuse, but not pointed, at one end, with a grayish-white ground, pinkish when unblown, and marked around the larger end with a wreath, chiefly of a bright umber-brown with lighter markings of reddish-brown and obscure purple. A few smaller dottings of the same are sparingly distributed over the rest of the egg. Its measurements are .70 by .50 of an inch. It more nearly resembles the eggs of the _D. maculosa_ than any other, is about five per cent larger, a little more oblong, and the spots differ in their reddish and purplish tinge, so far as one specimen may be taken as a criterion. Dendroica olivacea, SCLAT. OLIVE-HEADED WARBLER. _Sylvia olivacea_, GIRAUD, Birds Texas, 1841, 14, pl. vii, fig. 2.— SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1855, 66. _Sylvicola olivacea_, CASSIN, Ill. Birds Texas, etc. 1855, 283, pl. xlviii. _Rhimamphus olivaceus_, SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1856, 291 (Cordova). _Dendroica olivacea_, SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1858, 298 (Oaxaca; cold region).—IB. P. Z. S. 1859, 363 (Jalapa).—IB. Catal. 1861, 31, no. 190.—BAIRD, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 205. _Sylvia tæniata_, DUBUS, Bull. Acad. Brux. XIV, 1847, 104.—IB. Rev. Z. 1848, 245. _Sylvicola tæniata_, BON. Consp. 1850, 309. SP. CHAR. Head and neck all round, with jugulum, brownish-saffron, with a greenish tinge on the nape. Rest of upper parts ashy. Middle and tips of greater wing-coverts white, forming two bands on the wing; a third white patch at the bases of the primaries (except the outer two), and extending forwards along the outer edges. Secondaries edged externally with olive-green. Inner webs of quills conspicuously edged with white. Under parts, except as described, white, tinged with brownish on the sides; a narrow frontal band, and a broad stripe from this through eye and over ear-coverts, black. Outer tail-feather white, except at base and towards tip; greater portion of inner web of next feather also white, much more restricted on the third. Length, 4.60; wing, 2.88; tail, 2.15; tarsus, .75. A female specimen (14,369), perhaps also in autumnal plumage, has the saffron replaced by clear yellowish, except on the top of head and nape, which are olive-green. The black frontal and lateral bands are replaced by whitish, leaving only a dusky patch on the ears. HAB. Mexico (both coasts to the southward); Guatemala. This species is given by Mr. Giraud as occurring in Texas, but it is possible that he may have been misled as to the true locality. It may, however, be yet detected along the southern border of the United States. Nothing is known of its habits. Dendroica nigrescens, BAIRD. BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER. _Sylvia nigrescens_, TOWNSEND, J. A. N. Sc. VII, II, 1837, 191 (Columbia River).—AUD. Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 57, pl. cccxcv. _Vermivora nig._ BON.; NUTT. _Sylvicola nig._ AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. xciv. _Rhimanphus nig._ CAB. 1850. _Dendroica nig._ BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 270; Rev. 186.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1858, 298; 1859, 374 (Oaxaca; high mountains in March).—HEERMANN, P. R. R. Rep. X, iv, 40.—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. Rep. XII, ii, 1859, 180.—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 90. _? Sylvia halseii_, GIRAUD, Birds Texas, 1838, pl. iii, fig. 1, ♀ (suggested by Sclater). SP. CHAR. Head all round, forepart of the breast, and streaks on the side of the body, black; rest of under parts, a stripe on the side of the head, beginning acutely just above the middle of the eye, and another parallel to it, beginning at the base of the under jaw (the stripes of opposite sides confluent on the chin), and running further back, white. A yellow spot in front of the eye. Rest of upper parts bluish-gray. The interscapular region and upper tail-coverts streaked with black. Wing-coverts black, with two narrow white bands; quills and tail-feathers brown, the two outer of the latter white, with the shafts and a terminal streak brown; the third brown, with a terminal narrow white streak. Bill black; feet brown. Length, 4.70; wing, 2.30; tail, 2.10. HAB. Western and Middle Provinces of United States. Migratory southward into Western Mexico (Oaxaca); Orizaba (winter, SUMICHRAST). Female (53,373, East Humboldt Mountains, Nev., July 14). Similar to the male, but crown ash medially streaked with black, instead of continuous black; the streaks on back narrow and inconspicuous; the black of the throat confined to the jugulum, appearing in spots only on anterior half. A young female (No. 53,376, East Humboldt Mountains, August 10) is plain brownish-ash above, lacking entirely the streaks on the back, and those on sides of crown extremely obsolete. There is no black whatever on throat or jugulum, which, with the well-defined supra-loral stripe and lower parts in general, are soiled white, more brownish laterally. The other features, including the yellow spot over the lores, with the wing and tail markings, are much as in the adult. A young male (53,375), same locality and date, differs from the last in having the sides of the crown black, and the throat-patch almost complete, but much hidden by the broad white borders to the feathers. An adult autumnal male (7,690, Calaveras River) is like the spring adult, but the ash is overspread by brownish, nearly obliterating the dorsal streaks, and dividing the black of the crown; the black throat-patch is perfectly defined, but much obscured by white borders to the feathers. HABITS. The Black-throated Gray or Dusky Warbler, so far as is now known, belongs to the Western and Middle Provinces, occurring certainly as far to the south as San Diego, in California, and as far to the north as Fort Steilacoom, in Washington Territory, penetrating in winter into Mexico. The most easterly localities in which it has been met with are in Arizona and New Mexico. The Smithsonian Institution has received specimens also from Columbia River, Calaveras, Cal., and Fort Defiance. This species was first obtained and described by Mr. Townsend, who found it abundant in the forests of the Columbia, where it breeds and remains until nearly winter. Its nest, which he there met with, resembles that of _Parula americana_, only it is made of the long and fibrous green moss, or _Usnea_, peculiar to that region, and is placed among the upper branches of oak-trees, suspended between two small twigs. Mr. Nuttall states that it arrives on the Columbia early in May, and from the manner in which its song was delivered at intervals, in the tops of deciduous trees, he had no doubt that they were breeding in those forests as early as May 23. This song he describes as delicate, but monotonous, uttered as it busily and intently searches every leafy bough and expanding bud for insects and their larvæ in the spreading oak, in which it utters its solitary notes. Its song is repeated at short and regular intervals, and is said by Mr. Nuttall to bear some resemblance to _t-shee-tshāy-tshaitshee_, varying the feeble sound very little, and with the concluding note somewhat slenderly and plaintively raised. Dr. Suckley speaks of this bird as moderately abundant near Fort Steilacoom, generally met with on oaks, and very much resembling _Dendroica auduboni_ in its habits. Its arrival there he gives as occurring in the first week in April, or a month earlier than stated by Nuttall. Dr. Cooper met with a pair at Puget Sound that appeared to have a nest, though he sought for it in vain. He describes its note as faint and unvaried. Dr. Coues met with this Warbler in the vicinity of Fort Whipple, Arizona. He speaks of it as common there as a spring and autumn migrant. He thinks that a few remain to breed. It arrives in that Territory about April 20, and is found until late in September. It is most common among the pine-trees, and in its general habits is stated to resemble the new species _D. graciæ_. Dr. Heermann found a few birds of this species near Sacramento, and also on the range of mountains dividing the Calaveras and the Mokelumne Rivers. During the survey by Lieutenant Williamson’s party, Dr. Heermann met with a single specimen among the mountains, near the summit of the Tejon Pass. It was in company with other small birds, migrating southward, and gleaning its food from among the topmost branches of the tallest oaks. He states that its notes closely resemble the sounds of the locust. Dr. Cooper states that these birds appear at San Diego by the 20th of April, in small flocks migrating northward, and then uttering only a faint chirp. They frequent low bushes along the coast, but as they proceed farther north they take to the deciduous oaks as the leaves begin to expand, early in May, at which time they reach the Columbia River. He has never met with any in California after April. Mr. Ridgway observed this species only in the pine and cedar woods of the East Humboldt Mountains, where, in all probability, they were breeding. He observed numerous families of young birds following their parents in the months of July and August. He met with them only among the cedars and the woods of the nut-pine, and never among the brushwood of the cañons and ravines. He states that the common note of this bird greatly resembles the sharp chirp of the _Dendroica coronata_, and is louder and more distinct than that of _D. auduboni_. Mr. A. Boucard obtained specimens of these birds at Oaxaca, Mexico, during the winter months. Dendroica chrysopareia, SCL. & SALV. YELLOW-CHEEKED WARBLER. _Dendroica chrysopareia_, SCLATER & SALVIN, P. Z. S. 1860, 298.—IB. Ibis, 1860, 273 (Vera Paz, Guatemala).—IB. 1865.—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 477.—BAIRD, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 183.—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 93. SP. CHAR. (229, Salvin collection.) Head and body above black, the feathers with olive-green edges, especially on the back, obscuring the ground-color; rump clear black. Entire side of head (extending to nostrils and on lower jaw), and the partially concealed bases of the feathers on the median line of the forehead, yellow, with a narrow black line from lores, through the eye, widening behind, but not crossing through the yellow. Beneath, including inside of wings, white; a large patch of black covering the chin and throat, and occupying the entire space between the yellow patches of the two sides of the head and neck, and extended along the sides in a series of streaks. Feathers of crissum with black centres. Wings above ashy, with two white bands across the coverts, the scapulars streaked with blackish; first quill edged externally with white, the rest with gray. Tail-feathers blackish, edged externally with ashy, the lateral with white at the base. Outer tail-feather white on the inner web, except a stripe along the shaft near the end; second similar, but the white not reaching so far towards the base; third with a short patch of white in the end. Bill and legs brownish-black. Bill unusually thick. Length, 4.50; wing, 2.50; tail, 2.40; tarsus, 2.75. HAB. Vera Paz, Guatemala; San Antonio, and Medina River, Texas. (HEERMANN and DRESSER.) The capture of specimens of this species at San Antonio, Texas, by Dr. Heermann, and on the Medina River by Mr. Dresser, entitles it to a place in our fauna. The specimen described above is Mr. Salvin’s type. HABITS. A single specimen is said to have been taken near San Antonio, Texas, by Dr. Heermann. It is thought to be probably a bird belonging to the fauna of Arizona and New Mexico, and is given hypothetically by Dr. Cooper among the birds of California. In its appearance it resembles _D. virens_, _D. townsendii_, and _D. occidentalis_. It was originally described by Salvin from a single specimen obtained in Guatemala. Another pair was afterward obtained by Mr. Salvin on the highest point of the road between Salama and Tactic. In regard to its habits, nothing is on record. Dendroica virens, BAIRD. BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER. _Motacilla virens_, GMELIN, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 985. _Sylvia virens_, LATH.; VIEILLOT; WILS. II; NUTT.; BON.; AUD. Orn. Biog. IV, pl. cccxcix.—GÄTKE, Naumannia, 1858, 423 (Heligoland, Europe, an original description). _Sylvicola virens_, SW.; AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. lxxxiv.—REINHARDT, Vid. Med. for 1853, 1854, 72, 81 (Greenland). _Rhimanphus virens_, CAB. Mus. Hein. Jour. III, 1855, 474 (Cuba; winter).—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1856, 291 (Cordova). _Dendroica virens_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 267; Rev. 182.—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1859, 1 (Guatemala).—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 363 (Oaxaca?); 373 (Xalapa); Ibis, 1865, 89.—LAWRENCE, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. VII, 1861, 293 (Panama).—GUNDL. Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba).—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 232.—SAMUELS, 222. _Mniotilta virens_, REINHARDT, Ibis, III, 1861, 5 (Julianhaab, Greenland). SP. CHAR. Male. Upper parts, exclusive of wing and tail, clear yellow olive-green; the feathers of the back with hidden streaks of black. Forehead and sides of head and neck, including a superciliary stripe, bright yellow. A dusky olive line from the bill through the eye, and another below it. Chin, throat, and forepart of the breast, extending some distance along on the sides, continuous black; rest of under parts white, tinged with yellow on the breast and flanks. Wings and tail-feathers dark brown, edged with bluish-gray; two white bands on the wing; the greater part of the three outer tail-feathers white. _Female_ similar, but duller; the throat yellow; the black of breast much concealed by white edges; the sides streaked with black. Length, 5 inches; wing, 2.58; tail, 2.30. HAB. Eastern Province of United States; Greenland; Heligoland, Europe; south to Panama R. R. In Mexico, Xalapa, Cordova, and Oaxaca? Cuba alone in West Indies. Mexico (everywhere in winter, SUMICHRAST). The autumnal male has the black of throat and breast obscured by whitish tips. Females are yellowish-white beneath, tinged with grayish towards the tail. As shown in the generic chapter, _D. virens_ is the type of a section of olivaceous Warblers with black chin and throat. The following more elaborate diagnoses of the group may facilitate its study, the species being quite closely related:— COMMON CHARACTERS. Upper parts more or less olivaceous-green, with the feathers streaked centrally with black (sometimes concealed). Sides of head yellow. Chin and throat black; rest of the under parts, including inside of wings, white, with or without yellow on breast. Wings with two white bands. Inner web of lateral tail-feather almost entirely white from the base. Above bright olive-green with concealed black streaks; tail-coverts ashy. Sides conspicuously streaked with black; crissum unspotted. Jugulum sometimes faintly tinged with yellowish. An obscure dusky-olive stripe through the eye, and a crescentic patch of the same some distance beneath it … _virens_. Above olivaceous-ashy (rump pure ash), with more distinct black spots. Top and sides of head clear yellow, the feathers of the crown tipped with black, or clouded with dusky plumbeous. No dark markings or stripes on side of head. No distinct black streaks beneath; black of throat restricted to front of neck … _occidentalis_. Prevailing color of upper parts black, with olivaceous edgings on the back; rump and upper tail-covert pure black. Sides and crissum streaked with black. A simple black stripe through the eye; no patch beneath it … _chrysopareia_. Above olive-green. Upper tail-coverts ashy, with central black streaks. Feathers of head above black, with olive-green edges. A broad olivaceous black stripe through eye from lores, involving the ears, in which is a yellowish crescentic patch below the eye. Black feathers of throat and chin edged with yellow. Jugulum and sides of breast also yellow. Sides streaked with black. No distinct black streaks on crissum … _townsendii_. HABITS.—The Black-throated Green Warbler, like nearly all the members of this highly interesting genus, has, to a very great degree, escaped the closer observations of our older ornithologists. Wilson only noticed it as it passed through Pennsylvania in its early spring migrations. He mentions its frequenting the higher branches of forest trees in search of the larvæ of the smaller insects that feed upon the opening buds, and describes it as a lively, active bird, having only a few chirping notes. All had passed on by the 12th of May. Their return he was never able to notice, and he became afterwards satisfied that a few remained all the summer in the higher grounds of that State, having obtained several in June, 1809. Audubon met with this bird from Newfoundland to Texas, but never found it breeding. Nowhere abundant, there were large tracts of country where he never met with it, or where it was of rare occurrence. He found it most abundant in the vicinity of Eastport, Me. He also met with it during summer, in New England generally, Northern Pennsylvania, and New York, but not in Labrador. He describes its habits as a mingling of those of the Warblers and of the Vireo, and its notes as resembling those of the latter. In its search for food he found it quite regardless of the near presence of man. In its spring migrations it passes through the woods usually in pairs, in the fall reappearing in flocks of six or seven. In breeding it occurs only in single pairs, and each pair appropriates to itself a large tract of territory within which no other is usually found. After October, all have passed beyond the limits of the United States. During the winter months it appears to be quite common in different parts of Mexico and Central America. In the large collection of Guatemalan skins collected by Dr. Van Patten, and purchased by the Boston Natural History Society, this bird was one of the most abundant of the migratory species. Specimens were taken by Mr. Boucard at Playa Vicente, in the hot country of Oaxaca, Mexico. Dr. Woodhouse found this Warbler common in the Indian Territory and in Texas, and Lieutenant Couch met with it in Tamaulipas, Mexico, in March, 1853. With these exceptions it has not been observed in any of the government surveys, or found west of the valley of the Rio Grande. Besides the points named, it has been obtained in Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, and in the West Indies, in Central and in the northern portions of South America. Reinhardt gives it as accidental in Greenland. A single stray specimen was obtained in Heligoland, Europe, October 19, 1858. Mr. Paine, of Randolph, Vt., notes the arrival of this bird about the 10th of May. He speaks of it as a very sweet singer, and as usually seen in the tops of tall trees, the hemlock being its favorite resort. There it chants its sweet sad notes through even the heat of the day. It continues in song nearly throughout the summer. Later in the season it frequents the open fields, in which it is seldom seen in the breeding-season. Its food, which it catches on the wing in the manner of Vireos, consists of the smaller winged insects, caterpillars, and other larvæ. In the fall, according to Mr. Audubon, it feeds upon various kinds of small berries. It reaches Massachusetts the first of May, and is most numerous about the 15th, when the larger proportion pass farther north. In Western Maine, Professor Verrill states it to be a summer but not a common visitant; and near Calais, Mr. Boardman has found it breeding, but does not regard it as at all common, though in the year 1867 he found it quite abundant in the thick woods in that neighborhood during its breeding-season. Dr. Bryant also speaks of it as one of the most common of the Warblers observed by him near Yarmouth, N. S. A single specimen was taken at Julianhaab, Greenland, in 1853, and sent to the Royal Museum of Copenhagen. In the vicinity of Boston, especially in the high grounds of Norfolk and Essex Counties, it is a not uncommon species, and its nests are found in certain favorite localities. Nuttall regards May 12 as the average of their first appearance. Busy, quiet, and unsuspicious of man, they were seen by him, collecting, in early October, in small groups, and moving restlessly through the forests preparatory to departing south. June 8, 1830, he found a nest of this species in a solitary situation among the Blue Hills of Milton, Mass. The nest was in a low and stunted juniper (a very unusual location). As he approached, the female remained motionless on the edge of the nest, in such a manner as to be mistaken for a young bird. She then darted to the ground, and, moving away expertly, disappeared. The nest contained four eggs, which he describes as white inclining to flesh-color, variegated at the larger end with pale purplish points interspersed with brown and black. The nest was formed of fine strips of the inner bark of the juniper, and tough white fibrous bark of other plants, lined with soft feathers and the slender tops of grass. The male bird was singing his simple chant, resembling the syllables _tē-dē-teritsé-a_, pronounced loud and slow, at the distance of a quarter of a mile from the nest. He describes his song as simple, drawling, and plaintive. He was constantly interrupting his song to catch small flies, keeping up a perpetual snapping of his bill. Several nests of this bird, given me by Mr. George O. Welch of Lynn, have been found by him in high trees in thick woods on the western borders of that city. They are all small, snug, compact structures, built on a base of fine strips of bark, bits of leaves, and stems of plants. The upper rims are a circular intertwining of fine slender twigs, interwoven with a few fine stems of the most delicate grasses. The inner portions of these nests are very softly and warmly bedded with the fine down and silky stems of plants. They have a diameter of three and a quarter inches, and a height of one and a half. The cavity is two inches in diameter, and one and a half in depth. The eggs measure .70 by .50 of an inch, have a white or purplish-white ground, and are blotched and dotted with markings of reddish and purplish brown, diffused over the entire egg, but more numerous about the larger end. One end is much more pointed than the other. Dendroica townsendi, BAIRD. TOWNSEND’S WARBLER. _Sylvia townsendi_, “NUTTALL,” TOWNSEND, J. A. N. Sc. VII, II, 1837, 191.—AUD. Orn. Biog. V, 1839, pl. cccxciii. _Sylvicola t._ BON.; AUD. Birds Am. II, 1841, pl. xcii. _Dendroica t._ BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 269; Rev. 185.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1858, 298 (Oaxaca; high lands in winter); 1859, 374 (Totontepec; winter); Ibis, 1865, 89.—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1859, 11 (Guatemala).—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. XII, II, 1859, 179 (Cal.).—TURNBULL, Birds of East Penn., etc. 1869, 42.—SUNDEVAL, Ofvers. 1869, 610 (Sitka).