408 Importance of Habit as a Guide to 



striking contrast. The awkward, helpless motions of the 

 former, instantly betray its utter inadaptation to such circum- 

 stances ; but the latter hops about with the utmost ease, and 

 often exhibits much greater rapidity of movement than I have 

 ever noticed either the Seiurus aurocapillus or S. noveboracensis 

 exemplify. The Sylvia petechia does not resort to the ground 

 from necessity, for this, during its migrations in spring, is one 

 of its most common habits. During the period just men- 

 tioned, I have frequently noticed it in the vicinity of Pictou, 

 tripping about the little pools which occur in unbroken pas- 

 ture land. Nor is it merely in search of food that this spe- 

 cies resorts to the ground — they actually pair there, and 

 though 1 have not succeeded in obtaining a nest, I am satis- 

 fied that that is the situation in which they build. 



I have never seen the Sylvia petechia at Pictou during the 

 period of incubation ; but at St. Mary's, upon the southern 

 coast of Nova Scotia, it surprised me not a little to find it 

 pretty common in certain localities throughout the summer. 

 In the vicinity last mentioned, 1 once enjoyed an excellent 

 opportunity of observing the pairing of a considerable number 

 of these birds, and the manner in which they adjusted the 

 universally interesting preliminaries of this important con- 

 nection, was no less singular than amusing. Near the village 

 of Sherbrooke, there was a perpendicular cliff which con- 

 tained a little sunny nook, partially refilled by fallen blocks. 

 In this spot, at least twenty pair of the Sylvia petechia had 

 assembled, and when first noticed, they were busily pursuing 

 each other over or under the fallen blocks, or through the 

 smallest lateral chink which admitted of a passage. These 

 little manoeuvres were performed in silence, but in perfect 

 good fellowship. The males never evinced the least disposi- 

 tion to interfere with each other, but each constantly pursued 

 the female which he had selected through all the windings of 

 this curious courtship. The females usually kept a foot or 

 two in advance of the males, and at times, it was really 

 laughable to witness the weary, tortuous, and apparently ca- 

 pricious routes by which they led their patient followers. At 



