PASSERES— AMPELIDAE— MYIADESTES TOWNSENDI. 231 



MYIADESTES TOWNSENDI (Aud.) 

 Townsend's Solitaire. 



Ptiliffonys toicnsendii, AUD., Orn. Biop;., v, 1839, 206, pi. ccccxix, f. 2. — WoODn., Sit- 

 greave's Exp. Ziifii & Col. Kiv., 1854, 70. — Newb., P. R. R. Rep., vi, 1857, 82. 



Myiadestes towmendii, Bd., Birds N. A., 1858, 321. — Xantus, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 

 Pbila., 1859, 191 (FortWljipple, Ariz.).— Kennekly, P. R. E. Rep., Whipple's 

 Route, X, 1859, 25.— EIberm., P. R. R. Rep., x, pt. iv, 1859, 38.— Henry, 

 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pbila., 1859, 106 (New iSlexico).— Stev., U. S. Geol. 

 Surv. Terr., 1870, 404.— Coop. & Suckl., P. R. R. Rep., xii, pt. ii, 180(», 

 187.— Hayd., Trans. Am. Phil. See, xii, 1802, 102.- Bd., Rev. Am. Birds, i, 

 1865, 429.— COUES, Proc. Acad. Nnt. Sci. Phila., ISCO, 72 (Fort Whipple, 

 Ariz.). — Cooper, Am. Nat., iii, 1SG9, 34. — Allen, Bull. j\Ius. Com)). Zocil., 

 1872, 170 (mountains of Colorado). — Coues, Key N. A. Bird,*, 1872, 117, 

 f. 57.— Aiken, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., 1872, 198.— Bd., Brew., & 

 RiDG., N. A. Birds, i, 1874, 409, pi. xviii, f. 3, 4.— Yarrow & Henshaw, 

 Eep. Orn. Specs., 1872, Wheeler's Exped., 1874, 12. — Henshaw, An. Lye. 

 Nat. Hist. N. Y., xi, 1874, 5.— Id., An. List Birds Utah, 1S74, Wheeler's 

 Exped., 1874, 43.— 7^/., Rep. Orn. Specs., 1873, Wheeler's Exped., 1874, 77, 

 100. — CoUES, Birds Northwest, 1874, 93. 



Apparently rather rare, not being seen until October 28, when three 

 were noticed in company near Pine Valley, Utah. Very shy and retiring, 

 frequenting the hill sides covered with small cedars, the berries of which 

 constitute the major part of their food in winter when the ground is covered 

 with snow. In some of its habits and motions, it closely resembles the Blue- 

 birds (Sialia). Stationing itself upon the low branches of a tree, it care- 

 fully scans the ground, and, perceiving an insect, suddenly darts down and, 

 seizing its prey, bears it at once to the nearest perch. 



During a week's stay in June at the base of Baldy Peak, I frequently 

 saw this bird in the pine forests, and as high up on the mountain-sides as 

 10,0U0 feet, and its summer-range doubtless extends up to timber line. Its 

 habits, as far as I noticed them, are singularly like those of the Bluebirds. 

 Besides a loud, liquid call note, the male has a beautiful warbling song. 

 This somewhat resembles the finest efforts of the Purple Finch {Carpodaeus 

 purpureus), but far excels that bird in power, sweetness, and modulation. 

 Thougli I searched most carefully for the nest of this species, I was not 

 successful further than to satisfy myself that it breeds in the crevices of the 

 rocks. Its preference for such localities during the sttmmer, with the evi- 

 dent solicitude manifested on more than one occasion, left little doubt in my 

 mind upon this point. 