—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 91. SP. CHAR. _Spring male._ Above bright olive-green; the feathers all black in the centre, showing more or less as streaks, especially on the crown, where the black predominates. Quills, tail, and upper tail-covert feathers dark brown, edged with bluish-gray; the wings with two white bands on the coverts; the two outer tail-feathers white with a brown streak near the end; a white streak only in the end of the third feather. Under parts as far as the middle of the body, with the sides of head and neck, including a superciliary stripe and a spot beneath the eye, yellow; the median portion of the side of the head, the chin and throat, with streaks on the sides of the breast, flanks, and under tail-coverts, black; the remainder of the under parts white. Length, 5 inches; wing, 2.65; tail, 2.25. _Spring female._ Resembling the male, but the black patch on the throat replaced by irregular blotches upon a pure yellow ground. HAB. Western Province of United States, north to Sitka; Mexico, into Guatemala. Migratory. Accidental near Philadelphia. The autumnal adult male is much like the spring female, but the black throat-patch is perfectly defined, though much obscured by the yellow edges of the feathers, instead of broken into small blotches. The young male in autumn is similar in general appearance, but there are no streaks above, except on the crown, where they are mostly concealed; the stripe on side of head is olivaceous, instead of black; and nearly all the black on the throat is concealed. A fine adult male of this species was taken near Philadelphia, Penn., in the spring of 1868, and is now in the collection of the late W. P. Turnbull, Esq., of that city. HABITS. In regard to the habits of this very rare Western Warbler very little is as yet positively known, and nothing whatever has been ascertained as to its nesting or eggs. The species was first met with by Mr. Townsend, October 28, 1835, on the banks of the Columbia River, and was named by Mr. Nuttall in honor of its discoverer. It is spoken of by these gentlemen as having been a transient visitor only, stopping but a few days, on its way north, to recruit and feed, previous to its departing for the higher latitudes in which it spends the breeding-season. It is, however, quite as probable that they disperse by pairs into solitary places, where for a while they escape observation. When the season again compels them to migrate, they reappear on the same path, only this time in small and silent flocks, as they slowly move toward their winter quarters. These birds also are chiefly to be found in the tops of the loftiest firs and other evergreens of the forests, where it is almost impossible to procure them. Dr. Cooper observed one of this species at Shoalwater Bay, December 20, 1854. It was in company with a flock of Titmice and other small birds. The following year, in November, he saw a small flock in California, frequenting the willows in a low wet meadow, and was so fortunate as to procure a pair. Ridgway met with it in the East Humboldt Mountains, where it was rather common in September, inhabiting the thickets of aspens, alders, etc., along the streams. Mr. P. L. Sclater obtained several fine specimens of this Warbler from the west coast of Central America, and Mr. Salvin found it a winter visitant at Duenas, where he met with it even more frequently than the _Dendroica virens_, with which he found it associated. Skins were found among the birds taken by Dr. Van Patten in Guatemala. A single specimen has been taken in Pennsylvania. Mr. A. Boucard obtained specimens of this species in the mountainous district of Totontepec, in the State of Oaxaca, Mexico. Dendroica occidentalis, BAIRD. WESTERN WARBLER. _Sylvia occidentalis_, TOWNSEND, J. A. N. Sc. VII, ii, 1837, 190 (Columbia River).—IB. Narrative, 1839, 340.—AUD. Orn. Biog. V, pl. lv. _Sylvicola occ._ BON.; AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. xciii. _Dendroica occ._ BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 268; Rev. 183.—COOPER & SUCKLEY, R. R. Rep. XII, ii, 1859, 178 (N. W. coast).—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 92. _Dendroica chrysopareia_, SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1862, 19 (La Parada, Mex.) (not of P. Z. S. 1860, 19); Ibis, 1865, 89; 1866, 191. _Dendroica niveiventris_, SALVIN, P. Z. S. May 26, 1863, 187, pl. xxiv, fig. 2 (Guatemala). SP. CHAR. _Spring male._ Crown with sides of the head and neck continuous bright yellow, feathers of the former edged narrowly with black; rest of upper parts dark brown, edged with bluish-gray, so much so on the back and rump feathers as to obscure the brown, and with an olivaceous shade. Chin, throat, and forepart of breast (ending convexly behind in a subcrescentic outline), with the nape, black; rest of under parts white, very faintly streaked on the sides with black. Two white bands on the wing, two outer tail-feathers, and the terminal portion of a third, white; the shafts, and an internal streak towards the end, dark brown. Bill jet-black; legs brown. Length, 4.70; wing, 2.70; tail, 2.30. _Spring female._ Similar, but duller gray above; the yellow of the head less extended, and the throat whitish spotted with dusky. HAB. Western Province of United States and Mexico (Moyapam, winter, SUMICHRAST) to Guatemala. Not seen at Cape St. Lucas. An autumnal adult male (30,681, Guatemala, December, received from Mr. Salvin, and a type specimen of his “_niveiventris_”) is much like the spring male, having the throat wholly black, the feathers, however, faintly margined with whitish; there are no black spots on the crown, but, instead, an olivaceous stain; the nape is olivaceous instead of black, and the black centres to dorsal feathers more concealed; the ash above is less pure, and there is no trace of streaks on the sides. A female (autumnal?)—38,141—from Orizaba, Mexico, is grayish-olivaceous above, including the whole top of the head, except beneath the surface; the feathers on top of head have conspicuous black centres, but there are none on the back; the sides of the head, and the bases of the feathers on its top, are soiled yellow; the throat is dirty white, with the feathers dusky beneath the surface; the breast and sides have a strong brownish tinge. Another female, and an autumnal one (probably of the year), is more brown above, the specks on the top of the head exceedingly minute; there are also obscure streaks along the sides, where there is a strong brownish tinge. HABITS. The Western or Hermit Wood Warbler, so far as known, is limited in its distribution to the Pacific coast from Central America to Washington Territory. Specimens procured from Volcan de Fuego, Mexico, Arizona, and California, are in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution. But little is positively known as to its history or habits. Nuttall, who first met with it in the forests on the banks of the Columbia, had no doubt that it breeds in the dark forests bordering on that river. He described it as a remarkably shy and solitary bird, retiring into the darkest and most silent recesses of the evergreens, and apparently living among the loftiest branches of the gigantic firs of that region. In consequence of its peculiar habits it was with extreme difficulty that his party could get a sight of this retiring species. Its song, which he frequently heard from these high tree-tops at very regular intervals for an hour or two at a time, he describes as a faint, moody, and monotonous note, delivered when the bird is at rest on some lofty twig, and within convenient hearing of its mate. Mr. Townsend, who was one of the same party, shot a pair of these birds near Fort Vancouver, May 28, 1835. They were flitting among the tops of the pine-trees in the depths of the forest, where he frequently saw them hanging from the twigs, in the manner of Titmice. Their notes, uttered at different intervals, he describes as very similar to those of the Black-throated Blue Warbler (_D. cærulescens_). Dr. Suckley obtained, June, 1856, two specimens at Fort Steilacoom. He also describes them as very shy, feeding and spending most of their time in the tops of the highest firs, so high up as to be almost out of the reach of fine shot. The species he regards as not at all rare on the Pacific coast, but only difficult of procuring, on account of the almost inaccessible nature of its haunts. Dr. Coues procured a single specimen of this species in Arizona early in September. It was taken in thick scrub-oak bushes. He thinks it may be a summer resident of that Territory, but, if so, very rare. A single specimen was also obtained at Petuluma, Cal., by Mr. Emanuel Samuels, May 1, 1856. It was also observed, August 29, by Mr. Ridgway, among the bushes of a cañon among the East Humboldt Mountains. He describes its single note as a lisped _pzeet_. Three individuals of this species were collected by Mr. Boucard in Southern Mexico in 1862, and were referred by Dr. Sclater to _D. chrysopœia_ (P. Z. S., 1862, p. 19). Subsequently Mr. Salvin described as a new species, under the name of _D. niveiventris_, other individuals of the _D. occidentalis_ obtained by him in Guatemala. The true specific relations of the specimens both from Southern Mexico and Central America have since been made clear by Dr. Sclater, Ibis, 1865, p. 87, enabling us to give this species as a winter visitant of the countries above named. Mr. Salvin states (Ibis, 1866, p. 191) that these birds were found in most of the elevated districts where pines abound. He procured specimens in the Volcan de Fuego, in the hills above the Plain of Salama, and near the mines of Alotepeque. Dendroica pinus, BAIRD. PINE-CREEPING WARBLER. _Sylvia pinus_, WILS. Am. Orn. III, 1811, 25, pl. xix, fig. 4.—BON.; NUTT.—AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cxi. _Thryothorus pinus_, STEPH. _Sylvicola pinus_, JARD.; RICH.; BON.; AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. lxxxii.—JONES, Nat. Bermuda, 1859, 59 (abundant in Oct.). _Rhimanphus pinus_, BON. _Dendroica pinus_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 277; Rev. 190.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 31, no. 189.—COUES, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1861, 220 (Labrador coast).—SAMUELS, 229.—BRYANT, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1867, 67 (Inagua). _Sylvia vigorsii_, AUD. Orn. Biog. I, 1832, 153, pl. xxx. _Vireo vigorsii_. NUTT. SP. CHAR. _Spring male._ Upper parts nearly uniform and clear olive-green, the feathers of the crown with rather darker shafts. Under parts generally, except the middle of the belly behind, and under tail-coverts (which are white), bright gamboge-yellow, with obsolete streaks of dusky on the sides of the breast and body. Sides of head and neck olive-green like the back, with a broad superciliary stripe; the eyelids and a spot beneath the eye very obscurely yellow; wings and tail brown; the feathers edged with dirty white, and two bands of the same across the coverts. Inner web of the first tail-feather with nearly the terminal half, of the second with nearly the terminal third, dull inconspicuous white. Length, 5.50; wing, 3.00; tail, 2.40. (1,356.) _Spring female._ Similar, but more grayish above, and almost grayish-white, with a tinge of yellow beneath, instead of bright yellow. _Young._ Umber-brown above, and dingy pale ashy beneath, with a slight yellowish tinge on the abdomen. Wing and tail much as in the autumnal adult. HAB. Eastern Province of United States, north to Massachusetts; winters in United States. Not recorded in West Indies or Middle America (except Bahamas and Bermuda?). Autumnal males are much like spring individuals, but the yellow beneath is softer and somewhat richer, and the olive above overlaid with a reddish-umber tint. HABITS. The Pine-creeping Warbler is found more or less abundantly throughout the United States from the Atlantic to the Valley of the Mississippi. Dr. Woodhouse states that it is common in Texas and New Mexico. It was not, however, met with by any other of the government exploring parties. Dr. Gerhardt found it quite common in Northern Georgia, where it remains all the winter, and where it breeds very early in the season. On the 19th of April he found a nest of these birds with nearly full-grown young. It has not been found in Maine by Professor Verrill nor by Mr. Boardman, nor in Nova Scotia by Lieutenant Bland. Mr. Allen has found it breeding abundantly in the western part of Massachusetts, where it is one of the earliest Warblers to arrive, and where it remains until October. In 1861 they were abundant in the pine woods near Springfield as early as April 4, although the ground at that time was covered with snow. During the last weeks of April and the early part of May they frequent the open fields, obtaining much of their food from the ground in company with _D. palmarum_, the habits of which, at this time, it closely follows. Later in the season they retire to the pine forests, where they remain almost exclusively throughout the summer, chiefly on the tops of the tallest trees. For a few weeks preceding the first of October they again come about the orchards and fields. In its winter migrations it does not appear to leave this country, and has not been found in any of the West India Islands, in Mexico, nor in South or Central America. It breeds sparingly in Southern Illinois. Mr. Jones found these birds numerous in Bermuda late in September, but they all disappeared a few weeks later. Dr. Bryant found them at Inagua, Bahamas. Wilson first noticed this Warbler in the pine woods of the Southern States, where he found it resident all the year. He describes it as running along the bark of pine-trees, though occasionally alighting and feeding on the ground. When disturbed, it always flies up and clings to the trunks of trees. The farther south, the more numerous he found it. Its principal food is the seeds of the Southern pitch-pine and various kinds of insects. It was associated in flocks of thirty in the depths of the pine barrens, easily recognized by their manner of rising from the ground and alighting on the trunks of trees. Audubon also speaks of this bird as the most abundant of its tribe. He met with them on the sandy barrens of East Florida on the St. John’s River early in February, at which period they already had nests. In their habits he regarded them as quite closely allied to the Creepers, ascending the trunks and larger branches of trees, hopping along the bark searching for concealed larvæ. At one moment it moves sideways along a branch a few steps, then stops and moves in another direction, carefully examining each twig. It is active and restless, generally searching for insects among the leaves and blossoms of the pine, or in the crevices of the bark, but occasionally pursuing them on the wing. It is found exclusively in low lands, never in mountainous districts, and chiefly near the sea. Its nest is usually placed at considerable height, sometimes fifty feet or more from the ground, and is usually fastened to the twigs of a small branch. In Massachusetts it has but a single brood in a season, but at the South it is said to have three. The flight of this Warbler is short, and exhibits undulating curves of great elegance. Its song is described as monotonous, consisting merely of continuous and tremulous sounds. Mr. Audubon found none beyond New Brunswick, and it has never been found in Nova Scotia so far as I am aware. Both old and young birds remain in Massachusetts until late in October, and occasionally birds are seen as far to the north as Philadelphia in midwinter. At this season they abound in the pine forests of the Southern States, where they are at that time the most numerous of the Warblers, and where some are to be found throughout the year. In the summer their food consists of the larvæ and eggs of certain kinds of insects. In the autumn they frequent the Southern gardens, feeding on the berries of the cornel, the box grape, and other small fruit. Mr. Nuttall states that their song is deficient both in compass and in variety, though not disagreeable. At times, he states, it approaches the simpler trills of the canary; but is usually a reverberating, gently rising or murmuring sound like _er-r´-r´r´r´r´r´-ah_, or in the springtime like _twe twe-tw tw tw-tw tw_, and sometimes like _tsh-tsh-tsh-tw-tw-tw-tw_, exhibiting a pleasing variety in its cadences. The note of the female is not unlike that of the Black and White Creeper. On the 7th of June, Mr. Nuttall discovered a nest of this Warbler in a Virginia juniper-tree in Mount Auburn, some forty feet from the ground, and firmly fixed in the upright twigs of a close branch. It was a thin but very neat structure. Its principal material was the old and wiry stems of the _Polygonum tenue_, or knot-weed. These were circularly interlaced and inter-wound with rough linty fibres of asclepias and caterpillars’ webs. It was lined with a few bristles, slender root-fibres, a mat of the down of fern-stalks, and a few feathers. Mr. Nuttall saw several of these nests, all made in a similar manner. The eggs in the nest described were four, and far advanced towards hatching. They were white, with a slight tinge of green, and were freely sprinkled with small pale-brown spots, most numerous at the larger end, where they were aggregated on a more purplish ground. The female made some slight complaint, but immediately returned to the nest, though two of the eggs had been taken. Mr. Nuttall kept a male of this species in confinement. It at once became very tame, fed gratefully from the hand, from the moment it was caught, on flies, small earthworms, and minced flesh, and would sit contentedly on any hand, walking directly into a dish of water offered for drink, without any precautions, or any signs of fear. Mr. J. G. Shute found a nest of these Warblers in Woburn as early as May 8. It contained four eggs, the incubation of which had commenced. Three other nests were also found by him in the same locality, all of them between the 8th and the 24th of May, and all built on branches of the red pine and near the top. Several nests of this Warbler, found in Lynn, Mass., by Mr. George O. Welch, are alike in their mode of construction, and differ in their materials from other accounts. They are all somewhat loosely put together, and are composed externally of fine strips of the bark of the red cedar, fine inner bark of several deciduous trees, dry stalks of plants, the exuviæ of insects, and fine dry grasses. The cavities of these nests, which are comparatively large and deep, were lined with the fur of the smaller mammals, the silky down of plants, and feathers. A few fine wiry roots were also intermingled. These nests are about two and a half inches in height and three in diameter. The eggs of this Warbler are of a rounded oval shape, have an average length of .72 of an inch, and a breadth of .55. They resemble in size and appearance the eggs of the _D. castanea_, but the spots are more numerous, and the blotches larger and more generally distributed. The ground-color is a bluish-white. Scattered over this are subdued tintings of a fine delicate shade of purple, and upon this are distributed dots and blotches of a dark purplish-brown, mingled with a few lines almost black. Dendroica montana, BAIRD. BLUE MOUNTAIN WARBLER. _Sylvia montana_, WILS. Am. Orn. V, 1812, 113, pl. xliv, fig. 2 (“Blue Mountains of Pennsylvania”).—AUD. Orn. Biog. V, 294 (“California”!) _Sylvicola montana_, JARD.; AUD. Birds Am. II, 1841, 69, pl. xcviii. _Dendroica montana_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 279; Rev. 190. _Sylvia tigrina_, VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. II, 1807, 34, pl. xciv (U. S. and St. Domingo). SP. CHAR. This species is four inches and three quarters in length; the upper parts a rich yellow-olive; front, cheeks, and chin yellow, also the sides of the neck; breast and belly pale yellow, streaked with black or dusky; vent plain pale yellow. Wings black; first and second rows of coverts broadly tipped with pale yellowish-white; tertials the same; the rest of the quills edged with whitish. Tail black, handsomely rounded, edged with pale olive; the two exterior feathers on each side white on the inner vanes from the middle to the tips, and edged on the outer side with white. Bill dark brown. Legs and feet purple-brown; soles yellow. Eye dark hazel. (Wilson.) HAB. “Blue Mountains of Virginia.” St. Domingo? This species is only known from the description of Wilson, Vieillot, and Audubon, and we are not aware that a specimen is to be found in any collection. If described correctly, it appears different from any established species, although the most nearly related to _D. pinus_, which, however, differs in the absence of a yellow frontlet, in having a greener back, less distinct streaks beneath, and in the white of the anal region. HABITS. Whether the Blue Mountain Warbler is a genuine species or an unfamiliar plumage of a bird better known to us in a different dress is a question not altogether settled to the minds of some. It was described by Wilson from a single specimen obtained near the Blue Ridge of Virginia. Audubon found another in the collection of the Zoölogical Society. From this he made his drawing. A third has also been met with and described by Vieillot. We know nothing in regard to its habits, except that its song is said to be a single _screep_, three or four times repeated. Its breeding-habits, its manner of migration, and the place of its more abundant occurrence, yet remain entirely unknown. Dendroica kirtlandi, BAIRD. KIRTLAND’S WARBLER. _Sylvicola kirtlandi_, BAIRD, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. V, June, 1852, 217, pl. vi (Cleveland, Ohio).—CASSIN, Illust. I, 1855, 278, pl. xlvii. _Dendroica kirtlandi_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 286; Rev. 206. SP. CHAR. Above slate-blue, the feathers of the crown with a narrow, those of the middle of the back with a broader, streak of black; a narrow frontlet involving the lores, the anterior end of the eye, and the space beneath it (possibly the whole auriculars), black; the rest of the eyelids white. The under parts are clear yellow (almost white on the under tail-coverts); the breast with small spots and sides of the body with short streaks of black. The greater and middle wing-coverts, quills, and tail-feathers are edged with dull whitish. The two outer tail-feathers have a dull white spot near the end of the inner web, largest on the first. Length, 5.50; wing, 2.80; tail, 2.70. (4,363.) HAB. Northern Ohio, and Bahamas. In addition to the type which is in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution, a second specimen was obtained by Dr. Samuel Cabot, of Boston, taken at sea between the islands of Abaco and Cuba. It must, however, be considered as one of the rarest of American birds. HABITS. Kirtland’s Warbler is so far known by only a few rare specimens as a bird of North America, and its biography is utterly unknown. The first specimen of this species, so far as is known, was obtained by Dr. Jared P. Kirtland, of Cleveland, O., in May, 1851. It was shot by that naturalist in woods near that city, and was by him given to Professor Baird, who described it in the Annals of the New York Lyceum. It appears to be closely allied to both the _D. coronata_ and _D. auduboni_, and yet to be a specifically distinct bird. A second specimen, in the cabinet of Dr. Samuel Cabot, Jr., of Boston, was obtained at sea, between the islands of Cuba and Abaco. A third specimen was obtained June 9, 1860, near Cleveland, and is in the collection of Mr. R. K. Winslow, of that city. Another specimen is also reported as having been obtained in the same neighborhood, but not preserved; and Dr. Hoy, of Racine, Wis., is confident that he has seen it in the neighborhood of that place. At present all that we can give in regard to its history, habits, or distribution must be inferred from these few and meagre facts. Dendroica palmarum, BAIRD. YELLOW RED-POLL WARBLER. _Motacilla palmarum_, GMEL. Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 951 (based on Palm Warbler, LATHAM, Syn. II, p. 498, no. 131, St. Domingo). _Sylvia p._ LATH.; VIEILLOT, II, pl. lxxiii.—BON.; D’ORB. Sagra’s Cuba, Ois. 1840, 61, pl. viii. _Sylvicola p._ SALLÉ, P. Z. S. 1857, 231 (St. Domingo). _Dendroica p._ BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 288; Rev. 207.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 33, no. 199.—IB. P. Z. S. 1861, 71 (Jamaica; April).—BRYANT, Pr. Bost. Soc. VII, 1859 (Bahamas).—IB. 1867, 91 (Hayti).—BREWER, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1867, 139.—GUNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba; very common).—SAMUELS, 240. _Sylvia petechia_, WILS. VI, pl. xxviii, fig. 4.