PROTHONOTARY WARBLER— RAILS— LEADEN TITMOUSE. 



137 



upon the wing, at other times fish, small reptiles, and similar fare, 

 for which they wade deep into the water, answers their purpose. 

 The nest usually contains about three eggs, of a dull greenish 

 color. 



Prothonotary Warbler. (Prothonotaria citrcea.) 



Fig. 2. 



This beautiful and uncommon Warbler is an inhabitant of the 

 south Atlantic and Gulf States, and occasionally extends its migra- 

 tions north as far as the State of Maine. It is also met with in 

 Cuba, Costa Rica, Panama, and Merida. Swamps, thickets, and 

 the swampy forests along the Mississippi and the wilds of Florida 

 are the usual places of resort. The food consists of larvae, small 

 land shells, insects, and catterpillars. The song consists of a few 

 feebly-uttered notes. 



Little Black Rail. (Porzana jamaicensis.) 

 Fig. 3- 



This very small species is very rarely seen in the United States. 

 The West Indies, South and Central America are its places of res- 

 idence. 



Little Yellow-breasted Rail. (Porzana novcboracensis^ 



Fig- 4- 



This pretty little bird is met with mostly along the shores of 

 fresh and salt-water marshes of Eastern North America. It ex- 

 tends its migrations north as far as Hudson's Bay, and winters in 

 the Southern States. Its song consists of a shrieking noise, usually 

 uttered in the morning and evening. The food consists of insects 

 and seeds. Its eggs, which are placed in the grass, on the ground, 

 are of a rich bufFy-brown color, marked with reddish chocolate 

 dots and spots. 



Barrow's Golden-eye. 



Rocky Mountain Garrot. 



islandica.) 



Fig. 5- 



(Bucephala 



This uncommon Arctic-American species of the Duck family is 

 mostly met with in the valleys of the Rocky Mountains. Its mi- 

 grations south, in winter, are extended to the Northern States. The 

 habits of this species are similar to those of the Golden-eyed Duck, 

 figured on Plate XXXV, and described on page 48, for which the 

 Rockv Mountain Garrot is often taken. 



Stilt, Black-necked Stilt, Longshanks, and Lawyer. 



nigricollis.~) 



Fig. 6. 



(Hitnantopus 



The Stilt is a common bird to many sections of North America, 

 mostly along the sea-shore, and on lakes and rivers. It is also 

 met far inland, in places least expected to be inhabited by wading 

 birds. Its food consists mostly of aquatic insects. When on the 

 wing, a flock of these birds make a very attractive sight, appear- 

 ing black, then in a few seconds white, as they show the upper or 

 lower parts of the body. It is a very graceful bird, and its move- 

 ments, whether on the ground or wading in the water, are made 

 with a decided and measured step. In the fall, about the time 

 they are preparing to migrate to the warmer sections, their flesh is 

 ■..enc'er and good for the table. 



PLATE XCII. 



Woodhouse's Jay. (Aphelocoma Jloridana, var. nvoodhousei.) 



Fig. 1. 



This Jay is abundant in the Southern Rocky Mountain region. 

 It is also more generally distributed than other species of Jays 

 common to that section. Pine-seeds, acorns, and juniper-berries 

 constitute its food. The eggs, about five in number, are laid early 

 in May. The nest is outwardly composed of twigs and fine roots, 

 and lined with horse-hair. 



Dr. Coues, who often noticed this species in the upper parts of 

 Arizona, says : 



" Its preference is for oak openings, rough, broken hill-sides, 

 covered with patches of juniper, manzanita, and yuccas, brushy 

 ravines, and wooded creek-bottoms. The ordinary note is a harsh 

 scream, indefinitely repeated with varying tone and measure ; it is 

 quite noticeably different from that of either Maximilian's or Stel- 

 ler's, having a sharp, wiry quality, lacking in these. It is always 

 uttered when the bird is angry or alarmed, and consequently is 

 oftener heard by the naturalist ; but there are several other notes. 

 If the bird is disporting with his fellows, or leisurely picking 

 acorns, he has a variety of odd chuckling or chattering syllables, 

 corresponding to the absurd talk of our Blue Jay under the same 

 circumstances. Sometimes, again, in the springtime, when snugly 

 hidden in the heart of a cedar-bush, with his mate, whom he has 

 coaxed to keep him company, he modulates his harsh voice with 

 surprising softness, to express his gallant intention ; and if one is 

 standing quite near, unobserved, he will hear the blandishments 

 whispered and cooed almost as softly as a Dove's. The change, 

 when the busy pair find they are discovered, to the ordinary scream, 

 uttered by wooer and wooed together, is startling." 



Mountain Warbler. Virginia's Warbler. (Helminthophaga Virginia.) 



Fig. 2. 



Very few specimens of this species have been seen, and very 

 little is known of its habits, which are said to resemble to a marked 

 degree the Nashville Warbler (H. rujicapilld), and the Orange- 

 crowned Warbler (H. celatd). 



Leaden Titmouse. Lead-colored Titmouse. (Psaltriparus plumbeus.) 



Fig. 3- 



This little bird is a resident of the Southern Rocky Mountain 

 region. It is very closely related to the Least Titmouse, the Pa- 

 cific Coast species. Dr. Coues says of this species : 



" It is a resident of the mountains of Arizona, where it braves 

 the rigors of winter, without apparent inconvenience, though one 

 is tempted to wonder how such a tiny body, no larger than the end 

 of one's thumb, can retain its animal heat during exposure to cold 

 that sometimes destroys large birds, like the Raven. It is a socia- 

 ble little creature, generally going in companies of from half a 

 dozen to fifty, actively engaged in their search for minute insects, 

 and continuously calling to each other with their curiously squeaky 

 notes. It scarcely knows fear in the presence of man, and will 

 continue its busy search, though an observer may be standing 

 within a few feet of it. I found it oftenest in the shrubbery of the 

 hillsides, and the dense undergrowth which fills the ravines ; it 

 appeared to have little fancy for the higher growths of oak or 

 pine. It is surprising what large insects this little creature will 

 sometimes capture ; I saw one struggling with a caterpillar nearly 



