POLIOPTILA. 51 



Polioptila mexicana, Scl. P. Z. S. 1859, pp. 362'', 373", 1862, p. 18 "; Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, 



p. 9 " ; Salv. Ibis, 1866, p. 202 ". 

 Polioptila, sp. ?, Salv. P. Z. S. 1856, p. 298 ". 



Supra plumbeo-cserulea, fronte et Buperciliis nigris, loris, capitis lateribus et corpore subtus albis cinereo 

 tinctis ; oculorum ambitu albo ; alis fusoo-nigris, remigibus et tectricibus sordide cinereo limbatis, secun- 

 dariis intimis late albo marginatis ; Cauda nigra, rectricis utrinque extimse parte exposita alba, proximaB 

 dimidio apicali albo, tertia utriaque albo terminata; rostro et pedibus nigris. Long, tota 4-5, alae 2-1, 

 caudse 2, rostri a rictu 0-6, tarsi 0*75. (Descr. maris ex Lanquin, Vera Paz. Mus. nostr.) 



2 niari similis, sad paulo ciaerascentior, fronte et supereUiis nigris absentibus. (Descr. fern, ex DueSas, Gua- 

 temala. Mus. nostr.) 



Hab. Middle region of United States ^ ^. — Mexico ^^ (le Strange), Mazatlan ( Grayson ^), 

 Tamaulipas and Colima (Couch ^), Cordova (Salle ^'^), Jalapa (de Oca^'^^), Oaxaca 

 (Boucard ^^ ^^), Tonila (Xantus ^), Santa Efigenia and Juchitan, Tehuantepec (Sumi- 

 chrast% Merida, Yucatan (x^cAo^^'*); Guatemala, Eetalhuleu, Escuintla, Duenas^^, 

 summit of Volcan de Agua ^^, San Geronimo, Tactic, Coban, Lanquin, savannas of 

 Peten (0. S. 8f F. B. (?.).— Cuba lO; Bahamas 7. 



Polioptila coerulea vi^as well known to the old writers of the last century, having 

 formed the subject of plate 302 of Edwards's ' Gleanings of Natural History,' pub- 

 lished in 1760, under the name of " The Little Blue-grey Flycatcher," subsequently 

 called Motacilla ccerulea by Linnaeus ^. It is a familiar species in the United States 

 during the summer, where it arrives early in April and remains till September. Dr. 

 Coues, to whom the bird is well known, has given a full account of its habits in the 

 neighbourhood of Washington in the breeding- season, and described its nest and 

 eggs^. Its winter quarters are to be found in Mexico and Guatemala, all records 

 of its occurrence in the former conntry having been made in the autumn, winter, or 

 early spring months. In the latter country we only found it between September and 

 March. The earliest record of its appearance is given by Prof. Sumichrast, who 

 observed it on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in August, whilst it came under our notice 

 at Ketalhuleu in September. March seems to be the month of its departure from the 

 south ; we have a specimen shot at Lanquin in that month, but none later. In Texas 

 Dr. Merrill says it is abundant during the migration ; but here a few remain to breed ^. 

 In Guatemala it is a very common bird nearly everywhere, its restless pursuit of insects 

 rendering its presence almost certain to be detected wherever it is found. Stems, 

 branches, and leaves of trees and shrubs are all searched with the greatest diligence, so 

 that the movements of the bird soon catch the eye of one on the look-out for such objects. 



The great range in altitude at which Polioptila ccerulea is found in Guatemala is 

 somewhat surprising ; we observed it in the stunted bushes which grow on the crater 

 of the Volcan de Agua, at a height of 12,300 feet above the sea, and also at Eetalhuleu, 

 which is not more than 900 feet, a difference of 11,400 feet ! and this in places that 

 are almost within sight of each other. 



7* 