—BON.; NUTT.; AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. clxiii, clxiv. _Sylvicola petechia_, SWAINS.; AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. xc. _Sylvicola ruficapilla_, BON. _Rhimanphus ruf._ CAB. Jour. III, 1855, 473 (Cuba; winter). SP. CHAR. _Adult in spring._ Head above chestnut-red; rest of upper parts brownish olive-gray; the feathers with darker centres, the color brightening on the rump, upper tail-coverts, and outer margins of wing and tail-feathers, to greenish-yellow. A streak from nostrils over the eye, and under parts generally, including the tail-coverts, bright yellow; paler on the body. A maxillary line; breast and sides finely but rather obsoletely streaked with reddish-brown. Cheeks brownish (in highest spring plumage chestnut like the head); the eyelids and a spot under the eye olive-brown. Lores dusky. A white spot on the inner web of the outer two tail-feathers, at the end. Length, 5 inches; wing, 2.42; tail, 2.25. Sexes nearly alike. Autumnal males are more reddish above; under parts tinged with brown, the axillars yellow. HAB. Eastern Province of North America to Fort Simpson and Hudson’s Bay; Bahamas, Jamaica, Cuba, and St. Domingo in winter. Not noted from Mexico or Central America. This species varies considerably in different stages, but can generally be recognized. Immature specimens resemble those of _P. tigrina_, but differ in the chestnut crown, browner back, less bright rump, brighter yellow of under tail-coverts, smaller blotches on tail, no white bands on the wings, etc., as well as in the shape of the bill. HABITS. The Red-Poll Warbler belongs, in its geographical distribution, to that large class of birds which visit high northern latitudes to breed, passing back and forth over a wide extent of territory, from the West India Islands to the extreme northern portions of the continent. Specimens have been procured from Cuba, Jamaica, St. Domingo, and the Bahamas, in fall, winter, and spring, where, at such times, they seem to be generally quite common. It has not been observed in Mexico or in Central or South America. It has been met with on the western shore of Lake Michigan, but nowhere farther to the west. It has been found in the Red River Settlement, Fort George, Fort Simpson, and Fort Resolution, in the Hudson Bay Territory. It is not known, so far as I am aware, to breed south of latitude 44°. Wilson and Nuttall both state that this bird remains in Pennsylvania through the summer, but they were probably misinformed; at least, there is no recent evidence to this effect. Wilson also states that he shot specimens in Georgia, near Savannah, early in February, and infers that some pass the entire winter in Georgia, which is not improbable, as this bird can endure severe weather without any apparent inconvenience. There are several marked peculiarities in the habits of this Warbler which distinguish it from every other of its genus. Alone of all the _Dendroicæ_, so far as is known, it builds its nest on the ground, and is quite terrestrial in its habits, and, notwithstanding the statements of earlier writers, these are quite different from all others of this genus. It has very little of the habits of the Creeper and still less of the Flycatcher, while it has all the manners of the true Ground Warbler, and even approximates, in this respect, to the Titlarks. My attention was first called to these peculiarities by Mr. Downes of Halifax, in the summer of 1851; and I was surprised to find it nesting on the ground, and yet more to note that in all its movements it appeared fully as terrestrial as the Maryland Yellow-Throat, or the Towhee Finch. Since then Mr. Boardman and other naturalists have found its nest, which is always on the ground. Mr. MacCulloch, in the fourth volume of the Journal of the Boston Natural History Society, has given an interesting paper upon the terrestrial peculiarities of this species, showing them to be nearly identical with those of the _seiuri_, with whom he thinks it should be classed. In its terrestrial movements this bird is shown to be quite at home, while other Warblers, when driven by necessity to feed upon the ground, are awkward, and manifest a want of adaptation. Dr. Henry Bryant, another very close and accurate observer, in his notes on the birds of the Bahamas, referring to this Warbler, speaks of it as extremely abundant, but confined to the sea-shore. “Its habits,” he adds, apparently with some surprise, “are decidedly terrestrial, and it approaches, in this respect, to the Titlarks. They were constantly running along the edges of the road, or else hopping amongst the low branches in the pastures. I did not see a single individual seeking for food amidst the large trees. These birds could be constantly seen running up and down in the market in search of small flies. These they caught either on the ground or else by hopping up a few inches, scarcely opening the wings, and alighting directly.” Mr. J. A. Allen, in his Birds observed in Western Massachusetts, shows that these peculiarities of habits in this Warbler had not escaped his notice. He speaks of it as “frequenting, in company with _D. pinus_, the edges of thickets, orchards, and open fields, _and is much on the ground_.” Mr. George A. Boardman, writing me from St. Stephen, March, 1867, says: “The Yellow Red-Poll is one of our most common Warblers, and, unlike most other Warblers, spends much of its time feeding upon the ground. It is no uncommon thing to see a dozen or two on the ground in my garden at a time, in early spring. Later in the season they have more of the habits of other Warblers, and are in summer expert flycatchers. In the fall we again see them mostly upon the ground, feeding with the Blue Snowbirds (_Junco hyemalis_) and the Chipping Sparrow. They breed in old brushy pastures, and very early, nesting alongside of some little knoll, and, I think, always upon the ground. The nest is very warmly lined with feathers.” Mr. MacCulloch, in the paper already referred to, states that during their autumnal migrations they seem invariably to exhibit the habits of true _Sylvicolidæ_, gleaning among branches of trees for the smaller insects, and not unfrequently visiting the windows of dwellings in search of spiders and insects. In their migrations through Massachusetts these Warblers are everywhere quite abundant in the spring, but in their return in autumn are not observed in the eastern part of the State, though very common in the western from September into November, remaining long after all the other Warblers are gone. None remain during the summer. In Western Maine, Mr. Verrill states, it is quite common both in spring and in fall, arriving in April, earlier than any other Warbler, and again becoming abundant the last of September. I found it plentiful in the vicinity of Halifax, where it occurs throughout the summer from May to September. Mr. Ridgway gives this species as perhaps the most numerous of the transient visitants, in spring and fall, in Southern Illinois. It is very terrestrial in its habits, keeping much on the ground, in orchards and open places, and its movements are said to be wonderfully like those of _Anthus ludovicianus_. In the vibratory motions of its tail, especially when upon the ground, these birds greatly resemble the Wagtails of Europe. They have no other song than a few simple and feeble notes, so thin and weak that they might almost be mistaken for the sounds made by the common grasshopper. The Red-Poll usually selects for the site of its nest the edge of a swampy thicket, more or less open, placing it invariably upon the ground. This is usually not large, about three and a half inches in diameter and two and a half in depth, the diameter and depth of the cavity each averaging only half an inch less. The walls are compactly and elaborately constructed of an interweaving of various fine materials, chiefly fine dry grasses, slender strips of bark, stems of the smaller plants, hypnum, and other mosses. Within, the nest is warmly and softly lined with down and feathers. Mr. Kennicott met with a nest of this bird at Fort Resolution, June 18. It was on the ground, on a hummock, at the foot of a small spruce, in a swamp. When found, it contained five young birds. Their eggs are of a rounded-oval shape, and measure .70 of an inch in length by .55 in breadth. Their ground-color is a yellowish or creamy-white, and their blotches, chiefly about the larger end, are a blending of purple, lilac, and reddish-brown. Dendroica discolor, BAIRD. PRAIRIE WARBLER. _Sylvia discolor_, VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. II, 1807, 37, pl. xcviii.— BON.; AUD. Orn. Biog. I, pl. xiv; NUTT.—LEMBEYE, Aves Cuba, 1850, 32, pl. vi, fig. 2. _Sylvicola discolor_, JARD.; RICH.; BON.; AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. xcvii.—GOSSE, Birds Jam. 1847, 159. _Rhimanphus discolor_, CAB. Jour. III, 1855, 474 (Cuba; winter). _Dendroica discolor_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 290; Rev. 213.—NEWTON, Ibis, 1859, 144 (St. Croix).—BRYANT, Pr. Bost. Soc. VII, 1859 (Bahamas).—IB. 1866 (Porto Rico); 1867, 91 (Hayti).—GUNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba; very common).—SAMUELS, 241. _Sylvia minuta_, WILSON, III, pl. xxv. fig. 4. SP. CHAR. _Spring male._ Above uniform olive-green; the interscapular region with chestnut-red centres to feathers. Under parts and sides of the head, including a broad superciliary line from the nostrils to a little behind the eye, bright yellow, brightest anteriorly. A well-defined narrow stripe from the commissure of the mouth through the eye, and another from the same point curving gently below it, also a series of streaks on each side of the body, extending from the throat to the flanks, black. Quills and tail-feathers brown, edged with white; the terminal half of the inner web of the first and second tail-feathers white. Two yellowish bands on the wings. _Female_ similar, but duller. The dorsal streaks indistinct. Length, 4.86; wing, 2.25; tail, 2.10. First plumage of the young not seen. HAB. Atlantic region of United States, north to Massachusetts; South Illinois; in winter very abundant throughout all the West India Islands, as far, at least, as the Virgin Islands. Not recorded from Mexico or Central America. Autumnal specimens have the plumage more blended, but the markings not changed. A young male in autumnal dress is wholly brownish olive-green above, the whole wing uniform; the forehead ashy, the markings about the head rather obsolete, the chestnut spots on the back and the black ones on the sides nearly concealed. HABITS. The Prairie Warbler, nowhere an abundant species, is pretty generally, though somewhat irregularly, distributed through the eastern portion of the United States from Massachusetts to Georgia during its breeding-season. The Smithsonian Museum embraces no specimens taken west of Philadelphia or Washington. I have had its nest and eggs found in Central New York. Mr. Audubon speaks of its occurring in Louisiana, but his accounts of its nesting are so obviously inaccurate that we must receive this statement also with misgivings. Wilson, however, obtained specimens in Kentucky, and gave to it the inappropriate name of _Prairie_ Warbler. Nuttall regarded it as rare in New England, which opinion more careful observations do not confirm. They certainly are not rare in certain portions of Massachusetts. In Essex County, and, according to Mr. Allen, in the vicinity of Springfield, they are rather common. The Smithsonian possesses specimens from the Bahamas, Jamaica, St. Croix, St. Thomas, and other West India islands. Dr. Gundlach speaks of it as common in Cuba. In the Bahamas, Dr. Bryant found these Warblers more abundant than he had ever known them in the United States. In January all the males were in winter plumage, some not having changed by April to their summer costume. He regarded them as constant residents of those islands. They had all paired off by the middle of April. In the island of St. Croix, Mr. Edward Newton observed these Warblers from the 10th of September to the 27th of March. They were present on the island about two thirds of the year, and while they were found were very common. In Jamaica, according to Mr. March, they are numerous throughout the entire year, though less abundant during the summer months. They were always plentiful in the gardens about the _Malpighia glabra_, capturing small insects from the ripe fruit. Mr. Gosse, on the contrary, regarded it as only a winter visitant of that island, appearing by the 18th of August, and disappearing by the 11th of April. He observed them among low bushes and herbaceous weeds, along the roadside, near the ground, examining every stalk and twig for insects. Others flew from bushes by the wayside to the middle of the road, where, hovering in the air, a few feet from the ground, they seemed to be catching small dipterous insects. Their stomachs were filled with fragments of insects. Wilson found them usually in open plains and thinly wooded tracts, searching most leisurely among the foliage, carefully examining every leaf or blade of grass for insects, uttering, at short intervals, a brief _chirr_. They did not appear to be easily alarmed, and he has known one of these birds to remain half an hour at a time on the lower branch of a tree, and allow him to approach the foot, without being in the least disturbed. He found their food consisted of winged insects and small caterpillars. In 1858, Mr. John Cassin wrote me: “The Prairie Warbler certainly breeds in New Jersey, near Philadelphia. I have seen it all summer for the last twelve years, and have seen the young just able to fly, but never found the nest. It has a very peculiar note, which I know as well as I do the Catbird’s, having often followed and searched it out. It frequents cedar-trees, and I suspect breeds in and about them.” Dr. Coues found the Prairie Warbler mostly a spring and autumn visitant in the vicinity of Washington, being quite abundant during those seasons. A few were observed to remain during the breeding-season. They arrive earlier than most of this family of birds, or about the 20th of April. He found them frequenting, almost exclusively, cedar-patches and pine-trees, and speaks of their having very peculiar manners and notes. Both Wilson and Audubon were evidently at fault in their descriptions of the nest and eggs. These do not correspond with more recent and positive observations. Its nest is never pensile. Mr. Nuttall’s descriptions, on the other hand, are made from his own observations, and are evidently correct. He describes a nest that came under his observation as scarcely distinguishable from that of the _D. æstiva_. It was not pensile, but fixed in a forked branch, and formed of strips of the inner bark of the red cedar, fibres of asclepia, and caterpillars’ silk, and thickly lined with the down of the _Gnaphalium plantagineum_. He describes the eggs as having a white ground, sharp at one end, and marked with spots of lilac-purple and of two shades of brown, more numerous at the larger end, where they formed a ring. He speaks of their note as slender, and noticed their arrival about the second week of May, leaving the middle of September. At another time Mr. Nuttall was attracted by the slender, filing notes of this bird, resembling the suppressed syllables _’tsh-’tsh-’tsh-’tshea_, beginning low and gradually growing louder. With its mate it was busily engaged collecting flies and larvæ about a clump of locust-trees in Mount Auburn. Their nest was near, and the female, without any precautions, went directly to it. Mr. Nuttall removed two eggs, which he afterwards replaced. Each time, on his withdrawal, she returned to the nest, and resorted to no expedients to entice him away. Several nests of this Warbler have been obtained by Mr. Welch in Lynn. One was built on a wild rose, only a few feet from the ground. It is a snug, compact, and elaborately woven structure, having a height and a diameter of about two and a half inches. The cavity is two inches wide and one and a half deep. The materials of which the outer parts are woven are chiefly the soft inner bark of small shrubs, mingled with dry rose-leaves, bits of vegetables, wood, woody fibres, decayed stems of plants, spiders’ webs, etc. The whole is bound together like a web by cotton-like fibres of a vegetable origin. The upper rim of this nest is a marked feature, being a strongly interlaced weaving of vegetable roots and strips of bark. The lining of the nest is composed of fine vegetable fibres and a few horse-hairs. This nest, in its general mode of construction, resembles all that I have seen; only in others the materials vary,—in some dead and decayed leaves, in others remains of old cocoons, and in others the pappus of composite plants, being more prominent than the fine strips of bark. The nests are usually within four feet of the ground. The eggs vary from three to five, and even six. The late Dr. Gerhardt found this bird the most common Warbler in Northern Georgia. There its nests were similar in size, structure, and position, but differed more or less in the materials of which they were made. The nests were a trifle larger and the walls thinner, the cavities being correspondingly larger. The materials were more invariably fine strips of inner bark and flax-like vegetable fibres, and were lined with the finest stems of plants, in one case with the feathers of the Great Horned Owl. In that neighborhood the eggs were deposited by the 15th of May. In Massachusetts the Prairie Warbler invariably selects wild pasture-land, often not far from villages, and always open or very thinly wooded. In Georgia their nests were built in almost every kind of bush or low tree, or on the lower limbs of post-oaks, at the height of from four to seven feet. Eggs were found once as early as the 2d of May, and once as late as the 10th of June. The birds arrived there by the 10th of April, and seemed to prefer hillsides, but were found in almost any open locality. In Southern Illinois, Mr. Ridgway cites this species as a rather rare bird among the oak barrens where it breeds. He also met with it in orchards in the wooded portions, in April, during the northward migration of the _Sylvicolidæ_. The eggs are of an oval shape, pointed at one end, and measure .68 by .48 of an inch. They have a white ground, marked with spots of lilac and purple and two shades of umber-brown. SUBFAMILY GEOTHLYPINÆ. SECTION SEIUREÆ. The diagnosis of the subfamily will be found on page 178. The _Seiureæ_, as there stated, have the wings pointed, and rather longer than the nearly even tail, which is unspotted. The genera differ in proportion rather than absolutely, _Oporornis_ having longer wings and larger claws. The coloration, however, is always distinctive, as follows:— Under part white or whitish, thickly streaked … _Seiurus._ Beneath yellow, without spots … _Oporornis._ GENUS SEIURUS, SWAINSON. _Seiurus_, SWAINSON, Zoöl. Jour. III, 1827, 171. (Sufficiently distinct from _Sciurus_.) (Type, _Motacilla aurocapilla_, L.) _Henicocichla_, GRAY, List of Genera, 1840. [Line drawing: _Seiurus aurocapillus._ 1433] GEN. CHAR. Bill rather sylvicoline, compressed, with a distinct notch. Gonys ascending. Rictal bristles very short. Wings moderate, about three quarters of an inch longer than the tail; first quill scarcely shorter than the second. Tail slightly rounded; feathers acuminate. Tarsi about as long as the skull, considerably exceeding the middle toe. Under tail-coverts reaching within about half an inch of the end of the tail. Color above olivaceous; beneath whitish, thickly streaked on the breast and sides. Wings and tail immaculate. Nests on the ground, often arched or sheltered by position or dry leaves. Eggs white, marked with red, brown, and purple. This genus is decidedly sylvicoline in general appearance, although the spots on the breast resemble somewhat those of the Thrushes. The three species may be grouped as follows:— A. Middle of crown brownish-orange, bordered by blackish. No white superciliary streak … _S. aurocapillus._ B. Crown like the back. A well-defined superciliary light stripe. Thickly streaked beneath, including crissum. Ground-color and superciliary stripe yellowish. Bill small … _S. noveboracensis._ Sparsely streaked beneath; throat and crissum immaculate. Ground-color and superciliary stripe white. Bill very large … _S. ludovicianus._ Seiurus aurocapillus, SWAINS. GOLDEN-CROWNED THRUSH. _Motacilla aurocapilla_, LINN. S. N. I, 1766, 334. _Turdus aur._ LATH.; WILS. Am. Orn. II, pl. xiv, fig. 2.—AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cxliii. _Sylvia aur._ BON. _Seiurus aur._ SWAINSON, Zoöl. Jour. III, 1827, 171.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 260; Rev. 214.—MOORE, P. Z. S. 1859, 55 (Honduras).—MAX. Cab. Jour. 1858, 177.—JONES, Nat. Bermuda, 27. _Henicocichla aur._ SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 25, no. 159.—GUNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba). _Seiurus aur._ D’ORB. Sagra’s Cuba, 1840, 55.—DALL & BANNISTER, Tr. Chic. Ac. I, 1869, 278 (Alaska).—SAMUELS, 218. _Turdus coronatus_, VIEILL. Ois. II. 1807, 8. Other localities quoted: _Cordova_, SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1856, 293. _St. Domingo_, SALLÉ, P. Z. S. 1857, 231. _Guatemala_, SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, I, 1859, 10. _Santa Cruz_ (winter), NEWTON, Ibis, 1859, 142. _Cuba_ (winter), Cab. Jour. III, 471. _Jamaica_, GOSSE, Birds, 152.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1861, 70. _Costa Rica_, CAB. Jour. 1861, 84. _Orizaba_ (winter), SUMICHRAST. _Yucatan_, LAWR. _Chiriqui_, SALV. SP. CHAR. Above uniform olive-green, with a tinge of yellow. Crown with two narrow streaks of black from the bill, enclosing a median and much broader one of brownish-orange. Beneath white; the breast, sides of the body, and a maxillary line, streaked with black. The female and young of the year are not appreciably different. Length, 6.00; wing, 3.00; tail, 2.40. HAB. Eastern Province of North America, north to English River, H. B. T., and Alaska; west to mouth of Platte, and Denver City, Colorado; Mazatlan; whole West Indies; Eastern Mexico; Honduras, Guatemala, and Costa Rica; Bermuda in autumn and winter (JONES). [Illustration: _Seiurus aurocapillus._] HABITS. The Golden-crowned Thrush, or Oven-Bird, as in some portions of the country it is exclusively called, inhabits the whole of eastern North America, as far to the west as the Great Plains, and to the north at least as far as English River. In the winter season it has been found in Mexico, St. Domingo, Jamaica, Cuba, and other West India islands, and in Central America is also very common. Mr. Sumichrast also speaks of it as common at Orizaba during the same season, and it has been found in the Bermudas and the Bahamas. In all these places it usually appears early in the autumn and remains until the ensuing spring. It breeds as far to the north as it has been known to go. Richardson met with its nest on the banks of the Saskatchewan, and was convinced that it bred at even still higher latitudes. Among some memoranda I received from the late Mr. Kennicott is one stating that he met with this Thrush breeding near English River, July 15. These birds arrive in the fur country about the first of May. How far to the south they breed we have no positive information. I have never received its eggs from any point south of Philadelphia, nor did I ever meet with it or hear its notes in summer in the vicinity of Washington. Audubon was of the opinion that a few remain to breed even in Louisiana, and states that he found them abundant in Texas in the middle of May, but he may have confounded this species with the Louisiana Thrush. In Jamaica, where its habits have been carefully studied by Mr. Gosse, it arrives in September and leaves about the 20th of April. Mr. Würdemann obtained specimens at Cape Florida, September 24 and 25. Mr. Audubon mentions their appearing in Louisiana as early as the first of March. Wilson never noticed it in Louisiana before the last of April, nor after September. The Smithsonian possesses no specimen obtained earlier than May 1, except some procured April 25 from the mouth of Platte River. Mr. Allen notes its arrival in Western Massachusetts May 10. Mr. Verrill gives the early part of May as the time of its reaching Western Maine, and Mr. Boardman May 1 for the vicinity of Calais. Though not found on the California coast, specimens of this bird have been taken in winter near Mazatlan, Mexico, showing probably that in their migrations they cross the mountains of Northern Mexico, as do the _Mniotilta varia_ and a few other of our Eastern species. In Eastern Massachusetts it usually appears from the 1st to the 10th of May, just as the first leaves of the trees are expanding, and is to be found only in thick woods, often near their edges. Occasionally found perched on the low limbs of trees, it is quite terrestrial in its habits, keeps a good deal on the ground, running about among the fallen leaves, more in the manner of a small quadruped than a bird. Mr. Audubon speaks of its frequenting shady woods, watered by creeks and rivulets. I have found them rather more abundant in woods upon high and dry ground, usually upon slopes of wooded hillsides. In this respect it appears to differ in a marked manner from its near of kin, the Water Thrush (_S. noveboracensis_). This bird, and indeed all of this genus, have the peculiar vibratory motions of the tail noticed in the Wagtail of Europe, and also observed in our own Red-poll Warbler, and in the Titlarks. In consequence of these peculiarities this species is known, in Jamaica, as _Land Kickup_, and the _noveboracensis_ as the _Water Kickup_. Mr. Gosse found in its stomach gravel, various seeds, mud-insects, caterpillars, and small turbinate shells. The usual and more common song of this species is a very peculiar and striking one, unlike that of any other of our birds. It is said to somewhat resemble the song of the _Accentor modularis_ of Europe. It is loud and clear, enunciated with great rapidity, and uttered with great emphasis at its close. It is characterized by energy and power, rather than variety or sweetness, yet it is not unpleasing. Audubon calls it a “simple lay,” and again “a short succession of simple notes,”—expressions that would give one who had never heard its song an altogether incorrect idea of its true character. Wilson is still more in error when he states that this bird has no song, but an energetic twitter, when, in fact, it has two very distinct songs, each in its way remarkable. Nuttall describes its song as “a simple, long, reiterated note, rising from low to