i68 LtFE-HlstoRies Or felRbS 



which we have just described, it affects a fondness 

 for retire.d situations, where among the low bushes 

 of I®w lands, and the small trees and underbrush 

 of wooded hijlsldes, it is busy 'gleaning from 

 morning until night. It is exceedingly shy and 

 contrives to keep out of the way of danger. It 

 possesses many of the attributes ot the Muscica- 

 piics, and like mitratiis exhibits much energy and 

 spirit in catching its prey on the wing. It is at 

 the same time both terrestrial and arboreal. . 

 Its flight is low, gliding and tolerbly protracted. 

 In the intervals of feeding, it is occasionally 

 heard to utter a loud chattering song which Wilson 

 was pleased to characterize as a "sharp, squeaking 

 note, in nowise musical." Mr. Nuttall who dis- 

 played such a happy faculty in expressing the syl- 

 labic languages of birds, calls it a "little, cheerful 

 songster, the very counterpart of our brilliant and 

 cheerful Yellow Bird," and describes its song as 

 lesembling V.y^-Vi'^/^/m. The call is short and 

 far from being loud. 



The follo\ying insects constitute a small fraction 

 of its bill of fare: — Donacia confltienta, Haltica 

 chalylea, Cym}ndis viridipennis, Donacia, metallica, 

 Musca domes tica, Scatophaga fiircata. Aphis mali, 

 Apis mellifica, Andrence, Halicii, Selandria rosce, 

 Anisopteryx vernata, Colias philodice, Eufitchia 

 ribearia in their larval state and mature forms, 

 with many of the early NociuidcB and Tineid<s; 

 besides ants and small spiders. 



This species greeds in high northern latitudes, 



