SAXICOLID.ii: — THE 8AXIC0LAS. gj 



by Mr. Cassin. Tliis was secured late in tlio siimiiior near Cii]-n'. Harrison, 

 L!il)rador, wliere it had evidently just reared its brood. In 18(j() Mr. Elliott 

 Coues obtained another specimen on tiie '2~>t\i of Auj^ust, at Henley Harbor. 

 It was in coniiiany M'itli two others, and was in immature plumage. Its 

 occurrence in considevaljle numbers on the coast of Lal)rador is I'urtl.'i' con- 

 firmed by a writer ("W. C") in "The Field," for June 1(1, 1H71, who estates 

 tiiat wlu'n in that region during the months of May and June lie saw u 

 numlK'r of "White Ears," the greater proi)ortion of tliem being males. He 

 inferreil from this tliat tiiey breed in tliat country, the apparent scarcity 

 of females being due to their occupation in nesting. !Mr. Lawrence has one 

 in his cabinet from Long Lsland, and the 8niith.sonian Institution one from 

 Queliec. Specimens have also been obtained in the Bermudas. 



Holbiill, in his paper on tiie I'auna of (Jreenland, is of tiie opinion that the 

 individuals of this sitecies that occur tiiere come from Euro])e, make their 

 journey across the Atlantic; without touching at Iceland, and arrive in 

 South (h'cenland as early in tlie sea.son as it does at the former place, the first 

 of May. It reaches (iodhaven a month later, at times when all is snow- 

 bound and the warmth has not yet released the insects on which it feeds. 

 It is f(jund as far north as the 73d parallel, and even beyond. In SciJ- 

 tcniber it puts on its winter dress and dejiarts. 



Mr. Dall .states that .several large flocks of this s]H>cies were seen at Nulato, 

 May 2'A and 24, 1".(JS, and a nund)er of sjjecimens obtained. They were 

 said lo be abundant, on the dry stony hill-top.s, but were rare along the 

 rivei'. 



Tlie Wiieat-ear is one of the most connnon Ijirds of P'urope, and is found, 

 at different .seasons, tin'oughout tliat continent a:; well as in a large portion 

 of Western Asia. It breeds througiiout the British Islands as well as in the 

 whole of Xortliern Europe and A.sia. 



Its food is ])rincipally worms and insects, tlu^ latter of which it takes U])on 

 tlie wing, in liie manner of a fly-catcher. The male bird is said to sing 

 prettily, but not loudly, warbling even MJieu on the wing, and hovering 

 over its nest or over its partner. In confinement its song is continued by 

 night as well as by day. 



The Wheat-ear beguis to make its nest in April, usually concealing it in 

 some deep recces beneath a huge stoiu>, and often far beyond the reach of 

 the arm. Sometimes it is placed in old w.dls, and is usually large and 

 rudely constriicte.l, made of dried bents, scraps of shreds, feathers, and 

 rub1)ish collected about the huts, generally containing four pale blue eggs, 

 uniform in color, and without spots, which measure .81 of an inch in length 

 by .O'J iu breadth. 



