BIRDS. 



215 



The bird is well kaown to be a great wauderer, resorting in winter to the soutUera portion of 

 Asia, migrating through Japan, China, and Formosa, and reaching the Malayan Peninsula and 

 Archipelago; while in summer it seeks the high latitudes of Asia, extending to Northern Russia 

 and thence east even to Alaska, as recorded. At Tapkan, northwest of Bering Straits, on the 

 Siberian shore, Nordenskjold tells us that considerable flocks of these birds visited the vessel 

 during June, before the ground was free from snow. They appeared much exhausted and remained 

 about the vessel for some days. The abundanc'e of this bird here at this season would indicate 

 its presence in considerable numbers throughout the Chukchi Peninsula during summer. During 

 my visits to this shore in the summer of 1881 it was not found, as might have been anticipated from 

 the lack of bushes and suitable locations along the immediate coast where we landed. 



Its habits while in America are almost unknown, hence we must draw upon the records 

 furnished us by European naturalists, who have visited its haunts in Northern Europe and Asia. 

 Seebohm found it on the Lower Yenesei, where it arrived a fortnight later than P. trocMlus, 

 P. fristis, and P. superciliosus. His account {Ibis, III, 9, 1879) is as follows: 



I had given up P. iorealia in despair, when suddenly it arrived in great nuuiTjers, and became the commonest 

 of the four species. The song is almost exactly like the trill of the Redpole, but not quite so rapid, and a little more 

 melodious. Its call-note is generally a single monotonous "dsit," but sometimes made into a double note by dwelling 

 on the first part, "d—-z, sit." It is less restless than the other Willow- Warblers, by no means shy, and is easy to shoot. 

 When I left the Arctic Circle it had probably not commenced to breed; but on the 6th of July I had the good fortune 

 to shoot a bird from its nest at Egaska, in latitude 67°. The eggs are larger than those of onr Willow Warbler's, pure 

 white, and profusely spotted all over with very small and very pale pink spots. They were iive in number. The 

 nest was built on the ground in a wood thinly scattered with trees, and was placed in a recess on the side of a tus- 

 sock or little mound of grass and other plants. It was semidomed, the outside being composed of moss, and the 

 inside of fine dry grass. There wasneither feather nor hair used in the construction. I did not see this bird farlher 

 north than lat. 69°. 



From the same author we learn that this species breeds in the north of Asia, at or near the limit 

 of forest growth and in a similar climate to the subalpine districts of Southern Siberia. It passes 

 through China on its migrations, and winters in the East Indian Islands and the islands surround- 

 _ ing theBurmah Peninsula. It unites an extreme southeastern winter range with a wider northern 

 range than any other species of the genus. CoUett has recently obtained it in Pinmark, and it 

 is not uncommon at Archangel. It has been shot on the Mesen and on the Petchoya. It occurs 

 as far east as the Ochotsk, and breeds in Southeastern Mongolia. It has been taken in Japan and 

 west to Heligoland, and passes in great numbers through Amoy in spring and autumn. 



The following description is taken from specimens obtained by me at Saint Michaels: Entire 

 dorsal surface, including broad edging of wing and tail feather, nearly uniform olive-green, 

 brightening on the wings to a shade very similar to that on the back of the Golden-crowned 

 Warbler. The under surface white, washed with a pale yellow like that of Vireo pMladelpMcus. 

 Across the breast and along the flanks is a wash of a dull olive-brown, heavier on the flanks, and 

 with a well marked superciliary stripe of greenish-yellow extending from beak over the lores to the 

 nape. Extending from bill through the lores and including the eye, ending coincident with the 

 superciliary stripe, is a dusky-greenish band ; thence down the cheeks extends a dusky greenish 

 yellow shade, which changes to a yellowish- white on the neck and throat. The bend of wings and 

 edges of axillaries are clear yellow and the lower edge of tips of secondary coverts are pale yellowish- 

 white, forming a distinct wing-bar. The abdomen is grayish- white, with a faint yellowish shade, 

 and the upper surface is dull olive-green. The upper mandible, and sometimes the tip of lower 

 mandible, dusky-horn color. Lower mandible pale brown and legs olive-brown. 



Measurements. 

 TYPE OF KENNICOTTI. 



