OF THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 299 



black, continuous with black under the eye, and this passing as a chain of 

 black streaks down the side of the neck, and prettily encircling the throat 

 like a necklace ; excepting these streaks and the white under tail-coverts the 

 entire under parts are clear yellow ; wings and tail unmarked ; feet flesh 

 color; in the female and young the black is obscure or much restricted, and 

 the back may be slightly glossed with olive. Length, about 5^ ; wing, 2^ ; 

 tail, 2j. 



Hab. Eastern North America, westward to the Plains and north to 

 Newfoundland, Southern Labrador and Lake Winnipeg; south, in winter, to 

 Central America and Northern South America. 



Nest, on the ground in a tussock of grass or weeds ; composed of fibre, 

 rootlets, leaves and pine needles. 



Eggs, 5 ; white, "beautifully marked with dots and small blotches of 

 blended-brown, purple and violet, varying in shades and tints and grouped in 

 a wreath around the larger end." 



From the 15th to the 25th of May this species is very com- 

 mon in all suitable places in Southern Ontario. After the latter 

 date the numbers are much reduced, but a few remain to spend 

 the summer, while the bulk of the species goes farther north. 

 When here their manners resemble those of the Green Black 

 Cap, with which they are often found in company, and they 

 prefer briary tickets, through which they pass nimbly, picking 

 up their insect fare as they go. In the fall they are less fre- 

 quently seen, returning south, perhaps, by some other route. 

 They are first seen about the middle of May, and disappear 

 toward the end of August. 



Genus SETOPHAGA Swainson. 



279. SETOPHAGA RUTICILLA (Linn.). 687. 



American Redstart. 



Male, lustrous blue-black, belly and crissum white, sides of the breast, 

 large spot at bases of the remiges, and basal half of the tail-feathers (ex- 

 cept the middle pair) yj^rj-oraHo^j?, belly often tinged with the same. Female, 

 olivaceous, ashler on the head, entirely white below, wings and tail blackish, 

 with the flame color of the male represented by yellow. Young male like the 

 female, but browner, the yellow of an orange hue. From the circumstance 

 that many spring males are shot in the general plumage of the female, but 

 showing irregular isolated black patches, it is probable that the species 

 requires at least two years to gain its perfect plumage. Length, 5J ; wing and 

 tail, about 2J. 



