MNIOTILTIIXE THE AMERICAN WARBLERS. 177 



The fully adult male is a very handsome and conspicuous bird, 

 though far less so than his relative, the Hooded Warbler; and his 

 song is one of the prettiest that we know of, having some resem- 

 blance to that of the Water-thrush. 



"In Vermont," says Mr. Charles S. Paine*, "the Canada Fly- 

 catcher is a common summer visitant, and is first seen about the 

 18th of May. They do not spread themselves over the woods, like 

 most of our small fly-catching birds, but keep near the borders, 

 where there is a low growth of bushes, and where they may be 

 heard throughout the day, singing their regular chant. A few 

 pairs may occasionally be found in the same neighborhood. At 

 other times only a single pair can be found in quite a wide extent 

 of territory of similar character. They build their nests, as well 

 as I can judge, about the first of June, as the young are hatched 

 out and on the wing about the last of that month, or the first of 

 July. I have never found a nest, but I think they are built on 

 the ground. They are silent after the first of July, and are rarely 

 to be seen after that period." 



Nests found at Lynn, Mass., by Mr. Geo. 0. Welch, were built 

 in tussocks of meadow-grass, in swampy woods or logs; they were 

 constructed of pine needles, strips of loose grape-vine bark, dry 

 leaves, etc., and lined with fibrous dry roots. The eggs were five 

 in number, clear white, marked with a wreath of spots of various 

 shades of rich brown, purple, and violet. 



GENUS SETOPHAGA SWAINSON. 



Setophaga SWAINSON, Zool. Jour, iii, Deo. 1827, 360. Type.Jfwsctcapo rutacilla LINN. 



"GEN. CHAE. Bill much depressed, the lateral outlines straight toward tip. Bristles 

 reach half-way from nostril to tip. Culmen almost straight to near the tip ; commissure 

 very slightly curved. Nostrils oval, with membrane above them. Wings rather longer 

 than tail, pointed; second, third, and fourth quills nearly equal; first intermediate be- 

 tween fourth and fifth. Tail rather long, rather rounded; the feathers broad, and widen- 

 ing at ends, the outer web narrow. Tarsi with scutellar divisions indistinct externally. 

 Legs slender; toes short, inner cleft nearly to base of first joint, outer with first joint 

 adherent; middle toe without claw, not quite half the tarsus." (Hist. N. Am. .) 



Setophaga ruticilla (Linn.) 



AMERICAN REDSTART, 



Popular synonyms. Black-and-red Warbler; Fan-tail Warbler, or Flycatcher; Yellow- 

 tailed Warbler or Flycatcher. 

 Motacilla ruticilla LINN. S. N. ed. 10, i, 1758, 186. 



Muscicapa ruticilla LINN. S. N. ed. 12, i, 1766, 326. WILS. Am. Orn. i, 1808, 103, pi. 6, fig. 

 6; v, 119, pi. 45. fig. 2. AUD. Orn. Biog. i, 1831. 202; v, 1839, 428, pi. 40; Synop. 1839. 44; 

 B. Am. i, 1840, 240. pL 68. 



* In Hist. N. Am. B. i, pp. 320, 32L 



12 



