YKLLOW PALM WARHLER. 373 



of the lireast ; auricular inixcil oliw and elie.stiiut (llic laltei' prevailing), 

 somewhat darkei- iiiiiuediately behind the eye; lofe, with an indistinct dusky 

 streak : entire pileuin. licli chestnut, becoming darker next the lull when 

 divided medially liy a slinrt and latlici- indistinct yellow sti-eak; rest of the 

 upper pails, olive, tinged with hiowii on the hack and brightening into 

 yellowish olive-green on the iinii)) and u])])er tail coverts, the latter having 

 shaft sti'eaks of reddisli chestnut : tail feathers, dusky, edged externallv with 

 yellowish-oli\e. tlic innci- webs of the two outer feathers broadly tipped with 

 white; wings, dusky, all the feathers edged with pale brownish-olive, tiiis 

 edging i-athei- widest on the ends of the middle and gi-eater coverts, where, 

 however, they do not form any indication of bands. Wing, 2.6o; tail, 2.50. 



Hab. — Atlantic States nortii to Hudson's Bay. Breeds from New Bruns- 

 wick and Xova Scotia iiortliw ai d : winters in the South Atlantic an<l (Julf 

 .States. 



Nest, on the ground, built of baik fibre, gi-ass and moss, and lined with 

 hair and feathers. 



Eggs, four, creamy-white, blotched with rcddisli-brown and lilac at the 

 largei- end. 



As this iiiterestiiig bird is said to be aV)uiidaiit in the Eastern 

 •States as far west as tlie Plains, we should expect to find it also 

 plentiful in Ontario, liut 1 have not so ol)served it near Hamilton. 

 Occasionally, late in the fall or early in spring, it is seen running 

 about on the ground, by the roadsides or in bare weedy fields, but 

 it is not at any time abundant, and sometimes is altogether absent. 

 It is very different, in many respects, from the other members of 

 the group in which it has been placed ; the building of its nest on 

 the ground and the jerk}' motions of its tail suggesting relationship 

 with the Tit Lark. 



Some ten years ago, while examining a large series of specimens 

 of this species in the National INIuseum, Mr. Ridgwa}^ observed a 

 wide difference in the intensity of the coloring of different individuals 

 in the group. An exa)nination, as to the localities from wdiich they 

 had l)een obtained, showed that the highly colored individuals were 

 from the east of the AUeghanies, while those in plainer attire were 

 all from farther west. A comparison of specimens in the possession 

 of different collectors in these districts, showed that the diiferences 

 referred to were constant, and this has led to the variety we are 

 now considering being described as a sub-species, under the name of 

 Dprirlroira pahnnrnni hypochryHPxt. ; the original Dfudmica palmarwn 

 of Omelin being supposed to be the plain colored form observed in 

 the west. I have described both, so that collectors may satisfy 

 themselves as to whether we have here the eastern form, or the 

 western, tn- l)oth. 



