432 NOTES ON THE 



we can only speak in general terms of the power, purity and 

 volume of the notes, their faultless modulation and long con- 

 tinuance." 



That this species breeds about the head waters of the Miss- 

 issippi and the head of Lake Superior there can be little doubt, 

 as it may be seen there as late as July according to observa- 

 tions of parties visiting those regions who claim to know the 

 bird well. 



The coloration of the sexes is essentially alike, neither hav- 

 ing the concealed patch of scarlet feathers on the crown until 

 the second year. It is common in migration and no species 

 visiting the State has contributed greater numbers to the gun 

 of the collector for scientific purposes, through mistaken iden- 

 tity, yet each individual which escapes is too busy to recognize 

 the disaster further than to get away for the moment from the 

 noise of the gun that has slain his equally industrious comrade. 



Their autumnal migration brings them to us about the last 

 week in September, when they are somewhat promiscuously 

 mixed with Satrapa and several other species, remaining some- 

 times until the latter part of October. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Above dark greenish-olive, passing into bright olive-green 

 on the rump and outer edges of the wings and tail; crown 

 with a large concealed patch of scarlet feathers which are 

 white at the base; the under parts are grayish- white tinged 

 with pale olive yellow, especially behind; a ring round the eye, 

 two bands on the wing coverts, and the exterior of the inner 

 tertials, white. 



Length, 4.50; wing, 2.35; tail, 1.85. 



Habitat, North America. 



POLIOPTILA C^RULEA (L.). (751.) 



BLUE- GRAY GNATCATCHER. 



Long believed to be a summer resident, no bird has been 

 more diligently sought after here than this. My friend W. L. 

 Tiffany, a collector with large experience at Cape May, and 

 otherwheres, called my attention to the general history of this 

 species in 1874. In all the many most delightful explorations 

 about the vicinity of Minneapolis which we had together we 

 both kept it constantly in mind, and not in vain, although at 

 that time unsuccessful, for since then several have been ob- 

 tained by different collectors. Dr. Coues says in his ' 'Birds of 



