316 NORTH AMEUICAX BIliDS. 



bottom-lands aloiiL,' the Lower Wiibush, in Soiitlieru Illinois, inhabiting the 

 cane-brakes and tin* margins of Imshy swamps. 



The l'«;ljs of this Warliler are oval in Hliai)e, with one end (juite pointed. 

 Tliey measnre .70 by .">() of an inch. Their ground-color is a beautiful bright 

 white, when the egg is fresli, strongly tinged with Hesh-color. The spots are 

 of a fine red, with a few markings of a subdued purple. 



Msdodioctes minutus, Baird. 



SMALL-HEADED FLTCATCHEB. 



Miisciciipn ininufa, "NViLsox, Am. (Mm. Vl, 1»12, 02, pi. 1, fig. 5. — AuD, Oin. Biog. V, pi, 

 rcccxxxiv, lig. 3. — In. ninls Am. I, pi. Ixvii. Sylvia vunufa. Bun. IVilmmiu m. 

 Box, List, 1>(38. MijiinliocUiH iniautus, Baiiid, Hi-v. Am. Birds, 1864, 241. Sylvnnia 

 pumilid, Nrrr. Man. I, 1840, 3:34. 



Sp. f'liAR. Wings short, the socoinl quills longest. Tiiil of nioderato length, even. 

 General eolor of npper parts light green ish-hrown ; wings and tail dark olive-brown, the 

 outer feathers of the latter with a terminal white spot on the inner web ; a narrow white 

 ring surrounding the eye; two bands of dull white on the wings; sides of the head and 

 neek greenish-yellow ; the rest of the lower parts pale yellow, gradually fading into white 

 behind. Male, '> inehes long; extent, 8.25 inehes. 



Had. Eaj^tern L'nited States. 



Habits. All that is known in regard to this species we receive from 

 Wilson and Audubon, and there is a decided discrepancy in their several 

 statements. Wilson states that bis figure was taken from a yoinig male 

 sliot on the 2-4th of April, but in what locality he does not mention. He 

 adds that he afterwards shot several individuals in various parts of New 

 Jersey, particularly in swamps. He found these in June, and has no doubt 

 they breed there. 



Audubon claims tbat Wilson's drawing was a copy from his own of a bird 

 shot by him in Kentucky on the margin of a pond. He throws a doubt as 

 to the correctness of Wilson's statement that they have been found in Xevv 

 Jersey, as no one else has ever met with any there. That may be, however, 

 and Wilson's statement yet be correct. The same argument carried out would 

 reject the very existence of the bird itself, as no well-authenticated records 

 of its occurrence since tlien can be found. They are at least too doubtful 

 to be received as unquestionable until the genuine bird can be produced. Mr. 

 Xuttall, it is true, states that ^Ir. Charles Pickering obtained a specimen of 

 this bird manv vears ago, near Salem, Mass., and that he had himself also 

 seen it in the same State, at the approach of winter. In the fall of 1830, 

 when tlie writer resided in Roxbuiy, a cat caught and brought into the 

 house a small Flycatcher, which was supposed to ]>e of this species. It was 

 gi\'en to ^Ir. xVudubon, who assented to its correct identification, but after- 

 wards made no mention of it. The presumption, therefore, is that we may 

 have been mistaken. 



