224 NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 



these habits, while Accentor has the second. Fourthly, it is frequently (< flirting 

 its expanded tail from side to side ;" thus preserving its analogy to the Fan- 

 tailed Warblers of Australia, which Setophaga, in fact, represents. Fifthly, 

 marshy and watery places are its favourite haunts : this we should naturally 

 expect in any group which typifies the Natatores, or aquatic order, and the 

 Fissirostres in its own circle. Lastly, this curious bird, in the disposition of its 

 colours so much resembles the Redstart of Europe (Phcenicura, Sw.), that it is 

 called in America by that name ! Now it may be demonstrated, by an analysis 

 of the sub-family Philomeliyice, Sw., that Setophaga actually represents Vhoznicura. 

 We know not in what manner to expound these relations, so wonderfully minute, 

 and yet so beautifully exact, but by supposing that, in this group at least, the 

 true plan of Creative Wisdom has been discovered. To frame a system such 

 as this, which explains affinities the most varied, and analogies almost intermin- 

 able, surpasses the utmost pitch of human ingenuity. — Sw. 



DESCRIPTION 

 Of a male, killed at Cumberland House, May 20. 



Colour. — Head, neck, back, throat, and breast shining black, very slightly glossed with 

 blue ; wings and tail reddish-black. A band across the quills ; the inner wing coverts, 

 sides of the breast, and middles of the tail feathers, rich and vivid orpiment-orange, except 

 the central pair of the latter, which are wholly black. The black on the breast descends and 

 forms a curve on each side of the orange patch, leaving the middle nearly white. Belly, 

 flanks, and under tail coverts white. Bill pitch-black. Legs light-brown. 



Form, typical. Bill entirely depressed, with an acute ridge ; the vibrissa more than 

 half its length. First and fourth quills equal, and very little shorter than the second and 

 third. Tail lengthened, rounded ; the feathers rather broad, their tips suddenly terminating 

 in a small acute point. 



A young male, (which, according to Wilson's observations, must be nearly a year old,) 

 killed at Cumberland House on the 5th of June, 1830, has the dorsal aspect liver-brown; 

 the head greyish ; and those parts of the breast, wings, and tail which are orange in the 

 adult, tinged with pale lemon-yellow. Under parts greyish-white ; the bill and legs dark 

 umber-brown. Dimensions as in the adult. Wilson informs us that the female has the same 

 colours with the young male, but wants the yellow band on the wing. 











Dimensions 

















Inch. 



Lin. 



Of the male. 



Inch. 



Lin. 





Inch. 



Lin. 



Igt 



i total 



. 5 



2 



Length of bill above . 



. 



4 



Length of middle claw 



. 



2 



99 



of tail 



2 



H 



„ of tarsus 







8 



„ of hind toe 



. 



3 



99 



of folded wing 



. 2 



n 



,, of middle toe . 



. 



4 | 



„ of its claw . 



. 



2i 



99 



of bill from rictus 







H 















