216 BIRDS—SYLVIIDA. 
(Sylvia trochilus), a bird which Dr. Coues says has not been seen in Am- 
erica, and that all American references to it are “ doubtless more or less 
exclusively pertinent to Dendreca zxstiva.” It is difficult to understand 
how so close an observer as Dr. Kirtland should have failed to identify 
the Yellow Warbler in any plumage, and the description which he gives, 
hardly conforms to the Yellow Warbler in habit. Be thisas it may, Dr. 
Kirtland’s note is probably the last reference to the occurrence of “ Sylvia 
trochilus” inthis country. Asthearticle in which it appears is especially 
interesting to ornithologists, and rich in valuable facts, I reproduce it 
here entire.* 
“Am. Journ. Sci. and Arts, XL, 1841, 19-24. Art. Il. Fragments of Natural History, by 
J. P. Kirtland, M. D., Prof. Theo. and Prac. Phys., Medical College of Ohio. 
“6 T write that which I have seen.’—LE BAUM. 
No. Ii.—ORNITHOLOGY. 
The feathered tribes of our country have been so thoroughly investigated by 
Wilson, Bonaparte, Nuttall, Audubon, and Townsend, that the young ornithologist 
ean hardly expect to meet with a new species, ualess it be some straggler or accidental 
visitor from other parts of the world. An ample field is, however, furnished him in 
which he may suecessfully employ his talents. The habits of some of our most interest- 
ing birds are but very imperfectly understood. If we take for instance the Migratory 
Sylvias, we can obtain bat little more than their names and scientific characters from 
those authors—and in regard to their habits, less than we have been able to discover by 
our own observations, . 
On investigating the subject, it may perhaps be discovered that in some instances, 
errors have been imbibed and. perpetuated by mistiuken accidental movement of in- 
dividual birds under unusual circumstances, for the common habits of the whole 
species. | 
The term of life of no one person is of sufficient duration to allow him to complete a full 
history, even of our American species, from his own researches and observations; such 
a work must be the production of the joint labor of several ages and many individuals. 
Many facts remain to be supplied before it can be successfully completed. The oppor- 
tunities for observing the movements, and obtaining a correct history of the habits and 
characters of the rare birds, are only occasional and fortuitous, and are as likely to fall 
in the way of one who knows not how to improve them, as of one who possesses the talent 
for correct observation that distinguishes the author of the ‘‘ Birds of America.” 
It. is not to be expected that the public generally will ever turn aside from their usual 
pursuits to make observations on matters relating to natural science. The energies of 
some idle gunner may, perhaps, be aroused sufficiently by the appearance of a new or 
rare bird to induce him to destroy its life; the carcass will be gazed upon with a momen- 
tary chriosity and then cast underfoot. 
In every community their are, however, some individuals who have a natural taste 
for matters of this kind. If they would improve the opportunities as they occur for 
making themselves familiar with the rare birds, and would communicate the results of 
their observation to the public through the medium of some suitable publication, any 
deficiency inthe history of our American birds would soon be supplied. Entertaining this 
