18 SYLVIID^ POLIOPTILA CCERULEA. 



There is a variance in the accounts of the northern limit of this 

 species. Audubon says that he "saw it on the border-line of Uiiper 

 Canada, along the shores of Lake Erie." The Eev. W. B. O. Pcabody's 

 Report (p. 297) gives it, on Dr. Brewer's authority, as found in Massa- 

 chusetts, and as far north as the Canada line. Mr. Allen states it has 

 been found "in New York north of the latitude of Boston, as well as 

 in Nova Scotia and in Connecticut." I do not know who is responsible for 

 this Nova Scotia quotation, and cannot ^verify it; the 'others are doubt- 

 less authentic. Its natural limit appears to be the Connecticut Valley 

 and corresponding latitudes, but it is rare or casual north of the Middle 

 States. Mr. Trippe enumerates it among the birds of Iowa, but did not 

 find it in Minnesota. Dr. D. W. Prentiss and I found it very common 

 about Washington, D. C. ; it comes there early in April, just before the 

 trees are leafy, and stays well through September. Mr. Allen records 

 it among the winter birds of Florida; Audubon, among the summer 

 birds of Louisiana, arriving in March. Dr. Hayden found one specimen, 

 as above noted. Mr. Allen notes it from Florida in winter, and from 

 Eastern Kansas in May. I found it rarely in Arizona; it reaches Fort 

 Whipple (latitude about 35°) in April. Dr. Cooper states that it win- 

 ters in the Colorado Valley, and that it has been taken as far north as 

 Yreka, Cal. (near 42°), in May. Southward it extends through Mexico 

 to Guatemala (the so-called P. mexicana). Our other two species, P. 

 mehinura and P. plumbea, are not known to come anywhere near the 

 Missouri region, being restricted to the Southwestern United States. 

 Both occur in Arizona. 



Although familiar with this elegant little bird, I never recognized its 

 song, nor was I aware of its vocal powers until recently, when my at- 

 tention was attracted by Mr. Maynard's agreeable description: "I was 

 walking in a narrow path through a hummock, which lies back of the 

 old Ibrt at Miami, Florida, and had paused to observe a female of this 

 species, when I heard a low warbling which sounded like the distant 

 song of some bird I had never heard before. I listened attentively, but 

 could make nothing of it, and advanced a few paces when I heard it 

 more plainly. This time it appeared to come from above me, and look- 

 ing upward I saw a male Gnat-catcher hopping nimbly from limb to 

 limb on some small trees which skirted the woods. Although he was 

 but a short distance away, I was obliged to watch the motion of his lit- 

 tle throat before I became convinced that this music came from him. It 

 was even so, and nothing could be more appropriate to the delicate 

 marking and size of the tiny, fairy-like bird, than the silvery warble 

 which tilled the air with sweet continuous melody. I was completely 

 surprised, ibr I never imagined that any bird was capable of producing 

 notes so soft and low, yet each one given with such distinctness that the 

 ear could catch every part of the wondrous and complicated song. I 

 watched him for some time, but he never ceased singing save when he 

 sprang into the air to catch some passing insect. The female seemed to 

 enjoy the musical efforts that were accomplished for her benefit, for she 

 drew gradually nearer, until she alighted upon the tame tree with her 

 mate. At this moment she took alarm and tlew a short distance, fol- 

 lowed by her mate. As I walked away I could hear the murmur of the 

 love-song till it became indistinguishable from the gentle rustling of the 

 leaves around." Mr. Maynard gives the following description of a nest 

 of the Blue-gray Gnat catcher, taken May 23d, in South Carolina : "It is 

 composed of iine stalks of some delicate plants, which are mixed with 

 thistle-down, and woven together with cob-webs. The whole is formed 

 into a neat structure, £wd^smDQthjy«GQVMerUMth gray lichens which are 



