and Pidos of nock and <»ii rrissuni ; on Hanks sonicwluit suili-il and ratlirr darker. A liioad 

 superciliary uliiic >irijK' (nut classing the lurt'liead) Iri'ia l>ill l«» iiaju', Imt lilile iighlcr 

 tlian tlif throat ; the line of I'ealhers inniu'diately Iteliind the nostrils, and a >inall patrh at 

 base 1)1" lower inandil'K- nndi-r the tiji>, with tin- usual stripe IVoin Iiill th!"()uuli the eye, 

 Iieing Idaekish. While spot at l)ase ol' ([Uills vi"v distinct exteiiially ; the posterior out- 

 line on each outer weh of tli»' priniarles not (piadrate, l»ut runnnig out olili<|uely Iwhind 

 and on the outermost iiuill reaehinir the >hal't. I'M'jes of (luills narrowlv niaii,Mne»l with 

 urayish-whiti- ; on the secondaries continuc<l ic)und the tips. No distinct bands on tlu' 

 coverts. Outer tail-teathers broadly tip|»ed with wiilte; thi- even in\ol\ ing the iiniernio>t, 

 but rednceij to a narrow edge. Total length, 4.40: v.ing, L'.iiO; tail. l.S(». 



IJill : Length from forchcatl. .b'J ; from nostril. .41 : along gajjc, .">!); dcjttli at base. .17. 

 Legs: Tai'sus, ,7'>; mi<ldle toe and claw. .."i.S ; elaw alone. .17; hind toe and claw, .\'>; 

 claw ahuie, .'JO, 



ILvH. L lii'" '' 'ud Keys oi' southeast C'.)ast of Florida. 



A s]»eeiiU' I 'Vorn he yioiidii Keys (^10,;)()7) is rather darker than those 

 from the l)...i no- ^ • ^ while less e.xtendt'd, and not (jiiite reaeiiing the shafts 

 in the outer (jiiills. 



H.viiiTs. This s])ecies, helon^ing: ]>rop('rly in the Iiahanian urnu)) of tlu; 

 "West Indian islands, was fuund at Indian Key, Fhi., January .'II, lsr>S, hy 

 ]\Ir. AViirdeniaini, where it appeariMl to he not at all rare. Xothinu is known 

 of its hahits, hut tht'y arc douhtless nearly tlu' same as tlnjse (d" the tillied 

 species. The C.jlurtoln is known in Jiimaiea as the Hanana (iMiit, Honey- 

 Sucker, and lihudv ;ind VeUow ( 'reei)er. According to the description (d' 

 them iiivi'ii l»y Mr. Gosse, these hirds, scarcely larger than the llumniin<'- 

 \V\ ,, arc often seen in com})any Mith them, ]>rtddng the llowcrs for similar 

 ])urposes, hut in a very dill'erent nmmier. Instead of hoveling; like tiie Ilum- 

 niing-Iiird in front (d" the hhtssom, lor whiidi its short wings would be in- 

 eomitetent, these hirds alight on the tree and ])roceed in a very husincss-like 

 niauni'r. lIoj>])ing from twig to twig in an active manner, they carefully 

 examine eacdi hlossoni. Tn (hung this tlu-y throw their Ixulies into a variety 

 of positions, (d'tcn clinging by the feet with the luKdc downwards, tlu; l»etter 

 to reach the interior of a blossom with their curved beaks and peculiar tongue. 

 The obi'- ts of these osearches are the small insects Mhitdi are always foinid 

 in the interior of llowcrs. This bird is luisuspccting and familiar, and very 

 freely resorts to the Idossoming shrid)s (d* the gardens and yards. Mr. (Jos.se 

 n\entions, in eviilence of this famili:irity, that a laige moringa-tree under his 

 window, as he was writing, and which all through the year was jn-id'iiscdy set 

 with fragrant blossoms, and was a favorite resort of these birds, was being 

 carcfidlv scrutinized bv two ju'tive little Creepers. Although within a few 

 lect of his window, they ]un'sueil their examinat.oiis, perfectly undisturbed 

 by his looking" on. As thev move about thev utter a soft sibilant note. 



The nests of this little bird are usually built in thttse low trees ami lnrshes 

 to whiidi are fastened th" nesi> td" the brown wasps, and in ch)se contiguity 

 to them. Mr. (lossc regards this singular ]aedilection as a remarkable ex- 

 ercise of instinct, if not of reason, as t' « cviileirt object of it is the protection 



