SAXICOLID.E — THE SAXICOLAS. Ql 



by Mr. Cassin. This was secured late in the summer near (Jape Harrison, 

 Labrador, where it had evidently just reared its brood. In 1860 Mr. Elliott 

 Coues obtained another specimen on the 25th of August, at Henley Harbor. 

 It was in company with two others, and was in immature plumage. Its 

 occurrence in considerable numbers on the coast of Labrador is further con- 

 firmed by a writer (" W. C") in "The Field," for June 10, 1871, who states 

 that when in that region during the months of May and June he saw a 

 number of " White Ears," the greater proportion of them being males. He 

 inferred from this that they breed in that comitry, tlie apparent scarcity 

 of females being due to their occupation in nesting. Mr. Lawrence has one 

 in his cabinet from Long Island, and the Smithsonian Institution one from 

 Quebec. Specimens have also been obtained in the Bermudas. 



Holboll, in his paper on the fauna of Greenland, is of the opinion that the 

 individuals of this species tliat occur there come from Europe, make their 

 journey across the Atlantic without touching at Iceland, and arrive in 

 South Greenland as early in the season as it does at the former place, the first 

 of May. It reaches Godhaven a month later, at times when all is snow- 

 bound and the warmth has not yet released the insects on which it feeds. 

 It is found as far north as the 73d parallel, and even beyond. In Sep- 

 tember it puts on its winter dress and departs. 



Mr. Dall states that several large flocks of this species were seen at Nulato, 

 May 23 and 24, 18G8, and a number of specimens obtained. They were 

 said to be abundant on the dry .stony hill-tops, Ijut were rare alcjng the 

 river. 



The Wheat-ear is one of the most common birds of Europe, and is found, 

 at different seasons, throughout that continent as well as in a large portion 

 of Western Asia. It breeds throughout the British Islands as well as in the 

 whole of Northern Europe and Asia. 



Its food is principally worms and insects, the latter of wliicli it takes upon 

 the wing, in the manner of a fly-catcher. The male l>ird is said to sing 

 prettily, but not loudly, warbling even when on the wing, and hovering 

 over its nest or over its partner. In confinement its song is continued by 

 night as well as by day. 



The Wheat-ear begins to make its nest in April, usually concealing it in 

 some deep recess beneath a huge stone, and often far beyond the reach of 

 the arm. Sometimes it is placed in old walls, and is usually large and 

 rudely constructed, made of dried bents, scraps of shreds, feathers, and 

 rubbish collected about tlie huts, generally containing four pale blue eggs, 

 uniform in color, and without spots, which measure .81 of an inch in length 

 by .09 in breadtli. 



