216 BIEDS — SYLVIID^. 



(Sylvia trochilus), a bird which Dr. Coues says has not been seen in Am- 

 erica, and that all American references to it are '' doubtless more or less 

 exclusively pertinent to Dendrosca sestiva." It is difficult to understand 

 how so close an observer as Dr. Kirtland should have failed to identify 

 the Yellow Warbler in any plumage, and the description which he gives, 

 hardly conforms to the Yellow Warbler in habit. Be this as it may. Dr. 

 Kirtland's note is probably the last reference to the occurrence of " Sylvia 

 trochiluB " in this country. As the article in which it appears is especially 

 interesting to ornithologists, and rich in valuable facts, I reproduce it 

 here entire.* 



''Am. Journ. Soi. and Arts , XL, 1841, 19-24. Art. II. Fragments of Natural History, by 

 J. P. Kirtland, M. D., Prof. Theo. and Prac. Phys., Medical College of Ohio. 



" I write thai which I have seen." — Le Baum. 



No. 11. — Oknithology. 



Tbe feathered tribes of our country have been so thoroughly investigated by 

 Wilson, Bonaparte, Nuttall, Audubju, and Tjwnsend, that the young ornithologist 

 can hardly expect to meet with a new species, unless it be some straggler or accidental 

 visitor from other parts of the world. An ample field is, however, furnished him in 

 which he may successfully employ hia talents. Ttie habits of some of our most interest- 

 ing birds are but very imperfectly understood. If we take for instance the Migratory 

 Sylvias, we can obtain but little more than their names and scientific characters from 

 those authors — and in regard to their habits, less than we have been able to discover by 

 onr own observations. 



On investigating the subject, it may perhaps be discovered that in somfe instances, 

 errors have been imbibed and perpetuated by mistaken accidental movement of in- 

 dividual birds under unusual circumstances, for the common habits of the whole 

 species. 



The term of life of no one person is of sufficient duration to allow him to complete a full 

 history, even of our American species, from his own researches and observations ; such 

 a work must be the production of the joint labor of several ages and many individuals. 

 Many facts remain to be supplied before it can be successfully completed. The oppor- 

 tunities for observing the movements, and obtaining a correct history of the habits and 

 characters of the rare birds, are only occasional and fortuitous, and are as likely to fall 

 in the way of one who knows not how to improve them, as of one who possesses the talent 

 for correct observation that distinguishes the author of the " Birds of America." 



It is not t) be expected that the public generally will ever turn aside from their usual 

 pursuits to make observations on matters relating to natural science. The energies of 

 some idle gunner may, perhaps, be aroused sufficieutly by the appearance of a new or 

 rare bird to induce hioi to destroy its life; the carcass will be gazed upon with a momen- 

 tary curiosity and then cast underfoot. 



lu every community their are, however, some individuals who have a natural taste 

 for matters of this kind. If they would improve the opportunities as they occur for 

 making themselves familiar with the rare birds, and would communicate the results of 

 their observation to the public through the medium of some suitable publication, any 

 deficiency in the history of our American birds wo^ld soon be supplied. Entertaining this 