high, and shrill”; Richardson speaks of it as “a loud, clear, and remarkably pleasing ditty”; and Mr. Allen calls it “a loud, echoing song, heard everywhere in the deep woods.” In reference to the songs of this bird, and the injustice that has been done by writers to this and other species of our birds, Mr. Boardman of St. Stephen has written me the following just observations. “Many of our common Warblers, Thrushes, and other birds, have rare songs they reserve for some extra occasions, and many of our common birds do not get credit for half their real power of song. Once last spring, as I was watching for some birds, I heard a new and very pretty warble, something like the trill of a Winter Wren, and found that it came from our common slate-colored Snowbird (_Junco hyemalis_), a bird that I see every day that I go to the woods, and yet these notes I had never heard before. It is the same with the Golden-crowned Thrush. When it gets into the top of a tall tree, its strain is so rare and beautiful that but few know it as from that bird. The same is true of the Water Thrush, and also of both _Turdus pallasi_ and _Turdus swainsoni_.” The Oven-Bird always nests on the ground, and generally constructs nests with arched or domed roofs, with an entrance on one side, like the mouth of an oven, and hence its common name. This arched covering is not, however, universal. For a site this species usually selects the wooded slope of a hill, and the nests are usually sunk in the ground. When placed under the shelter of a projecting root, or in a thick clump of bushes, the nest has no other cover than a few loose leaves resting on, but forming no part of it. A nest from Racine, Wis., obtained by Dr. Hoy, is a fine typical specimen of the domed nests of this species. The roof is very perfect, and the whole presents the appearance of two shallow nests united at the rim, and leaving only a small opening at one side. This nest was five inches in diameter from front to back, six inches from side to side, and four inches high. The opening was two and a quarter inches wide, one and three quarters high. The cavity was two inches deep, below the brim. At the entrance the roof recedes about an inch, obviously to allow of a freer entrance and exit from the nest. Externally this nest is made of wood, mosses, lichens, and dry leaves, with a few stems and broken fragments of plants. The entrance is strongly built of stout twigs, and its upper portion is composed of a strong framework of fine twigs, roots, stems, mosses, dry plants, etc., all firmly interwoven, and lined with finer materials of the same. On the 7th of June, 1858, I came accidentally upon a nest of this bird of a very different style of structure. It was in a thick wood in Hingham. The nest was built in a depression in the ground at the foot of some low bushes, and its top was completely covered by surrounding vines and wild flowers. It would probably have escaped notice had not my daughter, then a child of four years, attempted to gather some wild flowers growing directly over its entrance. This flushed the mother, who until then had remained quiet, although we were standing with our feet almost upon the nest, and the bird fluttered and tumbled about at our feet with well-feigned manœuvres to distract our attention. The child in great glee sought to catch it, but it eluded her grasp, and, running off like a mouse, disappeared. The nest contained six eggs, was entirely open, and with no other cover than the wild plants that clustered above it. As to its identity there was no doubt, as the parent was afterwards snared upon its nest. This nest was somewhat loosely constructed of skeleton leaves, dry slender stalks, grasses, and pine-needles, and was lined with a few slender grasses and leaves. It had a diameter of six inches, and was two and a half inches deep. The cup had a diameter of three and a half inches and a depth of two, being very large for the size of the bird, probably owing to the shape of the cavity in which it was sunk. The nest of this bird seems to be a favorite place of resort for the Cow Blackbird to deposit its egg. In one nest, found by Mr. Vickary in Lynn, no less than three eggs of these parasites had been placed. The eggs of the Golden-crowned Thrush are subject to considerable variations. Their markings differ in their colors and shades, and yet more in number, size, and manner of distribution. The eggs are oval in shape, one end being but very slightly smaller than the other. Their average length is .82 of an inch, and their breadth is .55 of an inch. Their ground-color is a beautiful creamy-white. They are marked, usually principally about the larger end, with dots and blotches, intermingled, of red, reddish-brown, lilac, darker purple, and ferruginous. Occasionally these make a beautiful crown around the larger end, leaving the rest of the surface nearly free from spots. Seiurus noveboracensis, NUTT. SMALL-BILLED WATER THRUSH. _Motacilla noveboracensis_, GMELIN, S. N. I, 1788, 958. _Sylvia nov._ LATH.; VIEILLOT, Ois. Am. Sept. II, pl. lxxxii. _Seiurus nov._ NUTT.; BON.; AUD. Birds Am. III, pl. cxcix.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 261, pl. lxxx, fig. 1; Rev. 215.—MAX. Cab. Jour. 1858, 121.—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska).—SAMUELS, 220. _Henicocichla nov._ CAB. Schom. Guiana, III, 666; Jour. 1860, 324 (Costa Rica).—SCLATER (Tobago).—GUNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba). _Mniotilta nov._ GRAY. _?? Motacilla fuscescens_, GMELIN, S. N. 984 (based on _Ficedula jamaicensis_, BRISSON, III, 512, Jamaica). _Turdus aquaticus_, WILS.; AUD. Orn. Biog. 1839, 284, pl. ccccxxxiii. _Sylvia anthoides_, VIEILLOT, Nouv. Dict. XI, 1817, 208. _Seiurus tenuirostris_, SW. 1827; GAMB. _Seiurus_ _sulfurascens_, D’ORBIGNY, Sagra’s Cuba, 1840, 57, pl. vi. _Seiurus gosse_, BON. Consp. 1850, 306 (Jamaica). _? Anthus l’herminieri_, LESS. Rev. Z. 1839, 101 (Colombia). Other localities quoted: _Xalapa_, SCLATER. _Guatemala_, SCLATER & SALVIN. _Panama_, LAWRENCE. _Carthagena_, CASSIN. _Santa Cruz_ (winter), NEWTON. _Cuba_, CAB. _Jamaica_, GOSSE.; SCL. _Venezuela_, SCL. & SALV. _Yucatan_, LAWR. _St. Bartholemy_, SUND. _Veragua_, SALV. SP. CHAR. Bill, from rictus, about the length of the skull. Above olive-brown, with a shade of green; beneath pale sulphur-yellow, brightest on the abdomen. Region about the base of the lower mandible, and a superciliary line from the base of the bill to the nape, brownish-yellow. A dusky line from the bill through the eye; chin and throat finely spotted. All the remaining under parts and sides of the body, except the abdomen, and including the under tail-coverts, conspicuously and thickly streaked with olivaceous-brown, almost black on the breast. Length, 6.15; wing, 3.12; tail, 2.40. Bill, from rictus, .64. Sexes similar. HAB. Eastern Province of North America, north to Arctic Ocean and Yukon (westward along northern border of United States to Cascade Mountains); Fort Bridger, (DREXLER); Arizona (COUES); whole West Indies; Southeastern Mexico; all Central America; Panama and Eastern South America (Bogota; Carthagena; Brazil). A very young bird (22,619, Fort Simpson, August 10) is very different from the adult in coloration. The upper parts are fuliginous-black, each feather with a broad terminal bar of pale ochraceous, wing-coverts tipped with the same, forming two distinct bands; streaks below as in the adult, but broader and less sharply defined. HABITS. This species has a general distribution, at certain seasons, throughout the whole of eastern North America as far to the north as the Arctic Ocean. North of the United States it is also found on the Pacific coast as far south as the Cascade Mountains. In the winter it is quite common in all the West India Islands, in Southeastern Mexico, Central America, Panama, and the eastern part of South America to Brazil. From about latitude 43° northward it breeds throughout all North America. Sir John Richardson met with it at the Carlton House, where it was found frequenting the moist and thickly wooded banks of the river. These birds made their first appearance in May, and the greater portion soon after disappeared, as if proceeding still farther north to breed. Among other memoranda given me by the late Mr. Kennicott was one furnished him by Mr. Lockhart, to the effect that, at Yukon River, June 21, 1859, he had shot a female Water Thrush as she flew from her nest. This contained five eggs, and was concealed under a small pile of drift, close to the river, but under large willow-trees. This was not lined with down. At the same locality another nest with six eggs was also obtained. This also was on the ground at the foot of some willows near the water. It was made of moss, and lined with very fine grass. All that has been given by our earlier authors as to the habits of this species must be received with more or less uncertainty. The difference between this bird and that known as the Louisiana Thrush has not been sufficiently clear to these writers to enable us always to determine which of the two they had in view. And even now the distribution in summer of the _ludovicianus_ is hardly definable with precision. Wilson describes the habits of those he observed in Pennsylvania as evincing a remarkable partiality for brooks, rivers, ponds, and the vicinity of water generally, wading in shallow pools in search of aquatic insects, and giving, as it moves it along, an almost continuously vibratory motion to its tail. He speaks of it as very shy, darting away with signs of alarm whenever approached, and uttering a sharp cry. In all other respects his account of this bird probably refers to the Louisiana species. This is also, without doubt, true of nearly all Audubon gives in connection with the history of this Thrush, which in all probability does not breed in Louisiana, nor remain there through April, being at that time well on its way to more northern regions. Mr. Gosse, in his notes on the birds of Jamaica, states that this bird reappears in that island about the end of August. He noticed them about the muddy margins of ponds, and they soon became abundant. Individuals were also to be seen running on the road, especially near the sea-shore, and by the edges of morasses. They ran rapidly, often waded up to their tibiæ in water, or ran along the twigs of a fallen tree at the brink, and now and then flew up into the branches of a pimento or an orange-tree. Whether running or standing, they were continually flirting up their tails, after the manner of the European Wagtail. During its winter residence in Jamaica it has no song, only a monotonous cry, a sharp _chip_. Its stomach was found to contain water-insects and shells. Mr. March has noticed their arrival in Jamaica as early as August 5. They all leave by the first of April. Mr. Allen found these birds not uncommon both in spring and in fall in the vicinity of Springfield. He thinks a few breed there, as he has met with them in the months of June, July, and August, very sparingly however. They arrive about the 12th of May. I have once, at least, met with its nest and eggs near Boston. Dr. Coues says this bird is quite common, both in the spring and fall, near Washington, and breeds sparingly, having been found there in July. They arrive about the first of May, are eminently aquatic, frequent swampy thickets and thick dark woods interspersed with pools, where they associate with the Solitary Tatler. In Southern Illinois this species, Mr. Ridgway states, is found only during its migrations and in mild winters. He never met with it in the breeding-season, when the _S. ludovicianus_ is so abundant. But it returns early from the North, and he has shot numbers of them in August. During the whole fall they are common about all swampy places, or the margin of creeks in the woods; and in mild winters a few are found in the swamps of the bottom-lands, where the dense forest affords them comfortable shelter. On warm days in December and January, he has heard them singing with all the vigor of spring in such localities. In notes, as well as in manners, Mr. Ridgway has noticed little difference between this species and _S. ludovicianus_. The song, however, is decidedly weaker, though scarcely less sweet, and the two are very easily distinguished at sight by one familiar with them. These birds breed, though they are not very abundant, in the vicinity of Calais, and also in the western part of Maine. Professor Verrill states that they reached the neighborhood of Norway, Me., about the first of May, a fortnight earlier than Mr. Allen noted their arrival in Springfield. Mr. Verrill demonstrated the fact of their breeding in Western Maine, by finding, June 8, 1861, a nest and eggs in a dense cedar swamp near Norway. This was built in an excavation in the side of a decayed moss-covered log, the excavation itself forming an arch over the nest in the manner of, yet different from, that of the Golden-crowned. The nest itself was an exceeding beautiful structure, four and a half inches in diameter, but only an inch and a half in depth, being very nearly flat, the cavity only half an inch deep. The entire base was made of loose hypnum mosses, interspersed with a few dead leaves and stems. The whole inner structure or lining was made up of the fruit-stems of the same moss, densely impacted. The outer circumference was made up of mosses and intertwined small black vegetable roots. This nest contained five eggs, the brilliant white ground of which, with their delicately shaded spots of reddish-brown, contrasted with the bright green of the mossy exterior, and set off to advantage by the conspicuous and unique lining, produce a very beautiful effect. Mr. George A. Boardman of Calais, Me., an observing and accurate naturalist, has furnished me with the following interesting account of the habits of this species and its congener, the _aurocapillus_, in a letter dated St. Stephen, March 23, 1867. “Did you ever notice their walk on the ground? You know that most of our birds are hoppers. These two, _S. noveboracensis_ and _S. aurocapillus_, have a beautiful gliding walk, and of all our other birds I only remember two that are not hoppers, the _Anthus ludovicianus_ and _Molothrus pecoris_. I do not think that a naturalist should ever say, as Wilson was constantly doing, that any bird has no note or song whatever, unless he is well acquainted with them, at all times, especially while breeding. Many birds seem really to have nothing to say except when mating. I think that our little walker, the Water Thrush, has been particularly ill used by writers in this respect, for I regard him as one of our liveliest singers. Its note is very high and clear, begins with a sudden outburst of melody, so as almost to startle you, is very clear and ringing, as if the bird had just found its mate after a long absence. It then keeps falling until you can hardly hear it. Its note is very sweet, and can be heard when you are in a canoe or boat a very long ways. Like most of our Warblers and Thrushes, when singing, they do not like intrusion, and it was a long while before I could make out the bird that uttered these notes. I could only do it by going in a boat or canoe. They hide in thick trees, over the water, where it is impossible to walk up to them. I almost always find them on some island, in a river, that, has been overflowed, and always very near the water.” Their eggs vary in length from .81 to .87 of an inch, and in breadth from .65 to .69. They have an oblong-oval shape, tapering to a point at one end and rounded at the other. Their ground is a clear crystal-white, and they are more or less marked with lines, dots, and dashes of varying shades of umber-brown. These markings are more numerous around the larger end, and are much larger and bolder in some than in others, in many being mere points and fine dots, and in such cases equally distributed over the whole egg. In others a ring of large confluent blotches is grouped around the larger end, leaving the rest of the egg nearly unmarked. Seiurus ludovicianus, BONAP. LOUISIANA WATER THRUSH. _Turdus ludovicianus_, AUD. Orn. Biog. I, 1832, 99, pl. xix. _Seiurus ludovicianus_, BON.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 262, pl. lxxx, fig. 2; Rev. 217.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 363 (Xalapa); 373 (Oaxaca); 1861, 70 (Jamaica).—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1860, 273 (Guatemala).—SAMUELS, 579. _Henicocichla lud._ SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 25, no. 161 (Orizaba). _? Turdus motacilla_, VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. II, 1807, 9, pl. lxv (Kentucky). _Seiurus motacilla_, BON. 1850. _Henicocichla mot._ CAB. Jour. 1857, 240 (Cuba).—GUNDLACH, Jour. Orn. 1861, 326. _Henicocichla major_, CAB. Mus. Hein. 1850 (Xalapa). SP. CHAR. Bill longer than the skull. Upper parts olive-brown with a shade of greenish. A conspicuous white superciliary line from the bill to the nape, involving the upper lid, with a brown one from the bill through the eye, widening behind. Under parts white, with a very faint shade of pale buff behind, especially on the tail-coverts. A dusky maxillary line; the forepart of breast and sides of body with arrow-shaped streaks of the same color. Chin, throat, belly, and under tail-coverts, entirely immaculate. Length, 6.33; wing, 3.25; tail, 2.40; bill, from rictus, .75. Sexes similar. Young not seen. HAB. Eastern Province of United States as far north as Carlisle, Penn., and Michigan; Cuba and Jamaica; Southern Mexico (Colima) to Guatemala. [Line drawing: _Seiurus ludovicianus_, Bonap.] [Line drawing: _Seiurus noveboracensis_, Nutt. 2434] Autumnal specimens have a more or less strong wash of ochraceous over the flanks and crissum, and the brown above rather darker and less grayish than in spring birds. This species is very similar to _S. noveboracensis_, although readily distinguishable by the characters given in the diagnoses. The differences in the bill there referred to are illustrated in the accompanying diagram. HABITS. The Water Thrush described by Wilson as most abundant in the lower part of the Mississippi Valley, as well as that given by Audubon as the Louisiana Water Thrush, though its position as a genuine species was afterwards abandoned, are undoubtedly referable to a closely allied but apparently distinct _Seiurus_, now known as the Louisiana Water Thrush. This bird has a very close resemblance to the _noveboracensis_, differing chiefly in size and in having a larger bill. Although its distribution is not yet fully determined, it seems to belong rather to the South and Southwestern States, and only accidentally to be found north of the Middle States. Still a single specimen has been obtained in Massachusetts, and it has been several times found in Michigan and Missouri. Specimens of this bird have also been procured in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Tamaulipas, Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, and Guatemala. Its recognition as a distinct species from the common Water Thrush is so recent, and the two species so closely resemble each other, that as yet its habits and history are imperfectly known. Wilson refers to the birds he had met with in Mississippi and Louisiana, which we presume to have been the same, as being there in abundance, and eminently distinguished by the loudness, sweetness, and expressive vivacity of their notes. These he describes as beginning very high and clear, and as falling with an almost imperceptible gradation until they are scarcely articulated,—a description that would also answer very well for the song of the true Water Thrush. During their song, he adds, they are perched on the middle branches of a tree over the brook or river-bank, pouring out a charming melody, so loud and distinct that it may be heard at the distance of nearly half a mile. The voice of this bird appeared to him so exquisitely sweet and expressive that he was never tired of listening to it. It is also quite probable that nearly all of Audubon’s accounts of the habits of the Water Thrush were derived from his observation of this species, and not of its Northern congener. He describes its song as fully equal to that of the Nightingale, its notes as powerful and mellow, and at times as varied. He states that it is to be found at all seasons in the deepest and most swampy of the canebrakes of Mississippi and Louisiana. Its song is to be heard even in the winter, when the weather is calm and warm. He describes its flight as easy and continued, just above the brakes, or close to the ground. When on the ground, it is continually vibrating its body, jerking out its tail and then closing it again. It walks gracefully along the branches or on the ground, but never hops. He states that it feeds on insects and their larvæ, and often pursues the former on the wing. He describes the nest as placed at the foot and among the roots of a tree, or by the side of a decayed log, and says they are often easily discovered. They are commenced the first week of April. The outer portions are formed of dry leaves and mosses, the inner of fine grasses, with a few hairs or the dry fibres of the Spanish moss. The eggs, four in number, are described as flesh-colored, sprinkled with dark red at the larger end. They are hatched in fourteen days. The young leave the nest in about ten days, and follow the parent on the ground from place to place. When disturbed on her nest in the earlier periods of incubation, she merely flies off; but later, or when she has young, she tumbles about on the ground, spreads her wings and tail, utters piteous cries, and seems as if in the last agonies of despair. This species Mr. Audubon never met with farther east than Georgia, nor farther north than Henderson, Ky. Of late years, or since attention has been more drawn to the specific difference between this species and the Water Thrush, it has apparently become more numerous, and has been obtained in considerable numbers in the vicinity of Washington. In that neighborhood, once considered so rare, it was found by Dr. Coues to be not at all uncommon at certain seasons and in particular localities. From the 10th of April to the 20th of May it was always to be met with among the dense laurel-brakes that border the banks of and fill the ravines leading into Rock Creek and Piney Branch. He believes they breed there, but they were not observed in the fall. They were usually very shy, darting at once into the most impenetrable brakes, but were at other times easily approached. He always found them in pairs, even as early as the 20th of April. Their call-note was a sparrow-like chirp, as if made by striking two pebbles together. They also had a loud, beautiful, and melodious song, the singularity of which first drew his attention to the bird. Mr. Ridgway informs me that in the Wabash Valley this bird, familiarly known as the “Water Wagtail,” is an abundant summer sojourner. It inhabits the dampest situations in the bottom-lands, the borders of creeks, lagoons, and swamps, living there in company with the Prothonotary Warbler (_Protonotaria citrea_). In its movements it is one of the quickest as well as the most restless of the _Sylvicolidæ_, though it is eminently terrestrial in its habits. It is usually seen upon the wet ground, in a horizontal position, or even the posterior part of its body more elevated, and its body continually tilting up and down; if it fancies itself unobserved, it runs slyly beneath the brushwood overhanging the shore; but if startled, it flies up suddenly with a sharp and startling chatter. He adds that in early spring (from the latter part of February to the beginning of April) its rich loud song may be heard before the trees are in leaf, for it is one of the earliest of the Warblers to arrive. When singing, it is usually perched upon the lower branches of a tree overhanging the water, but he has frequently seen it among the topmost branches. Wilson and Audubon have not exaggerated the merits of the song of this bird, for among all its family there is certainly not one of our North American species that compares with it. In richness and volume of its very liquid notes it is almost unrivalled, though the song itself may not be considered otherwise remarkable. Mr. Salvin met this species in different portions of Guatemala in the months of August, September, and November, 1859. A dry watercourse in the forest, or in the bottom of a barranco, seemed to be its favorite resort, while its near congener, the _noveboracensis_, was observed to seek rather the more open streams. GENUS OPORORNIS, BAIRD. _Oporornis_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 246. (Type, _Sylvia agilis_, WILS.) [Line drawing: _Oporornis formosus._ 517] GEN. CHAR. Bill sylvicoline, rather compressed; distinctly notched at tip; rictal bristles very much reduced. Wings elongated, pointed, much longer than the tail; the first quill nearly or quite the longest. Tail very slightly rounded; tail-feathers acuminate, pointed; the under coverts reaching to within less than half an inch of their tip. Tarsi elongated, longer than the head; claws large, the hinder one as long as its digit, and longer than the lateral toes. Above olive-green; beneath yellow; tail and wings immaculate. Legs yellow. This group of American Warblers is very distinct from any other. The typical species is quite similar in color to _Geothlypis philadelphia_, but is at once to be distinguished by much longer wings, more even tail, and larger toes and claws. It is also very similar to _Seiurus_, differing chiefly in the longer wings, larger claws, and absence of spots beneath. Throat and crown ash-color; a white ring round the eye. No black on the side of the head … _O. agilis._ Throat and superciliary stripe yellow; top of the head and a streak beneath the eye black … _O. formosus._ Oporornis agilis, BAIRD. CONNECTICUT WARBLER. _Sylvia agilis_, WILS. Am. Orn. V, 1812, 64, pl. xxxix, fig. 4.—AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cxxxviii; BON. _Sylvicola ag._ JARD.; AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. xcix. _Trichas ag._ NUTT. _Oporornis ag._ BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 246, pl. lxxix, fig. 2: Rev. 218. _? Trichas tephrocotis_, NUTT. Man. 2d ed. 1840, 462 (Chester Co., Penn.; top of head pure ash).—SAMUELS, 208. SP. CHAR. _Spring male._ Upper parts and sides of the body uniform olive-green, very slightly tinged with ash on the crown. Sides of the head ash, tinged with dusky beneath, the eye. (Entire head sometimes ash.) Chin and throat grayish-ash, gradually becoming darker to the upper part of the breast, where it becomes tinged with dark ash. Sides of the neck, breast, and body olive, like the back; rest of under parts light yellow. A broad continuous white ring round the eye. Wings and tail-feathers olive (especially the latter), without any trace of bars or spots. Bill brown above. Feet yellow. Length, 6 inches; wing, 3.00; tail, 2.25. _Female._ The olive-green reaching to the bill, and covering sides of head; throat and jugulum pale ashy-buff. _Young_ not seen. Nesting unknown. Autumnal specimen nearly uniform olive above; the throat tinged with brownish so as to obscure the ash. HAB. Eastern Province of United States. [Illustration: PLATE XV. 1. Oporornis agilis, _Wils._ ♂ Ill., 35031. 2. “ “ “ ♀. 3. “ formosas, _Wils._ ♂ Ill., 60873. 4. Geothlypis macgillivrayi, _Aud._ ♂ Oreg., 1861. 5. “ “ “ ♀. 6. “ philadelphia, _Wils._ ♂ Pa., 689. 7. “ trichas, _Linn._ ♂ D. C., 26024. 8. “ “ “ ♀ Pa., 385. 9. “ philadelphia, _Wils._ ♀ Pa., 1037. 10. Myiodioctes mitratus, _Gm._ ♂ Pa., 2226. 11. “ “ “ ♀ Pa., 2228. 12. Icteria virens, _Linn._ ♂ Pa., 2260.] A specimen in the collection of the Philadelphia Academy, killed by Mr. Krider, has the darker ash of the jugulum of a decided sooty tinge. A peculiarity in the history of this species is shown in the fact that it is quite abundant in Illinois, Wisconsin, etc., in the spring, and very rare in the autumn; precisely the reverse being the case near the Atlantic border, where only two or three spring specimens have been announced as captured by collectors. It is possible that they go north in spring, along the valley of the Mississippi, and return in autumn through the Atlantic States. Their summer abode and breeding-place are as yet unknown. [Illustration: _Oporornis agilis._] HABITS. Of the history of this rare and beautiful species but little is as yet known. It was first met with by Wilson, in the State of Connecticut, and he afterwards obtained two other specimens near Philadelphia. Others have since been procured at Carlisle, Penn., at Washington, Loudon County, Va., near Chicago, Racine, and in Southern Illinois. September 25 to October 1, and May, from the 15th to the 28th, appears to be the epoch of their fall and spring occurrence. They are more frequently noticed in the autumn. It is supposed to be a migratory bird, going north to breed. It was found by Wilson, in every case, among low thickets, and seemed to be more than commonly active, not remaining for a moment in the same position. Mr. Audubon obtained only two specimens, a pair, opposite Philadelphia in New Jersey. When he first observed them they were hopping and skipping from one low bush to another, and among the tall reeds of the marsh, emitting an oft-repeated _tweet_ at every move. They were chasing a species of spider that ran nimbly over the water, and which they caught by gliding over it. Upon dissecting them, he found a number of these spiders in their stomachs, and no other food. These two birds were not at all shy, and seemed to take very little notice of him, even when close to them. Mr. Trumbull, in his list of the birds of Eastern Pennsylvania, marks it as a summer resident of that State, which is probably not the fact. Mr. Lawrence includes it in his list of birds found near New York City. It is not given by Mr. Verrill or Mr. Boardman as occurring in any part of Maine, and has not been detected in Western Massachusetts by Mr. Allen, though it has been occasionally met with in the eastern part of the State by Dr. Cabot, Mr. Maynard, and others. More recently, in the fall of 1870, and again in that of 1871, this species has been found quite abundant in a restricted locality in the eastern part of that State. It was first observed by Mr. H. W. Henshaw, a promising young naturalist, in the early part of September, 1870, among the Fresh Pond marshes in Cambridge. They appeared to be quite numerous, and several specimens were obtained. He communicated the discovery to his friend, Mr. William Brewster, and more than fifty specimens of this rare Warbler were obtained during that season. In the following autumn, in September and during the first few days of October, these birds were observed in the same locality, apparently in greater numbers, and more specimens were obtained. Mr. Henshaw writes me that he first saw this species, September 7, 1870, when he obtained a single specimen. From that time until September 27 it was very common throughout the Fresh Pond swamps, to which locality it seemed to be restricted. It again made its appearance in 1871, and at about the same time, and remained until October 5. It was in even greater numbers than during the preceding year. Their habits, while with us in the fall, appear to be very different from those of the individuals observed by Wilson and Audubon, which were described as being of a remarkably lively disposition, and hence the name of _agilis_. Mr. Henshaw found them almost constantly engaged in seeking their food upon the ground. When startled, they would fly up to the nearest bush, upon which they would sit perfectly motionless, in a manner closely resembling the Thrushes. If not further disturbed, they immediately returned to the ground and resumed the search for food among the leaves. If greatly startled, they took a long flight among the bushes, and could rarely be found again. The only note he heard them utter was a single sharp chirp, emitted occasionally, when surprised. They were all remarkably fat, so much so as to make it difficult to obtain a good specimen. About sunset, standing on the skirts of the swamp, he has repeatedly observed these birds alight, in great numbers, on the edge, and immediately pass in, evidently intending to remain there over night. He judged that they migrate entirely by day. On only one or two occasions did he observe these birds feeding in the tops of willow-trees. At such times they appeared equally lively in their movements with the _Dendroica striata_, in company with which they were associated. The birds he saw were nearly all in immature plumage, adults being comparatively rare. Dr. Coues states that the Connecticut Warbler is found near Washington in the month of October, but that it is rather uncommon. He did not meet with it in spring. He speaks of its frequenting old buckwheat and corn fields, searching for food among the dry, rank weeds, and also in swampy places among low thickets. Oporornis formosus, BAIRD. KENTUCKY WARBLER. _? Sylvia æquinoctialis_, VIEILL. Ois. Am. Sept. II, 1807, 26, pl. lxxxi, Penn. (not of GMELIN). _Sylvia formosa_, WILS. Am. Orn. III, 1811, 85, pl. xxv, fig. 3.—NUTT.; AUD. Orn. Biog. I, pl. xxxviii. _Sylvicola formosa_, JARD.; RICH.; BON.; MAX. _Myiodioctes formosus_, AUD. Syn.—IB. Birds Am. II, pl. lxxiv.—LEMBEYE, Av. Cuba, 1850, 37. GUNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba). _Oporornis formosus_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 247; Rev. 218.—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, I, 1859, 10 (Guatemala). Other localities cited: _Mexico_, SCLATER. _Isthmus Panama_, LAWRENCE. _Veragua_, SALV. _Costa Rica_, LAWR. SP. CHAR. _Adult male._ Upper parts and sides dark olive-green. Crown and sides of the head, including a triangular patch from behind the eye down the side of the neck, black, the feathers of the crown narrowly lunulated at tips with dark ash. A line from nostrils over the eye and encircling it (except anteriorly), with the entire under parts, bright yellow. No white on the tail. _Female_ similar, with less black on the head. Length, 5 inches; wing, 2.95; tail, 2.25. _Young_ not seen. The adults in autumn are exactly the same as in spring. HAB. Eastern Province of United States, north to Washington and Chicago; west to Republican Fork of Kansas River (Coues). Cuba, Guatemala, and Isthmus Panama. Not recorded from West Indies except Cuba. HABITS. The Kentucky Warbler is an abundant species in the Southern and Southwestern States, and has been found, though more rarely, as far to the north as Southern New York in the east and to Southern Wisconsin in the west. It has also been obtained at Fort Riley, in Kansas. Its nest and eggs have been procured near Cleveland, O., by Dr. J. P Kirtland, and also in Chester County, Penn., by Mr. Norris. It is a winter inhabitant in Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, and Cuba. Wilson speaks of having met with this bird in abundance from Kentucky to the mouth of the Mississippi, everywhere quite common, but most especially so in the States of Tennessee and Kentucky. At the Balize he several times heard it twittering among the high rank grass of those solitary morasses. He found it frequenting low damp woods, and building its nest either in the middle of thick tufts of rank grass, in the fork of a low bush, or on the ground. The materials of which these nests were made were loose dry grass, mixed with the pith of wood, and lined with hair. He found the eggs from four to six in number, pure white, sprinkled with reddish specks. He met with the female sitting upon her eggs as early as May. These birds, he adds, are seldom seen among high branches, but prefer to frequent low bushes and canebrakes. In their habits they are very lively and sprightly. The song is loud, comprising three notes, and resembles _tweedle-tweedle-dweedle_. It makes its appearance in Kentucky from the South about the middle of April, and leaves the region about New Orleans on the approach of cold weather. Wilson was assured that it never remains there during the winter. Wilson characterizes these birds as a reckless fighting species, almost always engaged in pursuing its fellows. Mr. Audubon states that this Warbler is the most common and abundant species that visits the State of Louisiana and the whole region about the Mississippi River, but is not so common in Kentucky or Ohio. He describes it as an extremely lively and active bird, found in all the low grounds and damp places near watercourses, and generally among the tall rank weeds and low bushes growing in rich alluvial soil. It is continually in motion, hopping from stalk to stalk, and from twig to twig, preying upon insects, larvæ, or small berries, rarely pursuing an insect on the wing. He describes its song as agreeable and emphatic. He has never known this species fly farther than a few yards at a time. Its flight is low, and is performed in a gliding manner. It makes its first appearance about the middle of March, and remains until the middle or last of September. He states that it rears two broods in a season. His description of its nest, as “small, beautifully constructed, and attached to several stems of rank weeds,” etc., does not agree in position, size, or appearance with any that I have ever seen. According to Mr. Audubon, it feeds largely upon spiders, which it obtains by turning over the withered leaves on the ground. The young birds resemble their mother until the following season, when the males attain the full beauty of their plumage. They remain with their parents until they migrate. The late Dr. Alexander Gerhardt, an accurate and observing naturalist of Northern Georgia, informed me, by letter, that the nest of the Kentucky Warbler is usually built on the ground, under a tuft of grass, often on a hillside and always in dry places. The eggs are deposited from the 4th to the 15th of May. Nearly all the nests he met with were made externally of a loose aggregation of dry oak and chestnut leaves, so rudely thrown together as hardly to possess any coherence, and requiring to be sewed to be kept in place. The interior or inner nests were more compactly interwoven, usually composed of fine dark-brown roots. Instead of being small, they are large for the bird, and are inelegantly and clumsily made. They measure four inches in their diameter, three in height, and two in the depth of their cavity. One nest, the last received from Dr. Gerhardt, obtained by him at Varnell’s Station, in Northern Georgia, June 5, 1860, is large and peculiar in its construction. It is nearly spherical in shape, with an entrance partially on one side and nearly arched over. The periphery of this nest is composed exclusively of partially decayed deciduous leaves, impacted together, yet somewhat loosely. Within this outer covering is a fine framework of stems, twigs, and rootlets, and within this a snug, compact lining of hair and finer rootlets and fibres. This nest is six inches in diameter and five in height. It contained four eggs. These eggs have an average length of .69 of an inch and a breadth of .56 of an inch. They have an oblong-oval shape, a crystalline-white ground, and the entire surface is sprinkled over with fine dots of red and reddish-brown. These, though most abundant about the larger end, are nowhere confluent, and do not form a crown. A nest of this bird from Chester County, Penn., is a very flat structure, evidently built in a bed of fallen leaves. It has a diameter of six inches and a height of only two. The cup is a mere depression only half an inch in depth. Its base is loosely constructed of dried leaves, upon which is interwoven a coarse lining of long, dry, and wiry rootlets and stems of plants. It was given to Mr. J. P. Norris, from whom I received it, and it is now in the Boston collection. Mr. Robert Ridgway furnishes the following valuable information in regard to the abundance and general habits of this species as observed in Southern Illinois: “It is a very common summer bird in Southern Illinois, where it arrives in the Wabash Valley towards the last of April. It is a wood-loving species, and of terrestrial habits, like the _Seiurus aurocapillus_, but generally frequents rather different situations from the latter bird, liking better the undergrowth of ‘bottom’ woods than that of dry forests. In all its manners it closely resembles the _Seiuri_, especially the two aquatic species, _ludovicianus_ and _noveboracensis_, having the same tilting motion of the body, and horizontal attitude when perching, so characteristic of these birds. The nest I have never found, though well aware of its actual situation. I knew of one somewhere among the ‘top’ of a fallen tree, but it was so well concealed that the closest search did not enable me to discover it. In most cases the nest is probably on the ground, among the rubbish of fallen tree-tops, or low brushwood. “The usual note of this Warbler is a sharp _tship_, almost precisely like that of the Pewee (_Sayornis fuscus_), uttered as the bird perches on a twig near the ground, continually tilting its body, or is changed into a sharp rapid twitter as one chases another through the thicket. Their song is very pretty, consisting of a fine whistle, delivered very much in the style of the Cardinal Grosbeak (_Cardinalis virginianus_), though finer in tone, and weaker.” Dr. Coues found this Warbler rare at Washington, and chiefly in low woods with thick undergrowth, and in ravines. They were very silent, but not shy, and a few breed there. SECTION GEOTHLYPEÆ. GENUS GEOTHLYPIS, CABAN. _Trichas_, SWAINSON, Zoöl. Journ. III, July, 1827, 167 (not of Gloger, March, 1827, equal to _Criniger_, Temm.). _Geothlypis_, CABANIS, Wiegmann’s Archiv, 1847, I, 316, 349.—IB. Schomburgk’s Reise, Guiana, 1848. GEN. CHAR. Bill sylvicoline, rather depressed, and distinctly notched; rictal bristles very short or wanting. Wings short, rounded, scarcely longer than the tail; the first quill shorter than the fourth. Tail long; much rounded or graduated. Legs stout; tarsi elongated, as long as the head. Olive-green above, belly yellow. Tail-feathers immaculate. Legs yellow. Synopsis of Species. Throat yellow … _Series I._ Throat ash … _Series II._ _Series I._ A. Black mask extending beneath the eye and on the auriculars. 1. G. trichas. Black mask bordered along its posterior edge with pale ashy or whitish; maxillæ black. Sexes dissimilar. ♀. Olive-brown above; throat only, distinctly yellow; no black mask. _Juv._ Without either black or pure yellow; above olive-brown, like ♀, beneath pale ochraceous-buff. Abdomen almost always whitish; occiput russet-olive. Bill, from nostril, .30;. tarsus, .70; wing, 2.25; tail, 2.15. _Hab._ Whole of United States; in winter most of West Indies, and Middle America, north to Guatemala … var. _trichas_. Colors similar; abdomen yellow. Bill, .45; tarsus, .90; wing, 2.50; tail, 2.50. _Hab._ Nassau; New Providence; Bahamas … var. _rostrata_.[52] Abdomen bright yellow; occiput whitish-ash tinged with yellow. Bill, .32; tarsus, .75; wing, 2.45; tail, 2.50. _Hab._ Eastern Mexico (Jalapa?) … var. _melanops_.[53] 2. G. æquinoctialis. Black mask not bordered posteriorly by ashy or whitish; much narrower on forehead than on auriculars; maxillæ yellow. Sexes similar. Black of the auriculars bordered posteriorly by the olive-green of the neck. Bill, .17 deep; wing, 2.50; tail, 2.35. _Hab._ Northeast South America (Cayenne, Trinidad, etc.) … var. _æquinoctialis_.[54] Black of the auriculars bordered posteriorly by the ash of the crown. Bill, .14 deep; wing, 2.40; tail, 2.50. _Hab._ Brazil … var. _velata_.[55] B. Black mask not extending underneath the eye, but confined to lores and frontlet. 3. G. poliocephala. Bill much as in _Granatellus_. Above olive-green; the crown light ash; beneath yellow. Sexes dissimilar. Eyelids white; nape and auriculars olive-green; abdomen whitish. Bill, .30, .15 deep; wing, 2.20; tail, 2.50. _Hab._ West Mexico (Mazatlan) … var. _poliocephala_.[56] Eyelids black; nape and auriculars ashy; abdomen wholly yellow. Bill, .35, .18 deep; wing, 2.40; tail, 2.50. _Hab._ Guatemala (Retaluleu) … var. _caninucha_.[57] _Series II._ 4. G. philadelphia. Head all round ashy; lores only, black. Sexes nearly similar. Eyelids dusky (except in ♀); a black patch on jugulum of ♂. ♀. Throat tinged with yellow. _Hab._ Eastern Province of North America; in winter south to Panama … var. _philadelphia_. Eyelids white; no black patch on jugulum. ♀. Throat not tinged with yellow. _Hab._ Western and Middle Province of United States; in winter south to Costa Rica (Western Coast) … var. _macgillivrayi_. Geothlypis trichas, CABAN. MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT; BLACK-MASKED GROUND WARBLER. _Turdus trichas_, LINN. S. N. 1766, 293. _Sylvia trichas_, LATH.; AUD., etc. _Geothlypis trichas_, CAB. Mus. Hein. 1850, 16.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 241; Rev. 220.—GUNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba).—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 27, no. 167.—MARCH, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1863, 293.—LORD, Pr. R. Art. Inst. Woolwich, IV, 1864, 115 (N. W. Boundary).—JONES, Nat. Bermuda, 29.—SAMUELS, 205.—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 95. _Sylvia marilandica_, WILSON. _Trichas mar._ BON. _Regulus mystaceus_, STEPHENS. _Trichas personatus_, SWAINSON. _Sylvia roscoe_, AUD. _Trichas brachydactylus_, SWAINS. Other localities quoted: _Xalapa_, _Oaxaca_, _Cordova_, SCL. _Guatemala_, SCL. & SALV. _Bahamas_, BRYANT. _Costa Rica_, CAB.; LAWR. _Orizaba_ (autumn), SUM. _Yucatan_, LAWR. Figures: VIEILL. Ois. II, pl. xxviii, xxix.—AUD. Orn. Biog. I, II, V, pl. xxiii, cii, ccxl.—WILS. I, pl. vi, fig. 1.—BUFFON, Pl. enl. 709, fig. 2. [Line drawing: _Geothlypis trichas._ 26017] SP. CHAR. (No. 26,024 ♂.) Wings a little shorter than the somewhat graduated tail. Bill slender, the depth contained about two and a half times in distance from nostrils to tip. First quill about equal to seventh. Forehead to above the anterior edge of the eye, and across the entire cheeks, ears, and jaws, and ending in an angle on sides of neck, black, with a suffusion of hoary bluish-gray behind it on the crown and sides of neck; the occipital and nuchal region grayish-brown, passing insensibly into the olive-green of the upper parts. Chin, throat, jugulum, edge of wing and crissum rich yellow (the latter paler); rest of under parts, with lining of wings, yellowish-white, the sides tinged with brownish; outer primary edged with whitish, the others with olive-green. Bill black; legs yellowish. Total length, 4.40; wing, 2.15; tail, 2.30; graduation, .25; width of outer tail-feather, .28; difference between first and third quills, .15; length of bill from forehead, .52; from nostril, .30; along gape, .60; tarsus, .75; middle toe and claw, .66; claw alone, .18; hind toe and claw, .48; claw alone, .26. Male in winter, and the female, without the black mask; the forehead tinged with brown, the yellow of the throat less extended, the eyelids whitish, and a yellowish superciliary line. HAB. The whole United States, from Atlantic to Pacific, and south to Costa Rica; Bermuda (October); Bahamas; Cuba; Jamaica. The young bird is brownish-olive above, becoming more virescent on the rump and tail; eyelids, and whole lower parts, soft light buff, with a faint tinge of yellow on the breast and lower tail-coverts. [Illustration: _Geothlypis trichas._] There is very much variation manifested in a large series (containing more than one hundred and thirty specimens, principally North American), though but very little that accords with any distinctions of habitat. As a rule, however, those from the Atlantic States are the smallest of the series, and have most white on the abdomen, the yellow being restricted to the throat and jugulum, and the lower tail-coverts. In most specimens from the Mississippi Valley the yellow beneath is quite continuous, and the size considerably larger than in the series above mentioned, in these respects approaching the _G. melanops_ from Eastern Mexico, in which the yellow pervades the whole surface beneath; but in this the whitish border above the black mask is extended over the whole crown, leaving the nape only distinctly brownish, and the size larger than the average of the series alluded to. However, No. 61,135 ♂, Liberty County, Ga., has even more white on top of the head, the whole occiput being of this color; while No. 7,922 ♂, from Racine, Wis., is quite as long as the type of _melanops_ (the tail only, shorter), and there is nearly as much yellow beneath. The Georgia specimen, however, in other respects, is most like the Atlantic style. Specimens from the Pacific coast have just appreciably longer tails than Eastern ones, and the olive-green above is brighter. Jamaican and Guatemalan specimens are identical with many from the United States. The _G. rostratus_ of Bryant, from the Bahamas, appears to be merely a gigantic insular race of the common species. HABITS. This well-known and beautiful little Ground Warbler is a common, abundant, and widely diffused species, occurring throughout the United States from ocean to ocean, and from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada and Nova Scotia. It is found, during the winter months, in Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, Yucatan, Guatemala, Costa Rica, the Bahamas, and, in the fall, in Bermuda. On the Pacific coast it has been found from Cape St. Lucas to the British territories. It breeds from Northern Georgia to Halifax, inclusive. In Central America, Mr. Salvin states that this Warbler is by far the most common of the _Mniotiltidæ_, but is wholly migratory. It was usually found in the neighborhood of water, frequenting the reeds that surrounded Lake Duenas, and the