394 BULLETIN 15 5, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



This race is so nearly similar to true novehoracensis that it may 

 be identified certainly only on comparison with specimens in mu- 

 seums. It is distinguished mainly by more sooty less brownish dor- 

 sal surface, paler yellow underparts, and usually by slightly larger 

 size, especially of the bill. Color seems better as a distinguishing 

 character than size. 



MICROLIGEA PALUSTRIS (Cory) 

 HISPANIOLAN GROUND WARBLER, SIGUITA, PETIT CHIT 



Ligea palustris Cory, Auk, 1S84, p. 1, pi. 1 (col.), 1 fig ("Santo Do- 

 mingo "=Rivas, D. R.) ; Birds Haiti and San Domingo, March, 1884, pp. 38-39, 

 col. pi. (Rivas, specimens). — Tippenhauer, Die Insel Haiti, 1892, p. 321 

 (listed). 



Liffia, Shakpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. 10, 1885, p. 349 (emendation). — 

 Cory, Birds Haiti and San Domingo, March, 1S84, p. 38 (emendation). 



Liffia palustris, Sharpb, Cat. Birds, Brit. Mus., vol. 10, 1885, pp. 349-350 

 (description, range). 



Microligea Cory, Auk, 1884, p. 290 (new name for Ligea Cory, preoccupied). 



Microligea palustris, Cory, Auk, 1884, p. 290 (type of Microligea) ; Cat. 

 West Indian Birds, 1892, p. 119 (Dominican Republic). — Cherrie, Field Colum- 

 bian Mus., Ornith. ser., vol. 1, 189G, p. 12 (Santo Domingo City, Honduras, 

 specimens). — Verrill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 61, 1909, p. 365 

 (El Valle).— Chapman, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist, vol. 37, May 14, 1917, 

 p. 331 (Loma Tina, Loma Rucilla, specimens). — Bond, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 

 Philadelphia, vol. 80, 1928, p. 513 (Morne La Selle, Morne Tranchant, Morne 

 Brouet, Crete a Piquants). — Lonnberg, Fauna och Flora, 1929, p. 107 (La 

 Selle).— Moltoni, Att. Soc. Ital. Scienz. Nat., vol. 68, 1929, p. 324 (Sitio la 

 Maguana, specimen). 



Geothiypis palustris, Palmer, Auk, 1900, p. 217 (considered representative of 

 this genus). 



Resident ; locally common. 



This ground warbler so far as at present known lives in the dense 

 growths of damp thickets and woodland that are found in sections 

 of abundant rainfall, where these conditions are encountered being 

 fairly common, though so quiet that it is found only by those ac- 

 customed to search for the shyer species of birds. These birds creep 

 and clamber about in the dripping foliage of moss grown thickets or 

 dense clumps of ferns, moving rather slowly, usually near the 

 ground, but at times coming to feed through the branches above the 

 denser growth. Their call is a low complaining chewp, chewp heard 

 only when within a short distance. At times they show some curios- 

 ity and come near at hand to look at a human intruder. The long 

 tail gives them a tilting flight in the short distances that they cover 

 on the wing. 



The type specimen from which the species was described by Cory 

 is found in the Field Museum (Cat. No. 26350) and is a male (orig- 

 inal No. 3387) in fresh plumage but with wing and tail in partial 



