THE HOODED WARBLER. 245 



MYIODIOCTES, Audubon. 



Mifiodioctes, Audubon, Sjti. (1839), 48. (T\T)e Motncilla viitrata.) 

 Bill depressed. Flycatcher like; broader than high at the base; gape with bristles 

 nearly as long as the bill, which is distinctly notched at tip; both outlines gently 

 convex; tarsi longer than the head, considerably exceeding the middle toe; claws 

 all considerably curved; tail decidedly rounded or slightly graduated; the lateral 

 feathers one-iitth of an inch shorter; wing very little longer than the tail; the first 

 quill decidedly shorter than the fourth; colors yellow. 



MYIODIOCTES MITRATUS. — ^wrfwJon. 

 The Hooded Warbler. 



Motncilla mitrntn, Gmelin. Syst. Nat., I. (1788) 977. 



Sylvia milrata, Nuttall. Man., I. (1832) 373. Aud. Orn. Biog., II. (1834) 68. 



Sylvania mitratn, Nuttall. Man., I. (2d ed., 1840) 333. 



Muscicajia cucullaia, Wilson. Am. Orn., III. (1811) 101. 



Description. 



Male. — Bill black; feet pale-yellow; head and neck all round, and fore part of 

 the breast, black; a broad patch on the forehead extending round on the entire 

 cheeks and ear coverts, with the under parts, bright-yellow; upper parts and sides 

 of the bodj' olive-green; greater portion of inner web of three outer tail feathers 

 white. 



Female s\\m\AT\ the crown like the back; the forehead yellowish; the sides of 

 the head j'eliow, tinged with olive on the lores and ear coverts. 



Length, live inches; wing, two and seventj'-five one-hundredths ; tail, two and 

 fifty-five one-hundredths inches. 



This bird is so extremely rare in New England, that it 

 can be regarded only as a straggler. It has been known to 

 occur in Connecticut, but its regular habitat is more a 

 southern one. Audubon describes its habits as follows : — 



" The Hooded Flycatcher is one of the livehest of its tribe, and 

 is almost continually in motion. Fond of secluded places, it is 

 equally to be met with in the thick cane-brakes of the high or low 

 lands, or amid the rank weeds and tangled rushes of the lowest 

 and most impenetrable swamps. You recognize it instantly, on 

 seeing it ; for the peculiar graceful opening and closing of its broad 

 tail distinguishes it at once, as it goes on gambolling from bush to 

 bush, now in sight, now hidden from your eye, but constantly 

 within hearinir. 



