384 XORTII AMEinCAX 1UIM)S. 



yellowish. Bill Idack ; ftM»f p1iunl»«'otis ; iris l>ri;rlit n-*]. First qnill loss tliati linlf tho 

 se<<>ntl, wliiili alioiit ('(iiiiils the ti'nth; tliirtl littU' sluHtor than timrth (lonp'st). 



Fvinnlr. With the black irplaccU hy dull slatr; lower parts o<hraceoiis-whir»' nn-dially. 

 I*<»ssil»ly a distiiict speries (Ma/atlaii). 



(No. (>,S18.) Fresh spf.iiiu-ii : Total leu«,'th, 4.7'»; expanse of wind's 7. *J'>; wing frotn 

 carpal joint. 'l.Vl. Prepared specimen: Total lenirlh, 4.10; wing, 'i:i'>\ tail. I.!).'). 



Il.vn Southern I'order of Wotern Texas; Mazatlan. 



The Idack head of this spt'iies, as far as known, makes it unitine in the 

 genus. It is extremely rare, but tliree or four specimens bein^i; known. 



We reh'r to tliis species a specimen — probably a female — obtained at 

 ^lazatlan, fui tlie western coast of Mexico, in April, by Colonel (Irayson (S. 

 1., Xo. ."ir),04b). This specimen iliflcrs fr«»m tho.se from Texas in havin«j: tluj 

 black of the head replaced by a dull dark slate-color, the (dive above rather 

 less virescent, and the lower parts not pure white, but somewhat bully. A.s 

 all the other essential characters are identical, there being in l)oth the 

 white space covering the whole lore, and orbital ring interruptecl on top, — 

 features not seen in any other s]>ecics, — we have little ln'sitation in con- 

 sidering them the same sj»ecies ; whit h o})inion is moreover strengthened by 

 the fact, that among the Texas sjiecimeiis, all with black caps, there are 

 no females. 



Habits. Of the genend history and haliits of this rare species very little 

 is known. It was first met with by Dr. Woodhouse, on the 2(>th of May, 

 18")!, in Western Texas. This was on the Ilio San I*edro, within ten miles 

 of its source. He found it amon«jf some cedars and was attracted bv its very 

 singular notes. It was in continual motion, likr* a Wo<m1 Warbler, and was 

 by him at first sup]»osed to be one of those birds. He obtained two speci- 

 mens, both of which ju'oved to be males. 



Mr. John H. Chirk, the naturalist of the Mexican Boundary Commis.sion, 

 likewise found this s])ecies in Texas, and not far from the same locality in 

 which it was discovered 1)V Dr. Woodhouse. His attention also was drawn 

 to the bird by its shrill discordant cliirj), which it uttered inc^essantly in its 

 pursuit of insects. Three specimens only were seen, and all of them at one 

 localitv, the vallev of the Ilio San Pedro, to which it seemed to be confined. 

 It was not at all shy, and showed no concern when Mr. Clark ap])roached 

 within a few rods. Its constant motion, hopping incessantly from branch 

 to branch, made it a matter of some ditiiculty to procure specimens. It 

 was found in June, and the single specimen shot by Mr. Clark was also a 

 male. 



