944 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 
Wilson says, in his description of the habits of these 
birds, — 
“They seem to prefer these open plains and thinly wooded 
tracts, and have this singularity in their manners, that they are 
not easily alarmed, and search among the leaves the most leisurely 
of any of the tribe I have yet met with; seeming to examine every 
blade of grass and every leaf; uttering, at short intervals, a feeble 
chirr. I have observed one of these birds to sit on the lower 
branch of a tree for half an hour at a time, and allow me to come 
up nearly to the foot of the tree, without seeming to be in the least 
disturbed, or to discontinue the regularity of its occasional note. 
In activity, it is the reverse of the preceding species; and is rather 
a scarce bird in the countries where I found it. Its food consists 
principally of small caterpillars and winged insects.” 
In closing with the genus Dendroica, I give the remarks 
of J. A. Allen concerning the distribution of the different 
species at Springfield, Mass. : — 
“Of the twenty-two species of Dendroica inhabiting the United 
States, thirteen haye been found at Springfield, and one other 
(D. cerulea) may occur as accidental or extremely rare. Four of 
them (D. virens, pinus, Pennsylvanica, estiva) are known to breed 
here, and two others (D. Blackburnia, castanea) have been taken 
in the breeding season. None are permanent residents, and none 
are seen in the winter. The remaining five (D. coronata, striata, 
maculosa, tigrina, palmarum) are at present known merely as 
spring and autumn visitants. D. coronata is most abundant; 
striata next so; virens, Canadensis, maculosa, estiva, and palma- 
rum are but little less common; Blackburni@ is more rare; casta- 
nea and discolor are quite rare, while tigrina is extremely rare. 
The earliest to arrive are pinus and palmarum, commonly appearing 
early in April; str¢ata is rarely seen before May 30: the others 
commonly arrive from May 5th to May 12th, and stragglers remain 
till June. WD. coronata is decidedly gregarious in its migrations, 
and is everywhere about equally abundant. The others are usually 
seen in small parties, and keep pretty closely to the woods, except 
D. estiva and palmarum, estiva, being never found in the deep 
woods.” 
