Burns — On Alexander Wilson. 



63 



ALEXANDER WILSON, 

 n. The Mystery of the Small-headed Flycatcher. 



BY frank L. burns. ' 



Dr. Coues has written, " The existence of any such bird 

 is doubtful. The history <yi the bird begins with a misunder- 

 standing betwieen Wilson and Audubon, and the whole record 

 from that day to this is a tissue of surmises." In 1872, he 

 writes " There is no reasonable probability that any species 

 of this family inhabiting the Aliddle States in June, remains 



Fif'. 4. 



Black Oystereatclier (Hwntatopiis hacJiiiiaiii). 



A rock cliii) nest in a depression in tlie rocks surrounded by 



vegetation. 



Destruction Island. 



to be detected. I have no doubt the bird is a Dendroica, and 

 nothing in the description forbids its reference to one of these 

 birds, perhaps D. piniis (^vigorsii) ." Later, 1903, he fur- 



