SVLVK'OMD.K — TIIH WAKBLEKS. 



323 



Sp. Char. Male. Prrviiiliii}; color l»l:i«k. A ctMitral liii«' on the breast, the abdomen, 

 ami under tail-«'overts wliite ; some feathers in the latter stronjriy tinjre<l with dark brown. 

 I>;u<es of all the (juills exeept the inner and outer, and basal half of all the tail-feathers ex- 

 cept the middle one. a patch on each side of the breast, ami the axillaiy reirion, oraii ire-red, 

 of a vermilion shade on the breast. Female witii the l>lark renlacd bv olive-<rre<'n above, 

 l>y brownish-white beneath, the red replaced by yellow ; the head tinired with ash; a 

 r^rayish-white lore and rinj:^ round the eye. Lenirth, ").2o ; winir, 2.'>0 ; tail, 2.45. 



Har. Eastern and in part Middle Provinces of North America to Fort Simpson, west to 

 Great Salt Lake; Fort Laramie; Denver City ; most of the West Indies; Mexico to Ecuador. 



The yoiiiio- male in early autiiiun jjfreatly resembles in pliima«;e the adult 

 female, but has the upper tail-coverts and tail deep black, shar|>ly contrasted 

 with the olive of the rum}), instead of having tlie upper tail-coverts olive, the 

 tail simply dusky ; in addition the back is more oreenish-olive, and the 

 abdomen and crissum pure white. The male does not obtain the perfect 

 adidt plumage until al jut the third year. 



H.VBITS. The so-called Hedstart has an extended distribution from the 

 Atlantic to the liocky Mountains, and 

 from Florida to high northern latitudes, 

 having been found breeding at Fort 

 Simpson by Mr. IJoss, and at Fort 

 IJesolution by Mr. Kennicott and Mr. 

 Lockhart. It is generally abunilant in 

 suitable localities, and probably breeds 

 wherever found north of the Potomac. 

 It winters in large numbers in (luate- 

 mala and in other j)arts of Central 

 America, as well as in the West Indies. 

 It is common in St. Croix in the s]>ring, 



and is especially seen about houses, according to Xewton. 

 there until the end of April. 



Iiichardson found this species abundant on the Saskatchewan t,ir to the 

 north as the rtfty-eighth parallel. It appeared there the ' of ^Fay, and 

 left early in Sei)temher. He found it fretjuenting nioir' .lady lands, flit- 

 ting about amono the moss-orown and twisted stems of j tall wiUows that 

 skirt the marshes. It was easilv recognized bv the il lining of its winus 

 as it flitted through the gloomy shades in pursuit < mosquitoes and other 

 winged insects. 



Among the memoranda of the late Mr. Kennicott, we find two to the effect 

 that on the 2()th of ^lay he foimd both males and females of this species 

 common near Ifainy Lake, and that on tlie ()th of June he also observed 

 these birds near Lake Winnepeg. June 14, at Fort liesolution, he obtained 

 a female Redstart with nest and four ei^gs. The nest was built in the fork 

 of a willow, in a thick but low wood of alder and willow. It Mas entirely 

 unprotected by leaves or branches. The female was taken on the nest. 



The Newtons fotmd this a very conunon species in St. Croix, in the spring 



Setophaga ruticilla. 



It 



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