SYLVICOLID.E — THE WARBLERS. 201 



A patch on the vertex, as in H. ritficapilla, and the upper tail-coverts, dark chestnut- 

 brown. Lores to nostrils and region round the eye, like the throat, in rather decided con- 

 trast to the ash of the crown. Quills and tail-feathers brown, narrowly edged externally 

 with gray. An obsolete terminal wliite patch on the inner web of the outer feather ; this 

 web in most of the other tail-feathei's likewise narrowly edged with white. Axillai's and 

 inner ftice of wings white. Iris brown. Tarsi blue. Length, in life, 4.40 ; extent, 6.90; 

 wing, 2.40. Length of skin, 3.90 ; wing, 2.33; tail, L86 ; tarsus, .64 ; middle toe and 

 claw, .50 ; bill above, .35 ; gape, .50. 



Hab. Fort Mohave, Colorado River (Middle Province of United States) ; Fort Whipple, 

 Arizona. 



Habits. Tliis is also a new or recently discovered species of this interest- 

 ing group of Warblers. In regard to its nest and eggs nothing is positively 

 ascertained, yet as all the birds of this genus ai-e known to build on the 

 ground, and to have a great uniformity in the characteristics of their eggs, it 

 seems to be a matter of natural inference that this species also is a ground 

 builder, and has eggs similar to those of the Nashville Warbler. For the 

 little we know in regard to its habits and distribution, we are indebted to 

 the observations of Dr. J. G. Cooper of California, who Hrst discovered it, 

 and to Dr. Coues, who has since met with it in Arizona. 



Dr. Cooper first observed this species near Fort Mohave, where it made its 

 appearance about the last of March. His attention was called to it by its 

 peculiar notes, resembling those of some Dendroicce, but fainter. After con- 

 siderable watching and scrambling through dense mezquite thickets in its 

 pursuit, he succeeded in shooting one, and found it to be a new species. 

 Afterwards they became more numerous, frequenting the tops of the mez- 

 quite-trees in pursuit of insects, and constantly uttering their short but 

 pleasing notes. About ten days after the first a])pearance of the males, Dr. 

 Cooper obtained the first female, and tl links that without doubt they are 

 much later in their migrations, as is the case with other AVarblers. He 

 was not able to discover their nest, having to leave the valley late in 

 May. 



Mr. Holden obtained other specimens of this bird, near the 34th parallel, 

 in March of 1863. 



Dr. Coues met with three individuals of this species near Fort Whipple, 

 where it is a summer resident. It arrives there between the 15th and the 

 20th of April, and remains until the latter part of September. It mates 

 about the last of April, and the young birds appear earlv in June. 



Dr. Coues regards its habits as more like those of the true Ground War- 

 blers than those of the other species of this group. It shows a decided 

 preference for thickets and copses, rather than for high open woods, and i-^ 

 also an exceedingly shy and retiring species. To the extreme difficulty of 

 observing or procuring it Dr. Coues attributes its Iniving so long remained 

 imnoticed. 



It is described as exceedingly active in all its motions, and quite as rest- 

 less as a Polioptila, to which class, in its colors, it also bears a close resem- 

 26 



