7-7 2 LooMis on South Carolina BinJa. [October 



taries at an elevation of" about 2000 feet. Stragglers were observed sev- 

 eral hundred feet higher. Nowhere else were they met with except at 

 about the same altitude on Mather's Creek. It is remarkable that this 

 bird should shun the higher ground, and occur only on the water courses 

 leading up from the country below. This peculiar distribution is not to 

 be explained on the score of temperature ; for the cool deep gorge on the 

 north side differed widely in this respect from the hot cove, walled in on 

 every hand, except the south, by precipitous mountains. Neither does 

 this restriction of range appear to be accounted for by floral considera- 

 tions; as this species was not found among the hemlocks toward the 

 source of the Middle Saluda, nor was it limited to the places where these 

 evergreens most abound. All this witnesses that the boreal character of 

 the fauna of this region is imparted by the combined influence of the 

 mountains and not by mere vertical position on the peaks and ridges; and 

 tuat this paramount influence is modified, as where latitude is involved, 

 by auxiliary agencies, the result being local distribution. They were 

 exceedingly shy. The testes of a male examined June 17 were fully devel- 

 oped. Their singing suffered no abatement during the interval of my 

 sojourn. 



38. Dendroica vigorsii. Pine Warbler. — Two males, in full song, 

 were noted June 29 on a piny ridge between the Dismals and South 

 Saluda well up to 3000 feet. This was the only locality visited where 

 there were other than isolated pines. The occurrence of this evergreen 

 in bodies appears to determine the upward range of this Warbler, which 

 affords a striking exemplification of floral influence upon local distribu- 

 tion. 



39. Seiurus aurocapillus. Oven-bird. — Abundant on the ridges and 

 hillsides. Young \vere well on wing June 10. By the second week 

 of June there began to be a falling off in song, though the voices of the 

 singers remained strong to the last. 



40. Seiurus motacilla. Loulsiana Water-Thrush. — Not as plentiful on 

 these summits as at the lower levels on Mt. Pinnacle. The adults appar- 

 ently migrated about the middle of June. 



41. Geothlypis formosa. Kentucky Warbler. — An abundant bird of 

 the spring branches and larger streams. In the 'Observations' upon the 

 summer mountain birds of Pickens (Auk, Vol. VII, p. 129) a nuptial song 

 was spoken of. This was heard a number of times the past season, thrice 

 one cloudy day at a water-fall on the Middle Saluda — the sweet wild notes 

 rising above the fall of the water, brightening for a moment the deep- 

 ened shade of the rhododendrons and hemlocks. The parents were 

 extremely solicitous for their offspring, the sounds made by the lips on 

 the back of the hand driving them nearly frantic with anxietj'. Oven- 

 birds were similarly affected. 



42. Icteria virens. Yellow-breasted Chat. 'Mockingbird.' — 

 Prominent in tiie vicinity of running water away from shaded situations. 



43. Sylvania mitrata. Hooded Warbler. — Although reaching the 

 highest spring heads, it occurs but sparingly above 2500 feet. Common 

 below this height on the Middle Saluda. 



