SVLVIID.K _ TIlK SYLVIAS. 



71 



across flio wiiip. Bill Tathor dark l)ro\vii ; paler Ixiicatli. Logs rlark olivr ; Iocs not stMi- 

 sibly (liirirront. Nest probably on ground, and domed. Eggs white, spotted wiili pini<. 



.Spurious rjuill in length about one fourth the second, whieli Li'iout ecpials the sixth, or 

 very slightly exceeds it ; third and fourth hnigest ; lifih a little shorter. 



Diuu'usions (fre.sh specimen before being skinned): colal length, 4.75; expan.se of 

 wings, (5.((() ; wing from carpal joint, 12.5t». 



Dimensions (prepared specimen): total length, 4.00 ; wing, 2.40; tail, 2.00. Exposed 

 portion of lirst primary. 0.4'_' : of .second, L5(i ; of longest (measured from exposed base 

 of lirst primary). I.S."). Hill: length from aliove, 0.;5S ; liom nostril, (t.2!»; along gape, 

 1.."). Legs: tai-.su.s, O.liti : middle toe and claw, 0.:V) ; claw alone, 0.10; hind toe and 

 claw, 0.,i(i ; claw alone, 0,20. 



ir.Mi. Xortheast Asia (China, East Siberia) ; adjacent to JJehring's Straits and Alaska. 



Thi.s species, in oonci-al appetiraiice, appiivently comes iietirer to 7*. fivrhilii.t 

 tliiiii to any otiier of it.s eonoeiiers. It is, however, iiioiv. olivaceous-green 

 above, and more yellow beneath, and has a distinct I)and across the wing. 

 The siipereiliiiry liglit stripe is more distinct iind longer; the bill and legs 

 iive darker, and tlie toes not sensibly diderent in color from the tarsus. The 

 proportion of the (piills is mucli tiie same, excejtt tiiat the interval between 

 the tips of the fifth and si.xth tjuills is greater, and the second is almost inap- 

 preciably longer than the latter, not reaching nearly midway between the 

 two. Th(! tirst or s])urious (luill is rather sJKjrter. 



A single specimen of this s])ecies was obttiined August IG, 1860, on St. 

 MichaL"s Island, in Norton .Soinid, Alaska, by Mr. (.Charles Pease. IVlr. 

 JJannistei met witli no other specimen in tiiat locality, and from this it is 

 inferred tiiat Miis is not tin abundant species there. It was described as a 

 new species untier tiie name of P. Icennicottii (I'.aird), but has been ascer- 

 tained by Mr. Tristram, to whom it was sent for examination, (Ibis, 1871, 

 p. 2;{],) to be identiciil with /' hovculis of Blasiu.s. 



Dr. niasiiis also states (Xaumannia, 18.-)8, ].. ?^^r^) that a si)ecimen of this 

 species has betui obtiiined on the islan.l of Heligoland, showing it to be also 

 jin accidental visitant to Western p]uro]ie. 



llAiiiTs. Mr. 1{, Swinhoe, who describes this among the birds of Formosa 

 as P.xnlrirnlfri,; sttites it to l)e a summer visitant to Soutliern China, passin-' 

 m large numbers through Anioy in its autuniiml migrations southeastwaiJ 

 probably to the Piiilippine I.slands. touching at Southwestern Fornmsa and 

 Twaiwanfoo, where lie found them abundant. This was for a few days in 

 October, but he neitlier saw any before nor afterwards, nor did he meet with 

 any tit Tamstiy (Ibis, IHHa, p. ;i07). The same writer (Ibis, 18(iO, p. ^3) 

 spet.ks oi tins bird tis very al)undant in Amoy during the months of April 

 iind May, Imt passing farther north to I)reed, 



We have no information in reference to its habits, and notliing farther in 

 regard to i.s distriliution. As it bears a very close resembltmce 'to the Wil- 

 low Wren of Europe, /', tn,rl,lh,., it is .piite i.n.bable that its general hal)its 

 nest, and eggs will be found to correspond very closely with those of that 

 iiird. 



