228 NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 



They are 1 T \ inch in length. Wilson is mistaken in saying that this species has 

 no song ; for the male serenades his mate in the breeding season with a loud, 

 clear, and remarkably pleasing ditty, sitting on the lower branches of an alder or 

 willow tree in the vicinity of the nest. — R. 



The mode of constructing its nest, analogous to that of the Wrens and other 

 Scansorial types, is at once explained by the analogy of this group to the genus 

 Troglodytes and the tribe of Scatisores, both of which, in conjunction with Accentor, 

 it represents in the circle of Variance. We see this bird again represented in the 

 most remarkable manner by the Oxyrkynchus cristatus, Sw., (since altered, for 

 what reason we know not, to Flammiceps,) which occupies a perfectly analogous 

 station in the family of Picidce. If the colours of the crown of S. aurocapillus 

 were more vivid, one description of plumage might serve for both birds. How 

 superficially do we study Nature ! — Sw. 



DESCRIPTION 

 Of a male, killed at Cumberland House, June I, 1827. 



Colour. — Dorsal aspect between dark hair-brown and oil-green* : crown brownish- 

 orange, bounded on each side by a line of black spots. Under plumage white, thickly marked 

 on the breast and flanks with pitch-black, triangular, thrush-like spots ; axillary feathers and 

 inner wing coverts pale primrose-yellow. Bill umber-brown above : the whole lower man- 

 dible pale. Legs pale. 



Form. — Typical. The bill is stouter than that of S. aquations, and does not taper so 

 suddenly : the lower mandible in particular is more robust. Vibrissa on the rictus, and chin 

 short. Wings an inch shorter than the tail ; second quill the longest, but scarcely ex- 

 ceeding the first and third. Tail slightly emarginated, its feathers acutely pointed. Tarsus 

 much longer than the middle toe ; covered with a single or entire scale as in S. aquaticus : 

 lateral toes equal, and longer than the hind toe : claws small. 











Dimensions. 

















Inch. 



Lin. 





Inch. 



Lin. 





Inch. 



Lin. 



Igt 



i total 



. 5 



9 



Length of bill above . 



. 



6 



Length of middle nail 



. 



IS. 



JJ 



of tail 



2 



3 



„ of tarsus 







H 



„ of hind toe 







3 



V 



of folded wing 



. 2 



11 



,, of middle toe . 



.'0 



6 



„ of hind claw . 



. 



2* 



yy 



of bill from rictus 



. 



7 















— R. 



* Rich yellow-olive. — Wilson. 



