186 SOLITARY FLYCATCHER. 
ralist who seems to have ‘uitherto known of its existence. At what 
time it arrives from the south [ cannot positively say, as [ never met 
with it in spring, but have several times found it during summer. On 
the borders of streams and marshes, among the branches of the poplar, 
it is sometimes to be found. It has many of the habits of the Fly- 
catcher ; though, like the preceding, from the formation of its bill, we 
must arrange it with the Warblers. It is one of our scarce birds in 
Pennsylvania, and its nest has hitherto eluded my search. I have 
never observed it after the 20th of August, and therefore suppose it 
retires early to the south. 
This bird is four inches anda half long, and seven and a half broad ; 
the front and upper part of the head is of a fine verditer blue; the 
hind head and back, of the same color, but not quite so brilliant; a 
few lateral streaks of black mark the upper part of the back; wings 
and tail, black, edged with sky blue; the three secondaries next the 
body, edged with white, and the first and second row of coverts also 
tipped with white; tail-coverts, large, black, and broadly tipped with blue; 
lesser wing-coverts, black, also. broadly tipped with blue, so as to appear 
nearly wholly of that tint; sides of the breast, spotted or streaked with 
blue ; belly, chin, and throat, pure white; the tail is forked, the five 
lateral feathers on each side with each a spot of white; the two middle 
more slightly marked with the same ; from the eye backwards extends 
a line of dusky blue ; before and behind the eye, a line of white ; bill, 
dusky above, light blue below; legs and feet, light blue. 
—~>—_—_. 
SOLITARY FLYCATCHER.— MUSCICAPA SOLITARIA. — 
Fie. 82. ‘ 
VIREO SOLITARIUS., — Vix1.Lot. 
Vireo solitarius, Bonap. Synop. p. 70. 
Tuts rare species I can find nowhere described. I have myself 
never seen more than three of them, all of whom corresponded in their 
markings; and, on dissection, were found to be males. It is a silent, 
solitary bird. It is also occasionally found in the state of Georgia, 
where I saw a drawing of it in the possession of Mr. Abbot, who con- 
sidered it a very scarce species. He could give me no information 
of the female. The one from which Fig. 82 was taken, was shot 
in Mr. Bartram’s woods, near Phfladelphia, among the branches of 
dogwood, in the month of October. It appears to belong to a particu- 
lar family, or subdivision of the Muscicapa genus, among which are 
the White-eyed, the Yellow-throated, and several others already, de- 
scribed in the present work. Why one species should be so rare, 
while another, much resembling it, is so numerous, at least a thousand 
for one, is a question I am unable to answer, unless by supposing the 
few we meet with here to be accidental stragglers from the great 
body which may have their residence in some other parts of our ex- 
tensive continy it. : 
