REDSTART. 



Setophaga ruticilla. 



Char. Male : lustrous blue-black ; belly white ; patch on sides of 

 breast, basal half of wing-quills and of tail, orange red. Female : the 

 black of the male replaced by olive brown, the red replaced by dull 

 yellow. Young males like female, but gradually changing to full plumage. 

 Bill and feet black. Length 5 to 53^ inches. 



Nest. An exceedingly graceful and compact structure saddled on a 

 branch, or supported by forked twigs of a sapling, from 5 to 20 feet from 

 the ground. It is composed of a variety of materials, in this region 

 most commonly of grass and vegetable fibres lined with fine grass or 

 horse-hair. 



Eggs. 4-5 ; dull white, spotted chiefly around the larger end with 

 brown and lilac ; 0.65 X 0.50. 



This beautiful and curious bird takes up its suminer resi- 

 dence in almost every part of the North American continent, 

 being found in Canada, in the remote interior near Red River 

 in the latitude of 49 degrees, throughout Louisiana, Arkansas, 

 and the maritime parts of Mexico ; in all of which vast coun- 

 tries it familiarly breeds and resides during the mild season, 

 withdrawing early in September to tropical America, where, in 

 the perpetual spring and summer of the larger West India 

 islands, the species again find means of support. At length, 

 instigated by more powerful feelings than those of ordinary 

 want, the male, now clad in his beautiful nuptial livery, and 

 accompanied by his mate, seeks anew the friendly but far 

 distant natal regions of his race. In no haste, the playful 



