CHARACTERS OF SETOPHAOA. RUTICILLA 339 



? Sylvia russlcauda, V. Ency. M6th. ii. 1823, 476, n. 191. 



?Setophaga russeiciiuda, Gray, Handlist, i. 1869, 243, n. 3517. 



t Fauvcttc a queue rousse, V. OAS. 1. c. 



Rouge-queue des Etats-lnis, V. II cc. 1817 and 1823. 



Reddish-tailed Warbler, Steph. 1. c. 



Redstart, American Redstart, Redstart Flycatcher, Authors. 



[NOTE. The Figuier noir etjaunc dc Cayenne, PE. 391, f. 2 (= Figuier noir, Buff, v. 314 = 

 Rufous and Black Warbler, Lath. Syn. ii. pt ii. 493, n. 121 = Motadlla multicolor, Gm. SX. 

 i. 972, n. 109), seems to be near the present species.] 



HAB. The greater part of temperate North America, especially the East- 

 ern Province. North to Fort Simpson. West to Utah. South through 

 Mexico and Central America, and in South America to Ecuador. Most of 

 the West India Islands. Breeds in most of its United States and all of its 

 British American range. Winters extralimital. 



CH. SP. $ Nigra, abdomine crissoque albis, lateribus rubro- 

 aurantiacis, alis cauddque rubro-aurantio dimidiatis. 9 Olivacea, 

 capite cinerascente, infra alba, lateribus, alis cauddque flavo 

 notatis. 



$ , adult : Lustrous blue-black, the belly, flanks, and crissum white. Sides 

 of the body and lining of wings rich flame-color, which also often tinges 

 the breast quite across. Basal portions of all the wing-quills, excepting the 

 innermost secondaries, the same rich reddish-orange, brightest on the outer 

 webs, where it forms a conspicuous exposed spot, paler and more extensive 

 on the inner webs. All the lateral tail-feathers similarly colored for half or 

 more of their length, the orange meeting the black abruptly with transverse 

 outline. Bill and feet black. Length, 5-5J; extent, 7f-8; wing, 2-2|; 

 tail the same ; bill, ; tarsus, f . 



$ , adult : The black of the male replaced on the upper parts with olive, 

 growing more ashy on the head, on the wings with fuscous, ard below with 

 white. Sides rich yellow where the male is orange, the color often tinging 

 the breast across. Orange markings of the wings and tail of the male re- 

 placed by clear yellow. Lores dusky ; eyelids and slight stripe from nostrils 

 to eye whitish. Rather smaller than the male, about equal to the lesser sev- 

 eral dimensions above given. 



< , young : Like the female, but the upper parts more brownish, the tail 

 quite black, and the yellow of the sides brighter. Males changing in the 

 spring to their final plumage are irregularly patched with black in the gen- 

 eral olivaceous and white. 



WHILE the different plumages of this lovely bird are well 

 known, the progress and periods of the changes which 

 the male undergoes remain matters for more precise determina- 

 tion. The female does not change materially in color with the 

 successive moults. The plumage of the young just from the 

 nest is not known. Discrepant statements of authors begin 

 with the first full autumnal feathering. Audubon states that 

 the first year is spent in the garb of the female, the black mot- 

 tling and the vermilion tints not appearing until toward the 



