AMERICAN REDSTART. 



295 



on its being approached, the male will flit about within 

 a few feet of the invader, regardless of his personal safe- 

 ty, and exhibiting unequivocal marks of distress. The 

 parents also, in their solicitude and fear, keep up an in- 

 cessant - 'tship when their infant brood are even dis- 

 tantly approached. 



The length of the Redstart is 5^ inches ; alar extent about 6j|- 

 Above, the general color is black, in places glossed with steel blue ; 

 the sides of the breast below the black, the inside of the wings, and 

 upper half of the primaries are of a fine reddish orange, sometimes 

 approaching scarlet. The 4 middle feathers of the tail are black, the 

 rest orange and black towards the tips. The belly and vent white, 

 tinged with pale orange. Legs blackish, long and slender, (better 

 suited for walking than those of the other Flycatchers of the United 

 States.) Bill brownish flesh-color. — The young males resemble 

 the female in most respects, but differ in having a yellow band 

 across the wings ; the back is also browner, the inside of the wings 

 is yellow. In the 3d season he acquires his perfect livery. 