bushes on the banks of its outlet. It was also taken by Mr. Boucard at Totontepec, among the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico. It was observed as far to the north as Lake of the Woods, by Mr. Kennicott. Several were there observed, both males and females, May 29. It is everywhere quite common, and is, I think, as numerous in New England as in the Middle States. For the most part it seems to prefer wild lands, especially those overgrown with briers and low bushes, to open or cultivated grounds. Yet this preference is not exclusive, as I have known a pair, or their offspring, to visit the same garden nine or ten successive summers. It is also more generally found in low lands than in high, and is probably attracted to moist thickets of briers and underbrush by the greater abundance of its favorite food. This Warbler is eminently terrestrial in its habits, never being found among higher limbs, but always either on the ground or among the lower branches of bushes, vines, and weeds. It is a diligent rather than an active or nimble bird, is always on the move, and incessantly in search of its food. This consists of insects in all their forms, but more particularly of larvæ, small beetles, and spiders. They are of great service in the destruction of several forms of injurious grubs, and but that their mode of life exposes them to destruction by prowling cats, I doubt not they would readily adapt themselves to living in our gardens. Occasionally they are found in fields of grain, where their presence is due to the abundance of destructive insects. The Yellow-Throat appears shy and retiring because it prefers to move back and forth among low shrubs and brambles, where it most readily procures its food, but it is not a timid bird. They are unsuspecting, and will as readily permit as fly from the near presence of man. I have frequently had them approach within a few feet, especially when at rest; and even when in motion they will continue their lively song, as they move about from twig to twig. Though able to capture an insect on the wing, they are not expert fly-catchers, and chiefly take their prey when it is at rest. Their song is a very lively and agreeable refrain, easily recognized, though exhibiting at times marked differences, and occasionally closely resembling the song of the Summer Yellow-Bird. The same brief series of notes, usually sounding like _whi-ti-tēē-tēē_, is constantly repeated at short intervals, while the singer continues his perpetual hunt for insects. The male is very affectionate and devoted to both mate and offspring. The pair are never far apart, and during incubation the male is assiduous in the collection of food, feeding its mate, and afterwards assisting in collecting for their young. They rely upon concealment for the protection of their nest, and rarely show any open solicitude until it is discovered. Then they will make the most vehement demonstrations of alarm and distress, flying about the intruder and fearlessly approaching him to within a few feet. In Massachusetts they rarely, if ever, have more than one brood in a season. The young are able to take care of themselves early in July. At that time the song of the male ceases, or is abbreviated to a single _whit_, and parents and young form a family group and together hunt in the more secluded thickets, the edges of woods, and other retired places, for their food. Early in September they take their departure. The Yellow-Throat is distributed, in suitable localities, over a large area, and wherever found is apparently equally common. Dr. Gerhardt found it quite abundant in Northern Georgia. Wilson and Audubon thought it more common in the Middle States than farther north, but I have found it quite as numerous about Halifax and Eastport as I have at Washington. Dr. Cooper speaks of it as “very common” in Washington Territory, though not so abundant as MacGillivray’s Warbler. The same writer also states it to be a “very common bird” in California. Their earliest arrival at San Diego was on the 17th of April, about the time they reach Pennsylvania. They appear in New England early in May. Their nest is almost invariably upon the ground, usually in a thick bed of fallen leaves, a clump of grass or weeds, at the roots of low bushes or briers, or under the shelter of a brush-pile. Occasionally it has been found among high weeds, built in a matted cluster of branches, four or five feet from the ground. Sometimes it is sunk in a depression in the ground, and often its top is covered by loose overlying leaves. I have never found this top interwoven with or forming any part of the nest itself. The nest is usually both large and deep for the size of the bird, its loose periphery of leaves and dry sedges adding to its size, and it often has a depth of from five to six inches from its rim to its base. The cavity is usually three inches deep and two and a quarter wide. Generally these nests are constructed on a base of dry leaves. An external framework, rudely put together, of dry grasses, sedge leaves, strips of dry bark, twigs, and decaying vegetables, covers an inner nest, or lining, of finer materials, and more carefully woven. At the rim of the nest these materials sometimes project like a rude palisade or hedge. Usually the lining is of fine grasses, without hair or feathers of any kind. In some nests the outer portion and base are composed almost entirely of fine dry strips of the inner bark of the wild grape. The eggs vary from four to six in number, and also differ greatly in their size, so much so that the question has arisen if there are not two species, closely resembling, but differing chiefly in their size. Of this, however, there is no evidence other than in these marked variations in the eggs. In the Great Basin, Mr. Ridgway found this bird abundant in all the bushy localities in the vicinity of water, but it was confined to the lower portions, never being seen high up on the mountains, nor even in the lower portions of the mountain cañons. Their eggs exhibit a variation in length of from .55 to .72 of an inch, and in breadth from .48 to .58 of an inch; the smallest being from Georgia, and the largest from Kansas. They are of a beautiful clear crystalline-white ground, and are dotted, blotched, and marbled around the larger end with purple, reddish-brown, and dark umber. Geothlypis philadelphia, BAIRD. MOURNING WARBLER. _Sylvia philadelphia_, WILS. Am. Orn. II, 1810, 101, pl. xiv; AUD.; NUTT. _Trichas philadelphia_, JARD.—REINHARDT, Vidensk. Meddel. for 1853, and Ibis, 1861, 6 (Greenland). _Geothlypis phila._ BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 243, pl. lxxix, fig. 3; Rev. 226.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 27 (Orizaba).—LAWRENCE, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. 1861, 322 (Panama).—SAMUELS, 207.—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 476. Figures: WILS. Am. Orn. II, pl. xiv.—AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. ci. SP. CHAR. Wings but little longer than the tail, reaching but little beyond its base. _Adult male._ Head and neck all round, with throat and forepart of breast, ash-gray, paler beneath. The feathers of the chin, throat, and fore breast in reality black, but with narrow ashy margins more or less concealing the black, except on the breast. Lores and region round the eye dusky, without any trace of a pale ring. Upper parts and sides of the body clear olive-green; the under parts bright yellow. Tail-feathers uniform olive; first primary, with the outer half of the outer web, nearly white. _Female_ with the gray of the crown glossed with olive; the chin and throat paler centrally, and tinged with fulvous; a dull whitish ring round the eye. Length, 5.50; wing, 2.45; tail, 2.25. _Young_ not seen. HAB. Eastern Province of United States to British America; Greenland; Southeastern Mexico, Panama R. R., and Colombia. Not recorded from West Indies or Guatemala. Costa Rica (LAWR.). Specimens vary in the amount of black on the jugulum, and the purity of the ash of the throat. The species is often confounded with _Oporornis agilis_, to which the resemblance is quite close. They may, however, be distinguished by the much longer and more pointed wings, and more even tail, shorter legs, etc., of _agilis_. The white ring round the eye in the female _philadelphia_ increases the difficulty of separation. The adult male in autumn is scarcely different from the spring bird, there being merely a faint olive-tinge to the ash on top of the head, and the black jugular patch more restricted, being more concealed by the ashy borders to the feathers; the yellow beneath somewhat deeper. HABITS. The Mourning Warbler was first discovered and described by Wilson, who captured it in the early part of June, on the borders of a marsh, within a few miles of Philadelphia. This was the only specimen he ever met with. He found it flitting from one low bush to another in search of insects. It had a sprightly and pleasant warbling song, the novelty of which first attracted his attention. For a long while Wilson’s single bird remained unique, and from its excessive rarity Bonaparte conjectured that it might be an accidental variety of the Yellow-Throat. At present, though still of unfrequent occurrence, it is by no means a doubtful, though generally a comparatively rare species. Audubon mentions having received several specimens of this Warbler, procured in the neighborhood of Philadelphia, New York, and Vermont, all of which were obtained in the spring or summer months. He met with a single specimen in Louisiana, and thinks its habits closely resemble those of the Maryland Yellow-Throat. Nuttall met with what he presumes to have been one of these birds in the Botanical Garden at Cambridge. It had all the manners of the Yellow-Throat, was busy in the search of insects in the low bushes, and, at intervals, warbled out some very pleasant notes, which partly resembled the lively chant of the _Trichas_, and in some degree the song of the Summer Yellow-Bird. Professor Reinhardt states that two individuals of this species have been taken in Greenland,—one in Fiskenæsset, in 1846, and the other at Julianhaab, in 1853. Mr. Turnbull gives it as still quite rare in Eastern Pennsylvania, arriving there in the middle of May on its way farther north. Mr. Lawrence includes it in his list of the birds of New York. Mr. Dresser obtained five specimens early in May, in Southern Texas. It has been met with as far to the north as Greenland by Reinhardt, and in Selkirk Settlement by Donald Gunn. It has been procured in Eastern Mexico, in Panama, in Carlisle, Penn., Southern Illinois, Missouri, Nova Scotia, and various other places. It has been known to breed in Waterville, Me., and is not uncommon in Northwestern and Northern New York. A single specimen of this bird was obtained at Ocana, in Colombia, South America, by Mr. C. W. Wyatt. Late in May, 1838, I have a note of having met with this species in Mount Auburn. The bird was fearless and unsuspecting, busily engaged, among some low shrubbery, in search of insects. It suffered our near presence, was often within a few feet, and was so readily distinguishable that my companion, with no acquaintance with birds, at once recognized it from Audubon’s plates. Its habits were the exact counterpart of those of the Yellow-Throat. We did not notice its song. Mr. Maynard states that, May 21, 1866, Mr. William Brewster shot a male of this species in Cambridge, on the top of a tall tree. Another specimen was taken at Franconia Mountains, New Hampshire, August 3, 1867. It was in company with four fully fledged young, which it was feeding. The young were shy, and could not be procured. The old bird was catching flies, after the manner of Flycatchers. Mr. Maynard has met this species but once in Massachusetts, and then in May, among low bushes and in a swampy place. He has since found it rather common at Lake Umbagog, Maine, in June, where it breeds. He states that it frequents the bushes along fences, stone walls, and the edges of woods. The male often perches and sings in the early morning on the top rail of a fence, or the dead branch of a tree. Its song he speaks of as loud and clear, somewhat resembling that of the _Seiurus noveboracensis_. Mr. Paine considers this Warbler to be very rare in Vermont. He once observed a pair, with their young, at Randolph. The male was singing a quite pleasing, though somewhat monotonous song. Mr. George Welch met with these birds in the Adirondack region, New York, in June, 1870. They seemed rather abundant, and were evidently breeding there. He obtained a single specimen. Mr. John Burroughs, of Washington, was so fortunate as to obtain the nest and eggs of this Warbler near the head-waters of the Delaware River, in Roxbury, Delaware County, N. Y. “The nest,” he writes me, “was in the edge of an old bark-peeling, in a hemlock wood, and was placed in some ferns about one foot from the ground. The nest was quite massive, its outer portions being composed of small dry stalks and leaves. The cavity was very deep, and was lined with fine black roots. I have frequently observed this Warbler in that section. About the head of the Neversink and Esopus, in the northwest part of Ulster County, New York, they are the prevailing Warbler, and their song may be heard all day long. Their song suggests that of the Kentucky Ground Warbler, but is not so loud and fine.” Mr. Burroughs states elsewhere that “the eggs, three in number, were of light flesh-color, uniformly speckled with fine brown specks. The cavity of the nest was so deep that the back of the sitting bird sank below the edge.” Their eggs are of an oblong-oval shape, pointed at one end. They measure .75 by .55 of an inch. Their ground-color is a pinkish-white, and they are marked with dots and blotches, of varying size, of dark purplish-brown. Geothlypis macgillivrayi, BAIRD. MACGILLIVRAY’S GROUND WARBLER. _Sylvia macgillivrayi_, AUD. Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 75, pl. cccxcix. _Trichas macg._ AUD. _Geothlypis macg._ BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 244, pl. lxxix, fig. 4; Rev. 227.—SCLATER, Catal. 1861, 27 (Jalapa and Guat.).—IB. P. Z. S. 1859, 363, 373 (Xalapa, Oaxaca).—CAB. Jour. 1861, 84 (Costa Rica).—COOPER & SUCKLEY, P. R. R. Rep. XII, II, 1859, 177.—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 96. _Sylvicola macg._ MAX. Cab. Jour. VI, 1858, 118. _Sylvia tolmiæi_, TOWNS. J. A. N. Sc. 1839. _Trichas tolmiæi_, NUTT. Man. I. _Trichas vegeta_ (LICHT.), BP. Consp. 1850, 310; _fide_ Cab. Jour. 1861, 84 (Mexico). SP. CHAR. _Adult male._ Head and neck all round, throat and forepart of the breast, dark ash-color; a narrow frontlet, loral region, and space round the eye (scarcely complete behind), black. The eyelids above and below the eye (not in a continuous ring) white. The feathers of the chin, throat, and fore breast really black, with ashy-gray tips more or less concealing the black. Rest of upper parts dark olive-green (sides under the wings paler); of lower, bright yellow. _Female_ with the throat paler and without any black. Length of male, 5 inches; wing, 2.45; tail, 2.45. _Young_ not seen. HAB. Western and Middle Provinces of United States, to northern boundary; east to Fort Laramie; south to Costa Rica. The white eyelids of this species distinguish its males from those of _G. philadelphia_, in which there is a black jugular patch not seen in the present species. The females can only be known by the slenderer bill and more rounded wing, the first quill being intermediate between the fifth and sixth, instead of being considerably longer than the fifth. The autumnal adult male is as described above, except that there is a faint tinge of green on the crown, and the ashy borders to feathers of throat and jugulum broader, concealing more the black. The adult female in autumn is considerably more dully colored than in spring. HABITS. This comparatively new Warbler was first met with by Townsend, and described by Audubon in the last volume of his Ornithological Biography. It has since been found to have a wide range throughout the western portion of North America, from Cape St. Lucas to British America, and from the Plains to the Pacific. It has also been obtained at Choapan in the State of Orizaba, Mexico, by Mr. Boucard, and in Guatemala by Mr. Salvin, who states that throughout the district between the volcanoes of Agua and Fuego this was a common species, frequenting the outskirts of the forests and the edges of the clearings. It breeds in abundance in Utah, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington Territory, and probably also in Northern California. Townsend first met with it on the banks of the Columbia. He states that it was mostly solitary and extremely wary, keeping chiefly in the most impenetrable thickets, and gliding through them in a cautious and suspicious manner. Sometimes it might be seen, at midday, perched upon a dead twig, over its favorite places of concealment, at such times warbling a very sprightly and pleasant little song, raising its head until its bill is nearly vertical. Mr. Nuttall informed Mr. Audubon that this Warbler is one of the most common summer residents of the woods and plains of the Columbia, where it appears early in May, and remains until the approach of winter. It keeps near the ground, and gleans its subsistence among the low bushes. It is shy, and when surprised or closely watched it immediately skulks off, often uttering a loud _click_. Its notes, he states, resemble those of the _Seiurus aurocapillus_. On the 12th of June a nest was brought to Mr. Nuttall, containing two young birds quite fledged, in the plumage of the mother. The nest was chiefly made of strips of the inner bark of the _Thuja occidentalis_, lined with slender wiry stalks. It was built near the ground in the dead, moss-covered limbs of a fallen oak, and was partly hidden by long tufts of _usnea_. It was less artificial than the Yellow-Throat’s nest, but was of the same general appearance. On his restoring the nest to its place, the parents immediately approached to feed their charge. Dr. Suckley found this Warbler very abundant between the Cascade Mountains and the Pacific coast. Like all Ground Warblers it was entirely insectivorous, all the stomachs examined containing coleoptera and other insects. He did not find them shy, but as they frequented thick brush they were very difficult to procure. Dr. Cooper found this species very common about Puget Sound, frequenting the underbrush in dry woods, occasionally singing a song from a low tree, similar to that of the Yellow-Throat. He found its nest built in a bush, a foot from the ground. It was of straw, loosely made, and without any soft lining. Dr. Cooper found this species as far east as Fort Laramie, in Wyoming. They reach the Columbia River by the 3d of May. The same writer noticed the first of this species at Fort Mojave, April 24. He regarded their habits as varying in some respects from those of the _Trichas_, as they prefer dry localities, and hunt for insects not only in low bushes but also in trees, like the _Dendroicæ_. Dr. Cooper twice describes their eggs as white, which is inaccurate. He thinks that some of them winter in the warmer portions of California. He regards them as shy, if watched, seeking the densest thickets, but brought out again by their curiosity if a person waits for them, and the birds will approach within a few feet, keeping up a scolding chirp. The nests of this species obtained by Dr. Kennerly from Puget Sound were all built on the ground, and were constructed almost exclusively of beautifully delicate mosses, peculiar to that country. They are shallow nests, with a diameter of four and a height of two inches, the cavity occupying a large proportion of the nest. Its walls and base are of uniform thickness, averaging about one inch. The nests are lined with finer mosses and a few slender stems and fibres. Mr. Ridgway found these Warblers breeding in great numbers, June 23, 1869, at Parley’s Park, Utah, among the Wahsatch Mountains. One of these nests (S. I., 15,238) was in a bunch of weeds, among the underbrush of a willow-thicket along a cañon stream. It was situated about eight inches from the ground, is cuplike in shape, two inches in height, three in diameter, and somewhat loosely constructed of slender strips of bark, decayed stalks of plants, dry grasses, intermixed with a few fine roots, and lined with finer materials of the same. The cavity is one and a half inches in depth, and two in diameter at the rim. The eggs, four in number, are .75 of an inch in length and .50 in breadth. Their ground-color is a pinkish-white, marbled and spotted with purple, lilac, reddish-brown, and dark brown, approaching black. The blotches of the last color vary much in size, in one instance having a length of .21 of an inch, and having the appearance of hieroglyphics. When these spots are large, they are very sparse. “This species,” Mr. Ridgway writes, “inhabits exclusively the brushwood along the streams of the mountain cañons and ravines. Among the weeds in such localities numerous nests were found. In no case were they on the ground, though they were always near it; being fixed between upright stalks of herbs, occasionally, perhaps, in a brier, from about one to two feet above the ground. The note of the parent bird, when a nest was disturbed, was a strong _chip_, much like that of the _Cyanospiza amæna_ or _C. cyanea_.” He also states that it was abundant in the East Humboldt Mountains in August and in September, and also throughout the summer. A pair of fully fledged young was caught on the 21st of July. SUBFAMILY ICTERIANÆ. SECTION ICTERIEÆ. In this section there are two American genera; one found in the United States, the other not. The diagnoses are as follows:— Size large (about 8 inches). Lower jaw not deeper than upper anterior to nostrils. Tail moderate. Partly yellow beneath, olive-green above … _Icteria_. Size smaller (about 6 inches). Lower jaw deeper than upper. Tail almost fan-shaped. Partly red beneath, plumbeous-blue above … _Granatellus_.[58] GENUS ICTERIA, VIEILL. _Icteria_, VIEILLOT, Ois. Am. Sept. I, 1807, iii and 85. (Type, MUSCICAPA VIRIDIS, GM. _Turdus virens_, LINN.) [Line drawing: _Icteria virens._ 2260] GEN. CHAR. Bill broad at base, but contracting rapidly and becoming attenuated when viewed from above; high at the base (higher than broad opposite the nostrils); the culmen and commissure much curved from base; the gonys straight. Upper jaw deeper than the lower; bill without notch or rictal bristles. Nostrils circular, edged above with membrane, the feathers close to their borders. Wings shorter than tail, considerably rounded; first quill rather shorter than the sixth. Tail moderately graduated; the feathers rounded, but narrow. Middle toe without claw about two thirds the length of tarsus, which has the scutellæ fused externally in part into one plate. The precise systematic position of the genus _Icteria_ is a matter of much contrariety of opinion among ornithologists; but we have little hesitation in including it among the _Sylvicolidæ_. It has been most frequently assigned to the _Vireonidæ_, but differs essentially in the deeply cleft inner toe (not half united as in _Vireo_), the partially booted tarsi, the lengthened middle toe, the slightly curved claws, the entire absence of notch or hook in the bill, and the short, rounded wing with only nine primaries. The wing of _Vireo_, when much rounded, has ten primaries,—nine only being met with when the wing is very long and pointed. Of this genus only one species is known, although two races are recognized by naturalists, differing in the length of the tail. I. virens. Above olive-green; beneath gamboge-yellow for the anterior half, and white for the posterior. A white stripe over the eye. Length of tail, 3.30 inches. _Hab._ Eastern United States to the Plains; in winter through Eastern Mexico to Guatemala … var. _virens_. Length of tail, 3.70 inches. _Hab._ Western United States from the Plains to the Pacific; Western Mexico in winter … var. _longicauda_. Icteria virens, BAIRD. YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. _Turdus virens_, LINN. Syst. Nat. 10th ed. 1758, 171, no. 16 (based on _Œnanthe americana_, _pectore luteo_, Yellow-breasted Chat, CATESBY, Carol. I, tab. 50). _Icteria virens_, BAIRD, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 228. _Muscicapa viridis_, GMELIN, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 936. _Icteria viridis_, BON.; AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cxxxvii.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 248. _Icteria dumecola_, VIEILL. _Pipra polyglotta_, WILS. _? Icteria velasquezi_, BON. P. Z. S. 1837, 117 (Mexico).