148 SOLITARY FLY-CATCHER. 



hold its prey under its foot in the way of the Yellow-throated Fly-catcher 

 or Vireo, a habit which allies the latter to the Shrikes. On account of all 

 these circumstances, I look upon this bird as deserving the attention of 

 systematic writers, who probably will find its proper place in the general 

 arrangement. 



The flight of this bird is performed by a continued tremor of the 

 wings, as if it were at all times angry. It seldom rises high above its fa- 

 vourite cane-brakes, but is seen hopping up and down about the stems of 

 low bushes and the stalks of the canes, silently searching for food, more in 

 the manner of the Worm-eating Warbler than in that of any other bird 

 known to me. Their confidence at the approach of man is very remark- 

 able. They look on without moving until you are within a few feet, and 

 retire only in proportion as you advance towards them. In this respect 

 it resembles the White-eyed Fly-catcher. 



When wounded by a shot, it remains quite still on the ground, opens 

 its biU when you approach it, and bites with aU its might when laid hold 

 of, although its strength is not sufficient to enable it to inflict a wound. 

 I have never heard it utter a note beyond that of a querulous low mur- 

 muring sound, when chasing another bird from the vicinity of its nest. 

 The young all leave the nest, if once touched, and hide among the grass 

 and weeds, where the parents continue to feed them. I once attempted 

 to feed some young birds of this species, but they rejected the food, which 

 consisted of flies, worms, and hard-boiled eggs, and died in three days with- 

 out ever uttering a note. In 1829, I shot one of these birds, a fine male, 

 in the Great Pine Swamp. This was the only individual I ever saw to the 

 eastward of Henderson on the Ohio. As this happened in the beginning 

 of September, it is probable that some migrate to a considerable distance 

 north-east ; but I am at the same time of opinion that very few of these 

 birds enter the United States. 



I have represented a pair of them killed near a nest in a cane-brake. 

 A general description of the American Cane wiU be found in the present 

 volume. 



Vireo solitarius, Ch. Bonaparte. Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 70. 



Solitary Fly-catcher, Muscicapa solitaria, Wils, Amer. Ornith. vol. ii. 

 p. 143. PI. xvii. fig. 6. 



Adult Male. Plate XXVIII. Fig. 1. 



Bill rather short, broad and depressed at the base, strong, nearly 



