ZOOLOGY. 189 



geiierallj' heard at all hours of the day, from the top of the poplar, ash, and other deciduous 

 trees, where it was always actively engaged in pursuing insects, even while singing; its song, 

 being frequently interrupted while it darted after one, began again as soon as it could swallow 

 the victim. — C. 



One specimen of this species I obtained at Fort Steilacoom, June 17, 1856. Upper mandible, 

 dark dusky lead color; lower, pale bluish. Measurements, 5|, 8|. S .■ — -S. 



VIREO SOLITARIUS, Y i e i 1 1 o t . 



Blue-headed Flycatcher. 



Muscicapa solUaria, WiLso.f , Am. Orn II, 1810, 143 ; pi 17, f. 6 



Vireo solitarius, Vieill Nouv. Diet. 1817. Aud. Oru. Biog. I, 1831, 147 : V, 1839, 432; pi. 23. Is. Syn 1839. Is. 



Birds Amer. IV, 1H42, 144; pi 239.— Nutt. Man. I, 1832, 3(I5.— Baikd, Gea. Rep. Birds, p. 340. 

 Sp. Ch. — Spurious primary very small, not one-fourth the second, which is longer than the sixth. Top and sides of the head 

 and upper part of neck dark bluish ash; rest of upper parts clear olive green. A white ring round the eye, interrupted in the 

 anterior canthns by a dusky lore, but the white color extending above this spot to the base of the bill. Under parts white ; the 

 sides under the wings greenish yellow. Two bands on the wing coverts, with the edges of the secondaries, greenish white. 

 Outer tail feather with its edge all round, including the whole outer web, whitish. Length, about 5 50 to 5.75 inches; extent, 

 9; wing, 2.40 to 3. Bill and feet, black; irie, brown. 

 Hah. — United States, from Atlantic to the north Pacific, (Washington Territory only?) 



The solitarj' vireo is common in Washington Territory — arriving from the south in May, 

 and frequenting chiefly the groves of oak in the interior. Its sweet and varied song is so closely 

 imitated by the purple finch, that on one occasion, hearing both singing in the same tree, I 

 could not distinguish any diiference, and have no doubt that one had been attracted by the 

 song of the other. — C. 



This greenlet is rather common near Fort Steilacoom. In 1856 I obtained several specimens. 

 Another killed at Fort Steilacoom measured 5.75; extent, 9.12; wing, 3. This and another 

 specimen from the same locality differed from Nuttall's description of the species, in having 

 the lower mandible scarcely lighter than the upper; also, the breasts were not "pale cinereous" 

 but white, or white slightly tinged with yellowish. Throat not "tinged with greenish." — S. 



Family L 1 T RlC H ID A E- 

 Sub-Family TROGLODYTINAE.— T h e Wrens. 



THRIOTHORUS BEWICKII, Bonap. 



Be'wlclc's Wren. 



Troglodytes bewickii, Aud. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 96: V, 1838, 467; pi. 18.— Ib. Syn. 1839, 74 —In. Birds Amer. II, 

 1841. 120; pi. 118.-NuTr. Man I, 183/, 434.— Lesson. Rev. Zool. 1840, 261.— Newberry. 

 Zool P R. R Surv. VI, iv, 1857, 80. 



Thryothorus bewickii, Boijap List, 1838 — Ib Conspectus, 1850,221. — Baikd, Gen Rep. Birds, p 363. 



Troglodytes spilurus, Vigors, Zool. Beechey's Voyage, 1839, 18; pi iv, f 1. California. 



Sp. Ch. — Bill shorter than the head. Tail longer than the wings; much graduated. Upper parts rufous brown; beneath 

 plumbeous white A white streak over the eye, the feathers edged above with brown. Exposed surface of the wings and the 

 innermost tail feathers closely barred with dusky; the remaining tail feathers mostly black, barred or blotched with white at 

 the tips, and on the whole outer web of the exterior feather, and on the under tail coverts. Length, 5.50; extent, 7; wing, 

 2 25; tail, 2.50. Iris, brown; legs, giay; bill, black: lower mandible, white. 



Var. spilurus, with longer bill ; purer white beneath. Colors more grayish olivaceous above. 



Hab. — North America, from Atlantic to Pacific; south to Mexico. 