—SCLATER & SALV. Ibis, I, 1859, 12 (Guatemala). Localities quoted: _Costa Rica_, CABAN. _Orizaba_ (winter), SUM. _Yucatan_, LAWR. SP. CHAR. Third and fourth quills longest; second and fifth little shorter; first nearly equal to the sixth. Tail graduated. Upper parts uniform olive-green; under parts, including the inside of wing, gamboge-yellow as far as nearly half-way from the point of the bill to the tip of the tail; rest of under parts white, tinged with brown on the sides; the outer side of the tibiæ plumbeous; a slight tinge of orange across the breast. Forehead and sides of the head ash, the lores and region below the eye blackish. A white stripe from the nostrils over the eye and involving the upper eyelid; a patch on the lower lid, and a short stripe from the side of the lower mandible, and running to a point opposite the hinder border of the eye, white. Bill black; feet brown. Female like the male, but smaller; the markings indistinct; the lower mandible not pure black. Length, 7.40; wing, 3.25; tail, 3.30. Nest in thickets, near the ground. Eggs white, spotted with reddish. _Hab._ Eastern United States, west to Arkansas; rare north of Pennsylvania; south to Eastern Mexico and Guatemala. Not noticed in West Indies. [Illustration: _Icteria virens._] Both sexes in winter apparently have the base of lower mandible light-colored, the olive more brown, the sides and crissum with a strong ochraceous tinge. It is this plumage that has been recognized as _I. velasquezi_. HABITS. The Yellow-breasted Chat is found throughout the Eastern United States, from Massachusetts to Florida, and as far to the west as Fort Riley and Eastern Kansas. Mr. Say met with it among the Rocky Mountains as far north as the sources of the Arkansas. It is not very rare in Massachusetts, but a few breed in that State as far north as Lynn. It has been found in Mexico and Guatemala, but not, so far as I am aware, in the West Indies. Probably no one of our birds has more distinctly marked or greater peculiarities of voice, manners, and habits than this very singular bird. It is somewhat terrestrial in its life, frequenting tangled thickets of vines, briers, and brambles, and keeping itself very carefully concealed. It is noisy and vociferous, constantly changing its position and moving from place to place. It is not abundant north of Pennsylvania, where it arrives early in May and leaves the last of August. The males are said always to arrive three or four days before their mates. This species is described by Wilson as very much attached to certain localities where they have once taken up their residence, appearing very jealous, and offended at the least intrusion. They scold vehemently at every one who approaches or even passes by their places of retreat, giving utterance to a great variety of odd and uncouth sounds. Wilson states that these sounds may be easily imitated, so as to deceive the bird itself, and to draw it after one; the bird following repeating its cries, but never permitting itself to be seen. Such responses he describes as constant and rapid, and strongly expressive both of anger and anxiety, their voice, as it shifts, unseen, from place to place, seeming to be more like that of a spirit than a bird. These sounds Wilson compares to the whistling of the wings of a duck, being repetitions of short notes, beginning loud and rapid, and falling lower and lower. Again a succession of other notes, said to closely resemble the barking of young puppies, is followed by a variety of hollow, guttural sounds, each eight or ten times repeated, at times resembling the mewing of a cat, only hoarser,—all of these, as he states, uttered with great vehemence, in different keys and with peculiar modulations, now as if at a considerable distance, and the next moment as if close by your side; so that, by these tricks of ventriloquism, one is utterly at a loss to ascertain from what particular quarter they proceed. In mild weather this strange melody of sounds is kept up throughout the night during the first of the pairing-season, but ceases as soon as incubation commences. They construct their nest about the middle of May. These are placed within a few feet of the ground, in the midst of low brambles, vines, and bushes, generally in a tangled thicket. They build a rude but strongly woven nest, the outer portions more loosely made of dry leaves; within these are interwoven thin strips of the bark of the wild grape, fibrous roots, and fine dry grasses. The eggs, four or five in number, are usually hatched out within twelve days, and in about as many more the young are ready to leave their nest. While the female is sitting, and still more after the young are hatched, the cries of the male are loud and incessant when his nest is approached. He no longer seeks to conceal himself, but rises in the air, his legs dangling in a peculiar manner, ascending and descending in sudden jerks that betray his great irritation. The food of this bird consists chiefly of beetles and other insects, and of different kinds of berries and small fruit, and it said to be especially fond of wild strawberries. Audubon states that in their migrations they move from bush to bush by day, and frequently continue their march by night. Their flight at all times is short and irregular. He also states that when on the ground they squat, jerk their tails, spring on their legs, and are ever in a state of great activity. Although the existence of this bird north of Pennsylvania is generally disputed, I have no doubt that it has always been, and still is, a constant visitor of Massachusetts, and has been found to within a score of miles of the New Hampshire line. Among my notes I find that a nest was found in Brookline, in 1852, by Mr. Theodore Lyman; in Danvers, by Mr. Byron Goodale; in Lynn, by Messrs. Vickary and Welch; and in many other parts of the State. It certainly breeds as far south as Georgia on the coast, and in Louisiana and Texas in the southwest. On the Pacific coast it is replaced by the long-tailed variety, _longicauda_. A nest of this species from Concord, Mass., obtained by Mr. B. P. Mann, and now in the collection of the Boston Natural History Society, has a diameter of four inches and a height of three and a half. The cavity has a depth of two and a quarter inches, and is two and a half wide. This is built upon a base of coarse skeleton leaves, and is made of coarse sedges, dried grasses, and stems of plants, and lined with long, dry, and wiry stems of plants, resembling pine-needles. Another from Pomfret, Conn., obtained by Mr. Sessions, is a much larger nest, measuring five inches in diameter and three and three quarters in height. The cup is two and a half inches deep by three in width. It is made of an interweaving of leaves, bark of the grapevine, and stems of plants, and is lined with fine, long wiry stems and pine-needles. Their eggs are of a slightly rounded oval shape, vary in length from .85 to .95 of an inch, and in breadth from .65 to .70. They have a white ground with a very slight tinge of yellow, and are marked with reddish-brown and a few fainter purplish and lilac spots. Icteria virens, var. longicauda, LAWR. LONG-TAILED CHAT. _Icteria longicauda_, LAWRENCE, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. VI, April, 1853, 4.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 249, pl. xxxiv, fig. 2; Rev. 230.—SCLATER, Catal. 42, no. 253.—FINSCH, Abh. Nat. Brem. 1870, 331 (Mazatlan).—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 98. _? Icteria auricollis_ (LICHT. Mus. Berl.), BON. Consp. 1850, 331. SP. CHAR. Similar to var. _virens_. Fourth quill longest; third and fifth shorter; first shorter than the seventh. Above ash-color, tinged with olive on the back and neck; the outer surface of the wings and tail olive. The under parts as far as the middle of the belly bright gamboge-yellow, with a tinge of orange; the remaining portions white. The superciliary and maxillary white stripes extend some distance behind the eye. Outer edge of the first primary white. Length, 7 inches; wing, 3.20; tail, 3.70. _Young_ (8,841, Loup Fork of Platte, August 5; F. V. Hayden). Above light grayish-brown; beneath yellow on anterior half as in adult, but yellow less pure; rest of under parts (except abdomen) ochraceous; markings on head obsolete, the eyelids only being distinctly white. HAB. Western and Middle Provinces of United States, east to Missouri River and Texas; Cape St. Lucas and Western Mexico. The most tangible difference between this bird and typical _virens_ consists in the longer tail. In addition, the upper plumage is grayish, with hardly any olive tinge, and the white maxillary stripe extends farther back; the bill is not so deep as that of the Eastern bird. All these differences, however, are in strict accordance with various laws; the more grayish cast of plumage is what we should expect in birds from the Middle Province, while the restriction of the yellow from the maxillæ we see also in Western specimens of _Helminthophaga ruficapilla_; the longer tail, also, is a well-known characteristic of Western birds, as distinguished from Eastern of the same species. Upon the whole, therefore, taking into consideration the absolute identity of their habits and notes, we can only consider the _I. longicauda_ and _I. virens_ as restricted, as being merely geographical races of one species. This variety, as well as the Eastern, has in autumn and winter a slightly different plumage. A pair (53,348 ♂, and 53,347 ♀, West Humboldt Mountains, Nevada) obtained September 4 differ in the following respects from spring adults: the upper plumage is decidedly brown, with even a russet tinge,—not gray, with a greenish wash; the lores are less purely black, and the sides and crissum are deep cream-color, instead of pure white; the female has a shade of olive across the jugulum; both male and female have the lower mandible almost wholly white, and the commissure broadly edged with the same. No. 38,402 ♂, Laramie Peak, June, has the throat and jugulum strongly stained with deep cadmium-orange. HABITS. The Western or Long-tailed Chat has an exclusively Western distribution, and has been found from Mexico and Cape St. Lucas to Oregon, on the Pacific coast, and as far to the east as the Upper Missouri. According to Dr. Cooper, these birds appear in San Diego and at Fort Mojave in the latter part of April. They are said to inhabit chiefly the warmer valleys near streams and marshes, rarely on the coast. At Fort Mojave, Dr. Cooper found a nest of this bird May 19, built in a dense thicket of algarobia. It contained three eggs, and one of the _Molothrus_. The nest was built of slender green twigs and leaves, lined with grass and hair. The eggs were white, sprinkled with cinnamon, somewhat in the form of a ring near the larger end, and measured .75 by .64 of an inch. These nests were usually very closely concealed, but one that he found at Santa Cruz, near the coast, was in a very open situation, only two feet above the ground. When the nest is approached, the old birds are very bold, keeping up a constant scolding, and almost flying in the face of an intruder. At other times they are very shy. The notes and sounds uttered by the Western bird Dr. Cooper states to be the same as those of the Eastern species, and with the same grotesqueness. They leave the State of California on or before the first of September. Dr. Gambel states that the Chat appears in California about the middle of April, resorting to the hedges, vineyards, and bushy portions of gardens to breed. Mr. Xantus found a nest of this bird (S. I., 896) at Fort Tejon, California, in May. It is a very symmetrical and exactly circular nest, six inches wide and three in height. The cavity has a diameter of three inches at the brim, and a depth of two. It is built of soft strips of bark, large stems, and branches of dry plants, leaves, twigs, and other vegetable substances. These are very neatly and compactly interwoven. The nest is elaborately lined with finer stems and flexible grasses. Another nest (S. I., 1816), obtained at Neosho Falls, Kansas, by Mr. B. F. Goss, is of irregular shape. Its height is four inches, and its diameter varies from three and three quarters to five inches. It was built in a depression in the ground, and its shape adapted to its location. The base is composed entirely of leaves, impacted when in a moist and decaying condition. Within these is interwoven a strong basket-like structure, made of long and slender stems, strips of bark, and fine rootlets, lined with finer grasses and stems of plants. A nest of this species from Sacramento is composed, externally, of fine strips of inner bark of the grape and of deciduous trees, coarse straws, stems of plants, twigs, and dried remains of weeds, etc. It is lined with finer stems and long wiry roots, resembling hair. This nest has a diameter of four inches and a height of three. The cavity has a diameter of three inches at the rim, and a depth of two. In regard to this variety Mr. Ridgway writes: “In no respect that I could discover does this Western bird differ from the Eastern in habits, manners, or notes. The nesting-habits are exactly the same.” The eggs of this species are, for the most part, larger than are those of the _virens_. They vary in length from .95 to 1.00 of an inch, and have an average breadth of .70 of an inch. Their markings do not differ essentially in shadings from those of the common species. SUBFAMILY SETOPHAGINÆ. GEN. CHAR. Sylvicoline birds with the characters of Flycatchers; the bill notched at tip, depressed and broad at the base, though quite deep; the rictus with well-developed bristles reaching beyond the nostrils, sometimes to the end of the bill. First quill rather less than the fourth, or still shorter. Size of the species rarely exceeding six inches. Colors red, yellow, and olive. The species of this section resemble the small Flycatchers of the family _Tyrannidæ_ in the structure of the bill, etc., and in the habit of capturing insects more or less on the wing, though they are more restless in their movements, seeking their prey among trees or in bushes, rapidly changing their place, instead of occupying a perch and returning to it after pursuing an insect through the air. The yellow or orange crown found in many species also carries out the analogy; but the strictly Oscine characters of the tarsal scutellæ and the nine primaries will serve to distinguish them. The _Setophaginæ_ have their greatest development in Middle and South America, no less than nine genera and subgenera being on record, of which only two extend into the United States. Of one of these, _Setophaga_, we have only a single species of the many described; the other, _Myiodioctes_, has no members other than those found in the United States. The following diagnosis is prepared to distinguish our genera from the South American:— A. Wings pointed; the first quill longer than the fifth; the third as long as or longer than the fourth. Tail nearly even, or slightly rounded (the difference of the feathers less than .20); the feathers broad and firm; the outer webs of exterior feathers narrow at base, but widening to nearly double the width near the end. 1. Bill from gape nearly as long as skull, broad at base and much depressed; rictal bristles reaching half-way from nostrils to tip. Culmen and commissure nearly straight. Wings equal to the tail. Tarsi long; toes short; middle toe without claw, about half the tarsus … _Setophaga_. 2. Bill from gape nearly as long as skull, broad at base, but deep and more sylvicoline; rictal bristles reaching but little beyond nostrils. Culmen and commissure straight to the tip. Wings longer than the almost even tail. Middle toe without claw, three fifths the tarsus … _Myiodioctes_. 3. Bill from gape much shorter than head, wide at base, but compressed and high; the culmen and commissure much curved from base, scarcely notched at tip; rictal bristles reaching nearly half-way from nostrils to tip. Wings about equal to the almost even tail. Middle toe without claw, about three fifths the rather short tarsus … _Cardellina_. B. Wings rounded; the first quill shorter than in the preceding section; always less than the fifth. South American genera.[59] Several species of _Setophaginæ_ have, on not very well established grounds, been assigned to the southern borders of the United States. They are as follows:— Cardellina rubra, BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds, 1865, 264. (_Setophaga rubra_, SWAINSON.) _Parus leucotis_, GIRAUD, Birds Texas. _Hab._ Mexico. Rich carmine-red. Wing and tail-feathers brown. Ear-coverts silvery white. Length, 4.70; wing, 2.40; tail, 2.55. Basileuterus culicivorus, BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds, 1865, 246. (_Sylvia culicivora_, LICHT.) _Muscicapa brasieri_, GIRAUD, Texas Birds. _Hab._ Southern Mexico; Guatemala and Costa Rica. Top of head with two black stripes enclosing a median of yellow. Back olivaceous-ash. Beneath entirely yellow. No rufous on side of head. Length, 4.90; wing, 2.40; tail, 2.25. Basileuterus belli, BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds, 1865, 247. _Muscicapa belli_, GIRAUD, Texas Birds. _Hab._ Mexico and Guatemala. Top of head and face chestnut. A yellow superciliary stripe bordered above by dusky. Back olive; beneath yellow. Length, 5.10; wing, 2.28; tail, 2.50. GENUS MYIODIOCTES, AUD. _Myiodioctes_, AUDUBON, Synopsis, 1839, 48. (Type, _Motacilla mitrata_, GM.)—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 291. _Wilsonia_, BONAP. List. 1838 (preoccupied in botany). _Myioctonus_, CABANIS, Mus. Hein. 1850, 18. (Type, _Motacilla mitrata_.) [Line drawing: _Myiodioctes mitratus._ 2226] GEN. CHAR. Bill broad, depressed; the lateral outlines a little concave; the bristles reaching not quite half-way from nostrils to tip. Culmen and commissure nearly straight to near the tip. Nostrils oval, with membrane above. Wings pointed, rather longer than the nearly even but slightly rounded tail; first quill shorter than the fourth, much longer than the fifth; the second and third quills longest. Tarsi rather lengthened, the scutellar divisions rather indistinct; the middle toe without claw, about three fifths the tarsus. This genus is distinguished from _Setophaga_, mainly by stouter feet and longer toes; shorter and more even tail, narrower bill, etc. The species are decidedly muscicapine in general appearance, as shown by the depressed bill with bristly rictus. The type _M. mitratus_ is very similar in character of bill to _Dendroica castanea_, but the wings are much shorter; the tail longer and more graduated; the legs and hind toe longer, and the first primary shorter than the fourth (.15 of an inch less than the longest), not almost equal to the longest. The species are plain olive or plumbeous above, and yellow beneath. They may be grouped as follows:— A. Tail with white patches on the inner feathers. 1. M. mitratus. Head and neck black. Front, cheeks, and under parts yellow. Back olive-green. _Hab._ Eastern Province of United States, south to Panama and West Indies. 2. M. minutus. Olive above; yellowish beneath. Two white bands on the wings. _Hab._ Eastern United States. B. Tail without white patch on the outer feathers. 3. M. pusillus. Crown black. Forehead, cheeks, and under parts yellow. Back olive. Yellow of forehead without an orange tinge; upper parts dull olive-green; pileum with very dull steel-blue lustre. _Hab._ Eastern Province and Rocky Mountains of North America, south to Costa Rica … var. _pusillus_. Yellow of forehead with an orange cast; upper parts bright yellowish-green; pileum with a bright steel-blue lustre. _Hab._ Pacific Province of North America, from Sitka to Costa Rica … var. _pileolata_. 4. M. canadensis. Streaks on the crown, stripes on sides of head and neck, with pectoral collar of streaks, black. Rest of under parts, and line to and around the eye, yellow. Back bluish. _Hab._ Eastern Province of United States, south to Ecuador. Myiodioctes mitratus, AUD. HOODED WARBLER. _Motacilla mitrata_, GMELIN, S. N. I, 1788, 293. _Sylvia m._ LATH.; VIEILL.; BON.; NUTT.; AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cx. _Sylvicola m._ MAX. _Sylvania m._ NUTTALL, Man. I, 1840, 333. _Setophaga m._ JARD. _Wilsonia m._ BON. 1838.—ALLEN, Pr. Essex Inst. 1864. _Myiodioctes m._ AUD. Syn. 1839, 48.—IB. Birds Am. II, pl. lxxi.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1856, 291 (Cordova); 1858, 358 (Honduras).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 292; Rev. 239.—JONES, Nat. Bermuda, 1859, 26 (March).—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1859, 11 (Guatemala).—LAWRENCE, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. VIII, 63 (Panama R. R.).—GUNDLACH, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba).—SAMUELS, 245. _Myioctonus m._ CAB. Mus. Hein. 1851.—IB. Jour. Orn. III, 1855, 472 (Cuba). _Muscicapa cucullata_, WILSON, III, pl. xxvi, fig. 3. _Muscicapa selbyi_, AUD. Orn. Biog. I, pl. ix. SP. CHAR. _Male._ Bill black; feet pale yellow. Head and neck all round and forepart of the breast black. A broad patch on the forehead extending round on the entire cheeks and ear-coverts, with the under parts, bright yellow. Upper parts and sides of the body olive-green. Greater portion of inner web of outer three tail-feathers white. _Female_ similar, but without the black; the crown like the back; the forehead yellowish; the sides of the head yellow, tinged with olive on the lores and ear-coverts. Throat bright yellow. Length, 5.00; wing, 2.75; tail, 2.55. (Skin.) HAB. Eastern Province of United States, rather southern; Bermuda; Cuba; Jamaica; Eastern Mexico; Honduras and Guatemala to Panama R. R. Orizaba (autumn, SUMICHRAST); Yucatan (LAWRENCE). A young male in second year (2,245, Carlisle, Penn., May) is similar to the female, but the hood is sharply defined anteriorly, though only bordered with black, the olive-green reaching forward almost to the yellow; there are only very slight indications of black on the throat. Apparently the male of this species does not attain the full plumage until at least the third year, as is the case with _Setophaga ruticilla_. [Illustration: _Myiodioctes pusillus._] HABITS. This beautiful and singularly marked Warbler is a Southern species, though not exclusively so. It is more abundant in South Carolina than any other State, so far as I am aware. It is, however, found as far to the north as Northern New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and Southern New York, and, farther west, as far north as the shores of Lake Erie. It has also been found in Bermuda, Cuba, Jamaica, Eastern Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. Throughout Central America it appears to be abundant during the winter. Mr. Audubon also states that it abounds in Louisiana and along the banks of the Mississippi and the Ohio. It occurs on the Hudson to some distance above New York. It appears from the South early in March, and has young already hatched, in Louisiana, early in May. It is said to be one of the liveliest of its tribe, and to be almost constantly in motion. It is fond of secluded places, and is equally common in the thick canebrakes, both of the high and the low lands, and in the tangled undergrowth of impenetrable swamps. It has a peculiarly graceful manner of closing and opening its broad tail, that at once distinguishes it from every other bird, as it gambols from tree to tree, now in sight, and now hid from the eye, but ever within hearing. Mr. Audubon adds that its call-note so closely resembles that of the _Spiza ciris_ that it requires a practised ear to distinguish them. But its song is very different. This consists of three notes, and is loud, lively, and pleasing. This song is said to be made of sounds resembling the syllables _weet, weet, weetēē_. Extremely vocal in the early spring, it becomes nearly silent as soon as its brood is hatched. It resumes its song when its mate is again sitting on her eggs, as they have more than one brood in a season. They are described as expert flycatchers, full of activity and spirit, flying swiftly after their insect prey; and catching the greater part on the wing. Their flight is low, gliding, and often protracted. Mr. Bachman narrates a striking instance of its courage and conjugal devotion. While a pair of these Warblers were constructing a nest, a Sharp-shinned Hawk pounced upon and bore off the female. The male followed close after the Hawk, flying within a few inches and darting at him in all directions, and so continued until quite out of sight. Wilson states that it builds a very neat and compact nest, generally in the fork of a small bush. It is formed of moss and flaxen fibres of plants, and lined with hair or feathers. The eggs, five in number, he describes as of a grayish-white, with red spots at the larger end. He noticed its arrival at Savannah as early as the 20th of March. Mr. Audubon adds that these nests are always placed in low situations, a few feet from the ground. The late Dr. Gerhardt, of Varnell’s Station, Georgia, informed me, by letter, that the Hooded Warbler deposits her eggs about the middle of May, laying four. The nest is not unlike that of the _Spiza cyanea_, but is larger. It is constructed of dry leaves and coarse grass on the outside, and within of dry pine-needles, interwoven with long yellow grasses and sometimes with horsehair. They are built, for the most part, in the neighborhood of brooks and creeks, in oak bushes, four or five feet from the ground. The female sits so closely, and is so fearless, that Dr. Gerhardt states he has sometimes nearly caught her in his hand. In another letter Dr. Gerhardt describes a nest of this species as measuring three inches in height, three in external diameter, and an inch and a quarter in the depth of its cavity. Externally it was built of dry leaves and coarse grasses, lined inside with horsehair, fine leaves of pine, and dry slender grasses. It was constructed on a small oak growing in low bottom-land, and was three feet from the ground. The complement of eggs is four. Mr. Ridgway states that this species is a common summer resident in the bottom-lands along the Lower Wabash, in Southern Illinois, inhabiting the cane-brakes and the margins of bushy swamps. The eggs of this Warbler are oval in shape, with one end quite pointed. They measure .70 by .50 of an inch. Their ground-color is a beautiful bright white, when the egg is fresh, strongly tinged with flesh-color. The spots are of a fine red, with a few markings of a subdued purple. Myiodioctes minutus, BAIRD. SMALL-HEADED FLYCATCHER. _Muscicapa minuta_, WILSON, Am. Orn. VI, 1812, 62, pl. 1, fig. 5.