Wayne: Birds of South Carolina. 177 



small embryos, as early as April 25, and as late as June 26, which 

 shows that two broods are raised. 



The song period is protracted for more than five months. A 

 few birds migrate during the first week in August and by October 

 1st all have departed. 



This beautiful species winters in the West Indies, eastern 

 Mexico, and Central America. 



278. Setophaga ruticilla (Linn.). Redstart. 



The Redstart has been observed from April 15 to May 19, and 

 from July 4 to November 4. It is not common during the spring 

 migration and in some years it is rare or even entirely absent. 

 In the autumn it is always exceedingly abundant, especially in 

 September and the first two weeks in October, when hundreds can 

 sometimes be seen in the course of a few hours. At this season 

 the birds frequent high land rather than swamps, and numbers 

 resort to the Pride of India trees which grow near settlements. 



This species is an expert flycatcher and I have known numbers 

 of them to remain for weeks near stables where insect life was 

 abundant. It is difficult to realize what becomes of the enormous 

 numbers of birds which pass this coast from July to November, 

 since very few are to be observed in the spring. 



Although the Redstart has not been detected in the month of 

 June in South Carolina, it must breed within the State since it 

 is only absent from the coast for forty-six days, and reproduction 

 must be accomplished in that time. I have seen numbers of 

 these birds here as early as July 8. It is known to breed from 

 North Carolina northward to Hudson Bay and the Mackenzie 

 River. 



In winter it ranges from the West Indies to northern South 

 america. 



FAMILY MOTACILLID^E: WAGTAILS AND PIPITS. 



279. Anthus rubescens (Tunst.). American Pipit; Titlark. 

 I have known this familiar bird since my boyhood days when I 



used to catch it in traps. It is an abundant autumn, winter, and 

 early spring visitant, occurring on the coast islands as well as on 

 the mainland. A few birds arrive by October 5 if the weather is 

 cold, but if it is warm they do not appear until the last of 

 the month. My earliest records are October 5, 1895 and October 

 10, 1903. 



