388 NORTH AMKinCAN fllllDS. 



I'lidur parts [lalc! i)liviirci)iis-\'t.'lli)wisli ; purest licliiiid, litrlitost on tho throat and iibdo- 

 nion ; llic lii<'ast nioro olivaceous, llu; sides slill dooper olivo-},'iueii, the :ist soiled with a 

 slii^ht bully liiii^e. Axillais and erissuui jellowisli ; the inside of \vini,'s whilisli. Loral 

 R'<j;ion and a narrow spaee around eye? dull-yellowish, in faint contrast to the olive of head. 

 Hill horn-eiilor above, paler lielow ; legs dusky. 



Total lenuih, 4,7(1 ; wiiijr, 2.4(t; tail, li.d"); dilfereiu'e between tenth and lonjfest quills, 

 .43; exposed iiorlion of lirst primary, .7-, of seeuiid, 1.52, of longest, fourlli, and fd'th 

 (measured from e.xposed lia.se of (irsl j)riniary). !.!)(); length of bill from forehead, .45, from 

 nostril, .2!), along gape, .<it>; tarsu;;, .72; middle toe and claw, .50, elaw alone, .10; hind 

 toe and elaw, .45, elaw alone, .22. 



IIah. California and Western -Me.xieo, to Oaxaea; La Parada (8cL.) ; Orizaba (alpine 

 region, resident, Si'Mieim.). 



The description ,just <j;iven is Itased ii]i(m the ty])e specimen, ])iol)ably in 

 winter phiinagc. Sjn-ing specimens do not viiry miiterinlly except in oreater 

 purity of wliite edgings of the leathers. Two Mexican specimens are nitlier 

 larifer, tiie winij; measuring 1'. 50, the tail l'..")0. No other dill'erences are 

 ai»precialile. In oeneral tlie first jniniary is about half the second, sometimes 

 ratlier less. 



This species is readily distinguished from other Vireos, excepting V. 

 modesfim, wliich it greatly resendtles in tlie small bill, form, coloration, and 

 size ; nor indceil is it easy to sejiarate tliem. In nioihstits, however, tlie 

 first quill is usually more than half tlie second, not less; the wing shorter, 

 and less pointed ; the tail longer. The U})])er jmrts are more uniform, not 

 much brighter towards rump. 



H.viiiTs. Tliis species is one of comparatively recent origin, and of its his- 

 tory but little is as yet known. It was first descrilied hy ( 'as.sin, in ISal, from 

 a specimen obtained in ^lonterey, Cal. It has lieen found in various ]iarts 

 of California, in the valley of the (Jila, and in the northern and eastern por- 

 tions of Mexico. Mr. Sumichrast gives it as a resident of the alpine region 

 of the I)ei)artment of Vera Cruz. 



iJr. Cooper has observed this Mrd near San Diego, late in February, where 

 he at first mistook it for the Iiuby-cr,)wned Wren, a bird that winters there 

 in .".ijundance, and which he states resembles this sjiecies closely in appear- 

 ance and habits. Two of them came to within a few feet of where he .sat, 

 scolding in a liarsli tone. lie recognized then tlieir larger size and different 

 lilumage, as well as their remarkably large eyes, and a peculiar slowness and 

 delilieiation in tiieir nlovement^ .s they searched the foliage for insects. 



Dr. Cooper has since found t.iem wintering plentifully up to latitude 38°. 

 Having observed but few of them in the Coast IJange, in May, he thinks that 

 most of them go farther north in summer. At Sau Diego, however, he shot 

 a female, on tlie !)th of Marcii, containing an egg nearly ready to be laid, 

 lie had not been alile to find the nest, which is presumed to be built in the 

 dense shade of the evergreen oaks (Qitcirus tnjfijhlvt). Their song is .said to 

 consist of ii few short and tuiaint notes. Among the memoranda of Mr. 

 Xantus, made at Fort Tejoii, I find the following : (No. 1,827.) Nest and 



