BIEDS SYLVICOLIDAE DENDEOICA CANADENSIS. 



271 



DENDEOICA CANADENSIS, Baird. 



Black-thtoated Blue Waibler. 



Molacilla canadensis, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 336. — Gmelin, I, 1788, 991. 



Sylvix canadensis, Latham, Index Orn. II, 1790, 539. — Wilson, Am. Orn. 11, 1810, 115 ; pi. xv, f. 7.— Bonap. Obs. 



1826, No. 145.— NuTT. Man. I, 1832, 398.— Audobon, Orn. Biog II, 1834, 309 ; pi. cxlviii,olv 



Sylvicola canadensis, " Swainson," Jakd. Ed. Wilson, 1832— Rich, List, 1837.— Bon. List, 1838 Ib. Consp. 1850, 



308.— Ann. Syn. 1839, 61.- Ib. Birds Am. II, 1841, 63 ; pi. xcv. 

 Rhimamphus canadensis. Cab. Journ. Orn. Ill, 1855, 473. 

 Motacilla caerulescens, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 960. 



Sylvia carulescens, Latham, Index Orn. II, 1790, 520. — Vieillot, Ois. Am. Sept. II,. 1807, 25 ; pi. Ixxx. 

 Sylvia pusilla, Wilson, Am.Orn. V, 1812, 100 ; pi. xliii, f. 4, (young.) 

 Sylvia Uucoptera, "Wilson, Index and 2d ed. (Hall's ed.)II, 390. 

 Sylvia palustris, Stephens, Shaw Zool. X, ii, 1817, 722. 

 " Sylvia macropus, Vieillot," Gray. 

 Sylvia aphagnosa, Bonap. Obs. Wils. 1826, No. 164, (female.)— Nuttall, Man. I, 1832, 406.— Aun. Orn. Biog. II, 



1834, 279. 

 Sylvicola pannosa, Gosse, Birds Jam. 1847, 162, (female.) 



Sp. Ch — Above uniform continuous grayish blue, including the outer edges of the quill and tail feathers. A narrow frontal 

 line, the entire sides of head and neck, chin and throat, lustrous black ; this color extending in a broad lateral stripe to the tail. 

 Rest of under parts, including the axillary region, white. Wings and tail black above, the former with a conspicuous white 

 patch formed by the bases of all the primaries, (except the first ;) the inner webs of the secondaries and tertials with similar 

 patches towards the base and along the inner margin. All the tail feathers, except the innermost, with a white patch on the 

 inner web near the end. Length, 5.50 ; wing, 2.60 ; tail, 2.25. 



Female, olive green above and dull yellow beneath. Sides of head dusky olive, the eyelids and a superciliary stripe 

 whitish. Traces of the white spot at the base of the primaries and of the tail. 



Hab. — Eastern United States to the Missouri, south to the West Indies. 



The male and female of this beautiful species are very dissimilar, though the species may 

 always he recognized by the white patch at the base of the primaries, which I do not think 

 exists in any other Bendroica. The extent of this patch, however, in both male and female, 

 varies considerably. The colors of the female are strikingly similar to those of the female 

 Spiza ciris, or Nonpareil. 



The autumnal or young male has the back clouded with greenish olive, and the black feathers 

 of the throat much margined with whitish. There is also a white line over the eye, as in the 

 female. 



A skin (10102) from Washington, in high spring plumage, has the feathers in the middle of 

 the back bluish black, margined with blue, giving rise to conspicuous spots. 



List of specimens. 



Catal, 

 No. 



2677 

 788 

 2305 

 2429 

 8645 

 8646 

 7307 

 3796 



Sex. 



S 



3 

 3 



Locality. 



Carlisle, Pa. 

 , do.... 



do 



do 



Cape Florida. 

 do 



Cleveland, Ohio. 



Racine, Wis 



Cook county, III. 



When collected. 



May 6, 1846.. 

 Oct. 12, 1842 . 

 Oct. 10, 1842 . 

 Sept. 5, 1845.. 



August 31. 



Whence obtained. 



S. F. Baird. 

 do.... 



.do. 



.do. 



G. Wurdemann , 

 do 



J. P. Kirtland. 

 Dr. Hoy 



R. Kennicott.. 



Length. 



5.41 

 4.83 

 5.16 

 5.00 

 4.75 

 5.00 



Stretch 

 of wings. 



8.00 

 7.83 

 7.83 

 7.66 

 7. .76 

 7.00 



Wing. 



2.68 

 2.58 

 2.41 

 2.41 

 2.50 

 2.60 



