ZOOLOGY. 
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generally heard at all hours of the day, from the top of the poplar, ash, and other deciduous 
trees, where it was always actively engaged in pursuing insects, even while singing; its song 
being frequently interrupted while it darted after one, began again as soon as it could swallow 
the victim.—C. 
One specimen of this species I obtained at Fort Steilacoom, June 17, 1856. Upper mandible, 
dark dusky lead color; lower, pale bluish. Measurements, 5f, 8|. $ . —S. 
VIKEO SOLITAKIUS, Vieillot. 
Bliic-licntled Flycatcher. 
Muscicapa solitaria, Wilson, Am. Orn. II, 1810, 143 ; pi. 17, f. 6. 
Vireo solilarius, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. 1817. Aud. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 147: V, 1839, 432; pi. 23 .—Ib. Syn. 1839.— 
Ib. Birds Amer. IV, 1842, 144; pi. 239 .—Nutt. Man. I, 1832, 305 .—Baird, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 340. 
Sp. Ch.—S purious primary very small, not one-fourth the second, which is longer than the sixth. Top and sides of the head 
and upper part of neck dark bluish ash; rest of upper parts clear olive green. A white ring round the eye, interrupted in the 
anterior canthus by a dusky lore, but the white color extending above this spot to the base of the bill. Under parts white; the 
sides under the wings greenish yellow. Two bands on the wing coverts, with the edges of the secondaries, greenish white. 
Outer tail feather with its edge all round, including the whole outer web, whitish. Length, about 5.50 to 5.75 inches; extent; 
9; wiDg, 2. 40 to 3. Bill and feet, black; iris, brown. 
Eab .—United States, from Atlantic to the north Pacific, {Washington Territory only ?) 
The solitary vireo is common in Washington Territory—arriving from the south in May, 
and frequenting chiefly the groves of oak in the interior. Its sweet and varied song is so 
closely imitated by tlie purple finch, that on one occasion, hearing both singing in the same 
tree, I could not distinguish any difference, and have no doubt that one had been attracted by 
the song of the other.— C. 
This greenlet is rather common near Fort Steilacoom. In 1856 I obtained several specimens. 
Another killed at Fort Steilacoom measured 5.75; extent, 9.12; wing, 3. This and another 
specimen from the same locality differed from Nuttall’s description of the species, in having 
the lower mandible scarcely lighter than the upper; also, the breasts were not “pale cinereous” 
but white, or white slightly tinged with yellowish. Throat not “ tinged with greenish.”—S. 
Family LIOTBICHIDAE. 
Sub-Family TROGLODYT1NAE.—T h e Wrens. 
THRIOTHORUS BEWICKII, Bo nap. 
Bewick’s Wren. 
Troglodytes bewickii, Aud. Orn. Biog. 1,1831, 96: V, 1833, 467; pi. 18 .—Ib. Syn. 1839, 74 .—Ib. Birds Amer. II, 
1841, 120; pi. 118 .—Nutt. Man. I, 1832, 434 .—Lesson, Rev. Zool. 1840, 264 .—Newberry. 
Zool. P. R. R. Surv. VI, iv, 1857, 80. 
Hhryothorus bewickii, Bonap. List, 1838 .—Ib. Conspectus, 1850, 221 .—Baird, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 363. 
Troglodytes spilurus, Vigors, Zool. Beechey’s Voyage, 1839, 18; pi. iv, f. 1. California. 
Sp. Ch.—B ill shorter than the head. Tail longer than the wings; much graduated. Upper parts rufous brown; beneath 
plumbeous white. A white streak over the eye, the feathers edged above with brown. Exposed surface of the wings and the 
innermost tail feathers closely barred with dusky; the remaining tail feathers mostly black, barred or blotched with white at 
the tips, and on the whole outer web of the exterior feather, and on the under tail coverts. Length, 5.50; extent, 7; wing, 2.25; 
tail, 2.50. Iris, brown; legs, gray; bill, black; lower mandible, white. 
Var. spilurus, with longer bill; purer white beneath. Colors more grayish olivaceous above. 
Eab .—North America, from Atlantic to Pacific; south to Mexico. 
