20274 



Lanioireo soiitariui. 



374 NOUTIl AMERICAN piKDS. 



involving the edge of the eyoHd, and a space beneath the eye, dusky phnnbcous. Beneath 

 white; tlie sides yellow, overlaid with olive, tliis color not extending anterior to the 



breiu^t. Axillars and base of crissuin 

 pale sulpinn--yellow, the long feathers 

 of the latter much paler or nearly 

 white. Wings with two bands and 

 outer edges of innermost secondaries 

 olivaceous-white ; the quills dark 

 brown, edged externally with olive- 

 green, internally with white; tail-feath- 

 ers similarly marked, except that the 

 lateral feather is edged externally also with white, the central without internal border. 

 Hill and legs blaekish-phunbeous. Iris brown. 



First quill spurious, rather more than one fifth the second, which is intormediate be- 

 tween the fifth and sixth ; third longest. 



Fresh specimen : Total length, rj.40 ; expanse of wing, 9.00. Prepared specimen : To- 

 tal length, 5.25 ; wing, 2.95 : tail, 2.35. 



H.\D. United States, from Atlantic to Pacific ; Cape St. Lucas. Not recorded from 

 Southern Rocky Mountains, where replaced by L. jilumbeits. South to Mexico and Gua- 

 temala. Vera Cruz (winter, Su.micurast). Very rare in Cuba. 



Spring specimens show sometimes a gloss of plumbeous on the back, 

 obscuring the olive, the contrast of colors being greater in the autumnal and 

 young birds. Sometimes the crissum appears nearly white. The length of 

 the spurious primary varies considerably, from .45 to .75 of an inch. 



In autumn the colors are similar, but slightly duller and less sharply de- 

 fined, while the back is considerably tinged with ashy. 



Habits. The Solitary Vireo appears to be found, irregularly, throughout 

 the United States. Nowhere abundant, so far as I am aware, it seems to be 

 more connuon in California than on the Atlantic, while there are also large 

 tracks of intervening territory in which we Iiave no knowledge of its pres- 

 ence. On the Atlantic it has been met with from Georgia ti he Bay of 

 Fundy. In ^lassaclmsetts it has been found in a few restricted localities ; 

 in one or two of tliem, they are as abundant as the White-eyed. Mr. Dresser 

 found it in Texas, near San Antonio, late in the autunm, and early in 

 spring, but none remained to breed. Mr. Boardman gives them as a summer 

 visitant at Calais, but not common, and Professor Verrill mfikes a similar 

 statement for Western Maine, where it arrives in the second week of May. 

 jVccording to Mr. Allen, it reaches Western Massadmsetts by May 1, 

 but it is there quite rare. A few are ])rcsumed to stop and breed. 



In California, Mr. Gambel states that it is (juite abundant in the latter 

 l)art of summer, and throughout tlio winter, ireipienting low buslies and 

 thickets. Dr. Heermann also frequently met witli it. Botli at the East and 

 the West it is undoubtedly only migratory to about tlie 40th parallel, and 

 does not, except in mountainous localities, breed south of that line. Pro- 

 fessor Baird found it breeding in the South ^lountains, near Carlisle, Peun., 

 in May, 1844. It occurs in Guatemala in the winter. 