— AUD. Orn. Biog. V, pl. ccccxxxiv, fig. 3.—IB. Birds Am. I, pl. lxvii. _Sylvia minuta_, BON. _Wilsonia m._ BON. List, 1838. _Myiodioctes minutus_, BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds, 1864, 241. _Sylvania pumilia_, NUTT. Man. I, 1840, 334. SP. CHAR. Wings short, the second quills longest. Tail of moderate-length, even. General color of upper parts light greenish-brown; wings and tail dark olive-brown, the outer feathers of the latter with a terminal white spot on the inner web; a narrow white ring surrounding the eye; two bands of dull white on the wings; sides of the head and neck greenish-yellow; the rest of the lower parts pale yellow, gradually fading into white behind. Male, 5 inches long; extent, 8.25 inches. HAB. Eastern United States. HABITS. All that is known in regard to this species we receive from Wilson and Audubon, and there is a decided discrepancy in their several statements. Wilson states that his figure was taken from a young male shot on the 24th of April, but in what locality he does not mention. He adds that he afterwards shot several individuals in various parts of New Jersey, particularly in swamps. He found these in June, and has no doubt they breed there. Audubon claims that Wilson’s drawing was a copy from his own of a bird shot by him in Kentucky on the margin of a pond. He throws a doubt as to the correctness of Wilson’s statement that they have been found in New Jersey, as no one else has ever met with any there. That may be, however, and Wilson’s statement yet be correct. The same argument carried out would reject the very existence of the bird itself, as no well-authenticated records of its occurrence since then can be found. They are at least too doubtful to be received as unquestionable until the genuine bird can be produced. Mr. Nuttall, it is true, states that Mr. Charles Pickering obtained a specimen of this bird many years ago, near Salem, Mass., and that he had himself also seen it in the same State, at the approach of winter. In the fall of 1836, when the writer resided in Roxbury, a cat caught and brought into the house a small Flycatcher, which was supposed to be of this species. It was given to Mr. Audubon, who assented to its correct identification, but afterwards made no mention of it. The presumption, therefore, is that we may have been mistaken. In regard to its habits, Wilson represents it as “remarkably active, running, climbing, and darting about among the opening buds and blossoms with extraordinary agility.” Audubon states that in its habits it is closely allied with the _pusillus_ and the _mitratus_, being fond of low thick coverts in swamps and by the margin of pools. He also attributes to it a song of rather pleasing notes, enunciated at regular intervals, loud enough to be heard at the distance of sixty yards. These peculiarities seem to separate it from the true Flycatchers and to place it among the Warblers. Myiodioctes pusillus, BONAP. GREEN BLACK-CAPPED FLYCATCHER. _Muscicapa pusilla_, WILSON, Am. Orn. III, 1811, 103, pl. xxvi, fig. 4. _Wilsonia pus._ BON. _Sylvania pus._ NUTT. _Myiodioctes pus._ BON. Consp. 1850, 315.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1856, 291 (Cordova); 1858, 299 (Oaxaca Mts.; Dec.); 1859, 363 (Xalapa); 373.—IB. Catal. 1861, 34, no. 203.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 293 (in part); Rev. 240 (in part).—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1859, 11 (Guatemala).—SAMUELS, 246. _Myioctonus pus._ CAB. M. H. 1851, 18.—IB. Jour. 1860, 325 (Costa Rica). _Sylvia wilsoni_, BON.; NUTT. _Muscicapa wilsoni_, AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cxxiv. _Setophaga wilsoni_, JARD. _Myiodioctes wilsoni_, AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. lxxv. _Sylvia petasodes_, LICHT. Preis-Verz. 1830. SP. CHAR. Forehead, line over and around the eye, and under parts generally, bright yellow. Upper part olive-green; a square patch on the crown lustrous-black. Sides of body and cheeks tinged with olive. No white on wings or tail. Female similar, the black of the crown replaced by olive-green. Length, 4.75; wing, 2.25; tail, 2.30. HAB. Eastern portions of United States, west to the Snake and Humboldt Rivers; north to Alaska, south through Eastern Mexico and Guatemala to Costa Rica; Chiriqui (SALVIN). HABITS. Wilson’s Black-Cap is found throughout the United States from ocean to ocean, and as far to the north as Alaska and the Arctic shores, where, however, it is not common. Mr. Dall shot a specimen, May 30, on the Yukon River, where it was breeding. Mr. Bischoff obtained others with nests and eggs at Sitka, and afterwards found it more abundant at Kodiak. On the Pacific coast Dr. Suckley found it very abundant in the neighborhood of Fort Steilacoom, where it frequented thickets and small scrub-oak groves, in its habits resembling the _Helminthophaga celata_, flitting about among the dense foliage of bushes and low trees in a busy, restless manner. He describes its cry as a short _chit-chat_ call. In California, Dr. Cooper notes their first arrival early in May, and states that they migrate along the coast, up at least to the Straits of Fuca. At Santa Cruz he noted their arrival, in 1866, about the 20th of April. They were then gathering materials for a nest, the male bird singing merrily during his employment. As they have been observed in Oregon as early as this, it has been conjectured that some may remain all winter among the dense shrubbery of the forests. This bird winters in large numbers in Central America, where it is apparently very generally distributed. Mr. Salvin found it very common at Duenas. It was taken at Totontepec, among the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico, by Mr. Boucard. Mr. Ridgway found it very common during the summer and autumn months among the willows of the fertile river valleys, and among the rank shrubbery bordering upon the streams of the cañons of the higher interior range of mountains. It was found in similar situations with the _Dendroica æstiva_, but it was much more numerous. During September it was most abundant among the thickets and copses of the East Humboldt Mountains, and in Ruby Valley, at all altitudes, frequenting the bushes along the streams, from their sources in the snow to the valleys. Wilson first met with and described this species from specimens obtained in Delaware and New Jersey. He regarded it as an inhabitant of the swamps of the Southern States, and characterized its song as “a sharp, squeaking note, in no wise musical.” It is said by him to leave the Southern States in October. Audubon states that it is never found in the Southern States in the summer months, but passes rapidly through them on its way to the northern districts, where it breeds, reaching Labrador early in June and returning by the middle of August. He describes it as having all the habits of a true Flycatcher, feeding on small insects, which it catches on the wing, snapping its bill with a sharp clicking sound. It frequents the borders of lakes and streams fringed with low bushes. Mr. Nuttall observed this species in Oregon, where it arrived early in May. He calls it a “little cheerful songster, the very counterpart of our brilliant and cheerful Yellow-Bird.” Their song he describes as like _’tsh-’tsh-’tsh-tshea_. Their call is brief, and not so loud. It appeared familiar and unsuspicious, kept in bushes busily collecting its insect fare, and only varied its employment by an occasional and earnest warble. By the 12th of May some were already feeding their full-fledged young. Yet on the 16th of the same month he found a nest containing four eggs with incubation only just commenced. This nest was in a branch of a small service-bush, laid very adroitly, as to concealment, upon a mass of _Usnea_. It was built chiefly of hypnum mosses, with a thick lining of dry, wiry, slender grasses. The female, when approached, slipped off the nest, and ran along the ground like a mouse. The eggs were very similar to those of _Dendroica æstiva_, with spots of a pale olive-brown, confluent at the greater end. A nest found by Audubon in Labrador was placed on the extremity of a small horizontal branch, among the thick foliage of a dwarf fir, a few feet from the ground and in the very centre of a thicket. It was made of bits of dry mosses and delicate pine twigs, agglutinated together and to the branches and leaves around it, from which it was suspended. It was lined with fine vegetable fibres. The diameter of the nest was three and a half and the depth one and a half inches. He describes the eggs, which were four, as white; spotted with reddish and brown dots, the markings being principally around the larger end, forming a circle, leaving the extremity plain. In this instance the parents showed much uneasiness at the approach of intruders, moving about among the twigs, snapping their bills, and uttering a plaintive note. In Newfoundland these birds had already begun to migrate on the 20th of August. He met with them in considerable numbers in Northern Maine in October, 1832. Mr. Turnbull mentions it as a rather abundant bird of Eastern Pennsylvania, appearing there early in May, _in transitu_, and again in October. Mr. T. M. Trippe has observed this species at Orange, N. J., from the 19th to the 30th of May. It is said to keep low down in the trees, and is fond of haunting thickets and open brush fields. Occasionally he has heard it utter a loud chattering song, which it repeats at short intervals. A nest of this species from Fort Yukon (Smith. Coll., 13,346), obtained May 20, by Mr. McDougal, contained four eggs. These varied from .60 to .63 of an inch in length, and from .45 to .49 in breadth. They were obovate in shape, their ground-color was a pure white; this was finely sprinkled round the larger end with brownish-red and lilac. No mention is made of the position of the nest, but it is probable this bird builds on the ground. Myiodioctes pusillus, var. pileolatus, RIDGWAY. _Motacilla pileolata_, PALLAS, Zoög. Rosso Asiat. I, 1831, 497 (Russian America). _Myiodioctes pusillus_, var. _pileolata_, RIDGWAY, Report U. S. Geol. Expl. 40th Par. _Myiodioctes pusillus_, AUCT. (all citations from Pacific coast of North and Middle America).—LORD, Pr. R. Art. Inst. Woolw. IV, 1864, 115 (Br. Col.).—DALL & BANNISTER (Alaska).—COOPER, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 101. SP. CHAR. Similar to var. _pusillus_, but much richer yellow, scarcely tinged with olive laterally, and deepened into an almost orange shade on the front and chin. Above much brighter and more yellowish olive-green. The black pileum with a brighter steel-blue gloss. Bill much narrower, and deep, light brown above, instead of nearly black. Measures (4,222 ♂, San Francisco, Cal.), wing, 2.15; tail, 2.00. HAB. Pacific coast region of North America, from Kodiak (Alaska); south through Western Mexico (and Lower California) to Costa Rica. This is an appreciably different race from that inhabiting the eastern division of the continent; the differences, tested by a large series of specimens, being very constant. A Costa-Rican specimen before me is almost exactly like specimens from California. HABITS. The remarks, in the preceding article relative to specimens from the Pacific coast belong to this variety. Myiodioctes canadensis, AUD. CANADA FLYCATCHER. _Muscicapa canadensis_, LINN. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 327. (_Muscicapa canadensis cinerea_, BRISSON, II, 406, tab. 39, fig. 4.)—GMELIN.—WILSON, III, pl. xxvi, fig. 2.—AUD. Orn. Biog. II, pl. ciii. _Setophaga can._ SWAINS.; RICH.; GRAY. _Myiodioctes can._ AUD. Birds Am. II, pl. ciii.—BREWER, Pr. Bost. Soc. VI, 5 (nest and eggs).—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1854, 111 (Ecuador; winter); 1855, 143 (Bogota); 1858, 451 (Ecuador).—IB. Catal. 1861, 34, no. 204.—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1859, 11 (Guatemala).—LAWRENCE, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. VI, 1862.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 294; Rev. 239.—SAMUELS, 247. _Euthlypis can._ CAB. Mus. Hein. 1850, 1851, 18; Jour. Orn. 1860, 326 (Costa Rica). _Sylvia pardalina_, BON.; NUTT. _Sylvicola pardalina_, BON. _Myiodioctes pardalina_, BON. _? Muscicapa bonapartei_, AUD. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 27, pl. v. _Setophaga bon._ RICH. _Wilsonia bon._ BON. _Sylvania bon._ NUTT. _? Myiodioctes bon._ AUD. Syn.—IB. Birds Am. II, 1841, 17, pl. xvii.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 295. _Setophaga nigricincta_, LAFR. Rev. Zoöl. 1843, 292; 1844, 79. SP. CHAR. Upper part bluish-ash; a ring around the eye, with a line running to the nostrils, and the whole under part (except the tail-coverts, which are white), bright yellow. Centres of the feathers in the anterior half of the crown, the cheeks, continuous with a line on the side of the neck to the breast, and a series of spots across the forepart of the breast, black. Tail-feathers unspotted. _Female_ similar, with the black of the head and breast less distinct. In the _young_ obsolete. Length, 5.34; wing, 2.67; tail, 2.50. HAB. Whole Eastern Province of United States, west to the Missouri; north to Lake Winnipeg; Eastern Mexico to Guatemala, and south to Bogota and Ecuador (SCLATER). Not noted from West Indies. HABITS. This is a migratory species, abundant during its passage, in most of the Atlantic States. It breeds, though not abundantly, in New York and Massachusetts, and in the regions north of latitude 42°. How far northward it is found is not well ascertained, probably as far, however, as the wooded country extends. It was met with on Winnepeg River, by Mr. Kennicott, the second of June. It winters in Central and in Northern South America, having been procured at Bogota, in Guatemala, and in Costa Rica, in large numbers. Mr. Audubon states that he found this bird breeding in the mountainous regions of Pennsylvania, and afterwards in Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Labrador. Although he describes with some minuteness its nests, yet his description of their position and structure is so entirely different in all respects from those that have been found in Massachusetts, that I am constrained to believe he has been mistaken in his identifications, and that those he supposed to belong to this species were really the nests of a different bird. “In Vermont,” Mr. Charles S. Paine, of Randolph, informs me, “the Canada Flycatcher is a summer visitant, and is first seen about the 18th of May. They do not spread themselves over the woods, like most of our small fly-catching birds, but keep near the borders, where there is a low growth of bushes, and where they may be heard throughout the day singing their regular chant. A few pairs may occasionally be found in the same neighborhood. At other times only a single pair can be found in quite a wide extent of territory of similar character. They build their nests, as well as I can judge, about the first of June, as the young are hatched out and on the wing about the last of that month, or the first of July. I have never found a nest, but I think they are built on the ground. They are silent after the first of July, and are rarely to be seen after that period.” The song of this bird is a very pleasing one, though heard but seldom, and only in a few localities in Massachusetts. Near Washington Dr. Coues found the Canada Flycatcher only a spring and autumnal visitant, at which seasons they were abundant. They frequented high open woods, and kept mostly in the lower branches of the trees, and also in the more open undergrowth of marshy places. They arrive the last week in April and remain about two weeks, arriving in fall the first week in September, and remaining until the last of that month. The first well-identified nest of this bird that came to my knowledge was obtained in Lynn, Mass., by Mr. George O. Welch, in June, 1856. It was built in a tussock of grass, in swampy woods, concealed by the surrounding rank vegetation, in the midst of which it was placed. It was constructed entirely of pine-needles and a few fragments of decayed leaves, grapevine bark, fine stems, and rootlets. These were so loosely interwoven that the nest could not be removed without great care to keep its several portions together. Its diameter was three and a half inches, and it was very nearly flat. Its greatest depth, at the centre of its depression, was hardly half an inch. It contained four young, and an unhatched egg. Another nest found in June, 1864, by the same observing naturalist, was also obtained in the neighborhood. This was built in a tussock of meadow-grass, in the midst of a small boggy piece of swamp, in which were a few scattered trees and bushes. The ground was so marshy that it could be crossed only with difficulty, and by stepping from one tussock of reedy herbage to another. In the centre of one of these bunches the nest was concealed. It measures six inches in its larger diameter, and has a height of two and a quarter inches. The cavity of this nest is two and three quarters inches wide, and one and three quarters deep. It is very strongly constructed of pine-needles, interwoven with fine strips of bark, dry deciduous leaves, stems of dry grasses, sedges, etc. The whole is firmly and compactly interwoven with and strengthened around the rim of the cavity by strong, wiry, and fibrous roots. The nest is very carefully and elaborately lined with the black fibrous roots of some plant. The eggs, which were five in number, measure .72 of an inch in length by .56 in breadth. Their ground-color is a clear and brilliant white, and this is beautifully marked with dots and small blotches of blended brown, purple, and violet, varying in shades and tints, and grouped in a wreath around the larger end. GENUS SETOPHAGA, SWAINS. _Setophaga_, SWAINSON, Zoöl. Jour. III, Dec. 1827, 360. (Type, _Muscicapa ruticilla_, L.)—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 297. _Sylvania_, NUTTALL, Man. Orn. I, 1832. (Same type.) [Line drawing: _Setophaga ruticilla_, SW.] GEN. CHAR. Bill much depressed, the lateral outlines straight towards tip. Bristles reach half-way from nostril to tip. Culmen almost straight to near the tip; commissure very slightly curved. Nostrils oval, with membrane above them. Wings rather longer than tail, pointed; second, third, and fourth quills nearly equal; first intermediate between fourth and fifth. Tail rather long, rather rounded; the feathers broad, and widening at ends, the outer web narrow. Tarsi with scutellar divisions indistinct externally. Legs slender; toes short, inner cleft nearly to base of first joint, outer with first joint adherent; middle toe without claw, not quite half the tarsus. The genus _Setophaga_ is very largely represented in America, although of the many species scarcely any agree exactly in form with the type. In the following diagnosis I give several species, referred to, perhaps erroneously, as occurring in Texas. Belly white. End of lateral tail-feathers black. Sexes dissimilar. Ground-color black, without vertex spot. Sides of breast and bases of quills and tail-feathers reddish-orange in male, yellowish in female … _ruticilla_. Belly vermilion or carmine red. Lateral tail-feathers, including their tips, white. Sexes similar. Entirely lustrous black, including head and neck. No vertex spot. A white patch on the wings … _picta_.[60] Plumbeous-ash, including head and neck. A chestnut-brown vertex spot. No white on wings … _miniata_.[61] Setophaga ruticilla, SWAINS. AMERICAN REDSTART. _Motacilla ruticilla_, LINN. Syst. Nat. 10th ed. 1758, 186 (Catesby, Car. tab. 67). _Muscicapa ruticilla_, LINN.; GMELIN; VIEILLOT; WILS.; BON.; AUD. Orn. Biog. I, pl. xl. _Setophaga rut._ SWAINS. Zoöl. Jour. III, 1827, 358.—BON.; AUD. Birds Am.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. (Ecuador, Bogota, Cordova, Oaxaca, City of Mexico).—SCLATER & SALVIN, Ibis, 1859, 12 (Guatemala).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 297; Rev. 256.—MAX.; SALLÉ, P. Z. S. 1857 (St. Domingo).—NEWTON, Ibis, 1859, 143 (St. Croix; winter).—CAB. Jour. 1856, 472 (Cuba); 1860, 325 (Costa Rica).—GUNDLACH, IB. 1861, 326 (Cuba).—BRYANT, Pr. Bost. Soc. VII, 1859 (Bahamas).—LAWRENCE, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. 1861, 322 (Panama R. R.).—SAMUELS, 249. _Sylvania rut._ NUTTALL, Man. I, 1832, 291 (type of genus). _Motacilla flavicauda_, GMELIN, I, 1788, 997 (♀). [Illustration: PLATE XVI. 1. Setophaga ruticilla, _Linn._ ♂ Pa., 984. 2. Myiodioctes minutus, _Aud._ (Copied from Aud.) 3. “ pusillus, _Wils._ ♂ Cal., 7683. 4. “ “ “ ♀ Pa., 2325. 5. Setophaga ruticilla, _Linn._ ♀ Pa., 2281. 6. Myiodioctes canadensis, _Linn._ ♂ Pa., 945. 7. Progne subis, _Linn._ ♀ 40704. 8. Tachycineta bicolor, _Vieill._ ♂ Pa., 2896. 9. Hirundo horreorum, _Bart._ ♂ Pa., 1452. 10. Progne subis, _Linn._ ♂. 11. Tachycineta thalassina, _Swains._ ♂ Oreg., 1895. 12. Stelgidopteryx serripennis, _Aud._ ♂ 32269. 13. Petrochelidon lunifrons, _Say._ ♂ 6622. 14. Cotyle riparia, _Linn._ ♂ 20641.] SP. CHAR. _Male._ Prevailing color black. A central line on the breast, the abdomen, and under tail-coverts white; some feathers in the latter strongly tinged with dark brown. Bases of all the quills except the inner and outer, and basal half of all the tail-feathers except the middle one, a patch on each side of the breast, and the axillary region, orange-red, of a vermilion shade on the breast. _Female_ with the black replaced by olive-green above, by brownish-white beneath, the red replaced by yellow; the head tinged with ash; a grayish-white lore and ring round the eye. Length, 5.25; wing, 2.50; tail, 2.45. HAB. Eastern and in part Middle Provinces of North America to Fort Simpson, west to Great Salt Lake; Fort Laramie; Denver City; most of the West Indies; Mexico to Ecuador. The young male in early autumn greatly resembles in plumage the adult female, but has the upper tail-coverts and tail deep black, sharply contrasted with the olive of the rump, instead of having the upper tail-coverts olive, the tail simply dusky; in addition the back is more greenish-olive, and the abdomen and crissum pure white. The male does not obtain the perfect adult plumage until about the third year. [Illustration: _Setophaga ruticilla._ 984] HABITS. The so-called Redstart has an extended distribution from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains, and from Florida to high northern latitudes, having been found breeding at Fort Simpson by Mr. Ross, and at Fort Resolution by Mr. Kennicott and Mr. Lockhart. It is generally abundant in suitable localities, and probably breeds wherever found north of the Potomac. It winters in large numbers in Guatemala and in other parts of Central America, as well as in the West Indies. It is common in St. Croix in the spring, and is especially seen about houses, according to Newton. It remains there until the end of April. Richardson found this species abundant on the Saskatchewan, as far to the north as the fifty-eighth parallel. It appeared there the last of May, and left early in September. He found it frequenting moist, shady lands, flitting about among the moss-grown and twisted stems of the tall willows that skirt the marshes. It was easily recognized by the red lining of its wings as it flitted through the gloomy shades in pursuit of mosquitoes and other wi