196 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



According to Mr. Aiidul)OD 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 haliit.s, and adds that they leave Louisi- 

 ana 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 cor- 

 respond with the observations of 'Sir. llidgway, near 'Mt. Carmel, III, where 

 the bird is abundant. A nest collected by him is a very loose open struc- 

 ture, 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 tlie bird with mate- 

 rials in her bill. Tlie situation of this nest " was in no wise," says Mr. llidg- 

 way, "as described liy 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. Eidgway, " all correspond- 

 ing 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 inovements. 

 Both male and female were seen several times." (No. 10,140, Smith. CoU.) 



The eggs of this species measure .70 of an inch in length by .53 in breadth. 

 Their ground-color is white;, sjirinkled with a few reddish-brown spots. 



Helmintliopliaga ruficapilla, B.\ird. 



NASHVILLE WARBLER. "^ ^ 



Sylvia ruficapilla, Wil.s. Am. Drn. Ill, 1811, 120, pi. xxvii, lig. 3. — AuD. Orn. Biog. I, 

 1832, 450, pi. Ix.xxix. Helminlltopha<ia ruficapilla, BaiI'.d, Birds N. Am. 1858, 256 ; 

 Rev. 175. — ScLATER, P. Z. S. 1859, 37.3 (Xalapa). — DltKs.sF.i!, Ibis, 65, 477 (Texas).— 

 Cooi'ER, Orn. Cal. I, 1870, 82. Syloiti, rubricapilla, WiLS. Am. Orn. VI, 1812, 15, 

 General Index. — NuTT., BoN. Sylvicola rub. Rich. Vcnnivora rub. BoN. — Rein- 

 HARDT, Vid. Med. for 1853, 1854, 82 (Greenland). — Brewer, Pr. Bo.^t. Soe. N. H. 

 VI, 1856, 4 (nest and eggs). Hcliimvt rub. AuD. Birds Am. II, pi. cxiii. Hchnitherus 

 rab. Bon. — ScL. P. Z. S. 1856, 291 (Cordova) ; 1859, 363 (Xalapa). Hclminlhophaga 

 rub. Cab. — Sclater, P. Z. S. 1858, 298 (Oaxaca ; Fell, and Aug.). Mniolilla rub. 

 Reinhardt, Ibis, 1861, 6 (Greenland). Sylvia Uucogastra, Shaw, Gen. Zobl. X, ii, 

 1817, 622. "Sylvia nashvillei," Vieillot. — Gray. Sylvia mexicana, Holboll. 



Sp. Char. Head and nock above and on sides ash-gray, the crown with a patch of 

 concealed dark Ijrovvnish-orange hidden by a.shy tips to the feathers. Upper parts olive- 

 green, brightest on the ruin]). Tinder parts generally, with the edge of the wing, deep 



