678 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



in composition and size — are very much alike; both are rather 

 loosely put together, but there is quite a distinguishing difference 

 in the eggs; those of M. varia are actually the largest, and more 

 globular in form, and the ground colour more of a chalky whiteness, 

 and the spotting more of a brownish hue ; with a general tendency 

 to form a wreath about the larger end, and be distributed over the 

 surface, even to the smaller point ; the eggs of the Canadian warbler 

 have a clear white hue, with a beautiful rosy blush, and the colour- 

 ing which clouds the whole of the larger end of each egg, has more 

 of an orange tinge than either reddish or brown, the dotting on the 

 surface is more separated, and the approach to the smaller point 

 more devoid of dotting than are those M. varia, but in all the speci- 

 mens the variations are so numerous that it is difficult to describe 

 them; this species is very local in its distribution, being generally 

 found to frequent the borders of swampy woodlands, having much 

 the same habitat as the water-thrush and M. varia, but here it is 

 more abundant than either of the other species, and seems more 

 disposed to explore the underwood of the higher hardwood lands 

 and nests on more level ground ; altogether about a score of the nests 

 of this species have come under my observation in my woodland 

 rambles in the vicinity in the past twenty years ; and, as in the 

 case of the water-thrush, black-and-white warblers, and several 

 other species, several of these nests were in cavities previously pre- 

 pared for them. {W. L. Kells.) 



CCLIX. SETOPHAGA. Swainson. 1827. 

 687. American Redstart. 



Setophaga ruticilla (Linn.) Swains. 1827. 



A poor skin was shown Mr. A. Halkett at Port Burwell by the 

 factor of the station showing that this species occasionally reaches 

 the north of Labrador. {Rev. G. Eifrig.) A specimen was taken at 

 Rupert House, September 3rd, i860, by Mr. James McKenzie. 

 {Packard.) Common all along Moose river to James bay. On June 

 9th, found a nest with two eggs in a white birch about four feet from 

 the ground. Nest composed of fine bark lined with the down of 

 some plant. {Spreadhorough.) A summer migrant but rare in the 

 north of Newfoundland. {Reeks.) An abundant summer resident 



