SYLVICUI.ID.K — THE WARBLERS. 



323 



Sp. Char. Male. Prevailing oolor 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 ex- 

 cept 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. 



Tlie young niak' in early autiuiin greatly resembles in plumage the adult 

 female, but has the upper tail-co\'erts and tail dee[) black, sharply contrasted 

 with the olive of the rumii, instead of having the upper tail-coverts olive, the 

 tail simply dusky; in adilition the back is more greenish-olive, and the 

 abdomen and crissum pure white. The male does not obtain the [)erfect 

 adult plumage until about the third year. 



Habits. The so-called liedstart has an extended distribution from the 

 Atlantic to the Eocky Mountains, and 

 from Florida to high northern latitudes, 

 having been found breeding at Fort 

 Simpson by j\Ir. Eoss, and at Fort 

 Eesoltition by Mr. Keiinicott and ]\Ir. 

 Lockhart. It is generally abundant in 

 suitable localities, and proliably breeds 

 wherever found north of the Potomac. 

 It winters in large numbers in (!uate- 

 mala 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 

 there until the end of April. 



Eichardson found this species abundant on the Saskatchewan, as fiir to the 

 north as the fifty-eighth ])arallel. It appeared there the last of May, and 

 left early in Septemljer. He found it frequenting moist, shady lands, flit- 

 ting 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 inirsuit of mo.squitoes and other 

 winged insects. 



Antong the memoranda of the late Mr. Ivennicott, we find two to the effect 

 that on the 26th of J\Iay he found both males and females of this species 

 common near IJainy Lake, and that on the 6th of June he also observed 

 these birds near Lake AVinnei^eg. June 14, at Fort Eesolittion, he obtained 

 a female Eedstart with nest and four eggs. The nest was built in the fork 

 of a willow, in a thick but low wood of alder and willow. It was entirely 

 unprotected by leaves or branches. The female was taken on the nest. 



The Newtons found this a very common species in St. Croix, in the spring 



S toil a^n ritticilla 



to Newton. It remains 



