316 NORTH AMERICAN UlRDB. 



bottoni-lamls along the Lower Wabash, in Soiitlieru Illinois, inhabiting the 

 caiie-brai\os anil tiie margins oC bushy swamps. 



The I'ggs of this \Varl)lur are oval in H]ia])e, with one end quite pointed. 

 They measure .7U by .50 of an ineli. Their ground-color is a beautiful briglit 

 white, when the egg is fresh, strongly tinged with Hesh-color. The spots are 

 of a fine red, with a few markings of a subdued purple. 



Msriodioctes minutus, liAma 



SHAIL-HEASED FLYCATCHEB. 



Mimeienpa minuta, Wilson, Am. Oni. VI, 1812, 02, pi. 1, fig. 5. — AuD. Oin. Biog. V, pi. 

 cci'c.xx.xiv, lig. 3. — 111, Biitls Am. I, pi. Ixvii. Si/h-ia ■miiiiiln, Hon. in/miiiu m. 

 Bon. List, 1S38. Afi/iotliuctcs minutus, Baiud, Hev. Am. Birds, 1864, 241. Sylvania 

 2)umiliii, Nuir. Miin. I, 1840, 334. 



Sp. Char. Wings short, tlio second qnills lonjrcst. Tail of modorato len<Tth, even. 

 General color of upper parts light green ish-hrown ; wings and tail dark olivo-brown, the 

 outer leathers of the latter with a terminal white spot on the inner web; a narrow white 

 ring surrounding the eye; two bands of dull white on the wings; sides of the head and 

 neck greenish-yellow ; the rest of the lower parts jiale yellow, grudnally fading into white 

 behind. Male, ") inches long; extent, 8.25 inclies. 



Had. Eastern United States. 



Habits. All that is known in regard to this species we receive from 

 Wilson and Audubon, and there is a decided (li.screpancy in their several 

 statements. Wilson s:ate9 that his figure was taken from a young male 

 shot on the 24tb of April, but in what locality he does not mention. He 

 adds that he afterwards shot .several individuals in various parts of New 

 Jersey, particularly in swamps. He found these in June, and has no doubt 

 they breed there. 



Auduljon claims that Wilson's drawing was a cojiy from liis own of a bird 

 shot by him ni Kentucky on the margin of a pond. He tin-ows a doubt as 

 to the correctness of W^ilson's statement that they have been found in New 

 Jersey, as no one else lias ever met with any there. That may be, however, 

 and Wilson's statement yet be correct. The same iirgument carried out would 

 reject the very existence of the bird itself, as no well-authenticated records 

 of its occurrence since then can l)e found. They are at least too doubtful 

 to be received as unquestionable until the genuine bird can be i)roduced. Mr. 

 Nuttall, it is true, states that ^Ir. Charles I'icke lag obtained a specimen of 

 this bird many years ago, near Salem, Mass., and that lie had himself also 

 seen it in the same State, at the approach of winter. In the fall of 1830, 

 Avhen the writer resided in IJo.xbury, a cat caught and brought into the 

 house ii small Flycatcher, which was supposed to l)e of this species. It was 

 given to INIr. Audubon, who assented to its correct identification, but after- 

 wards made no mention of it. The presumption, therefore, is that we may 

 have been mistaken. 



