Part 118

=Anthus ludovicianus= (I, 171). Mr. Allen found this species breeding in the summer of 1871 on the summit of Mt. Lincoln, Colorado Territory, above the timber-line, at an altitude of over 13,000 feet.

=Helmitherus vermivorus= (I, 187). Professor Frank H. Snow procured a specimen of this species near Lawrence, Kansas, May 6, 1873.

=Helmitherus swainsoni= (I, 190). Was obtained in Florida by Mr. W. Thaxter.

=Helminthophaga virginiæ= (I, 199). Very common in El Paso County, Colorado, where it was obtained by Mr. Aiken.

=Helminthophaga luciæ= (I, 200). We are indebted to Captain Bendire for the discovery of the nest and eggs of this comparatively new Warbler. He first met with its nest near Tucson, Arizona, May 19, 1872. Unlike all the rest of this genus, which, so far as is known, build their nests on the ground, this species was found nesting something after the manner of the common Gray Creeper, between the loose bark and the trunk of a dead tree, a few feet from the ground. Except in their smaller size the eggs also bear a great resemblance to those of the Creeper. In shape they are nearly spherical, their ground is of a crystal whiteness, spotted, chiefly around the larger end, with fine dottings of a purplish-red. They measure .54 of an inch in length by .45 in breadth.

=Helminthophaga celata=, var. =lutescens= (I, 204). See Am. Nat. Vol. VII, October, 1873, p. 606.

=Helminthophaga peregrina= (I, 205). Obtained in El Paso County, Colorado, in September, 1873, by Mr. Aiken.

=Parula americana= (I, 208). Obtained in May in El Paso County, Colorado, by Mr. Aiken.

=Dendroica vieilloti=, var. =bryanti= (I, 218). See Am. Nat. VII, October, 1873, p. 606.

=Dendroica auduboni= (I, 229). In July, 1870, Dr. Cooper found families of this species fully fledged, wandering through the woods, at the summit pass of the Central Pacific Railroad, 7,000 feet altitude, confirming his supposition that they breed in the high Sierra Nevada. There they are very numerous in summer, following the retreating snow to this elevation about May 1, when the males are in full plumage, retaining it till August. Their song is always faint, and similar to that of D. æstiva.

=Dendroica cærulea= (I, 235). A nest, containing one egg, of the Cærulean Warbler, was obtained in June, 1873, by Frank S. Booth, the son of James Booth, Esq., the well-known taxidermist of Drummondville, Ontario, near Niagara Falls. The nest was built in a large oak-tree at the height of fifty feet or more from the ground. It was placed horizontally on the upper surface of a slender limb, between two small twigs, and the branch on which it was thus saddled was only an inch and a half in thickness. Being nine feet from the trunk of the tree, it was secured with great difficulty. The nest is a rather slender fabric, somewhat similar to the nest of the Redstart, and quite small for the bird. It has a diameter of 2½ inches, and is 1¼ inches in depth. Its cavity is 2 inches wide at the rim, and 1 inch in depth. The nest chiefly consists of a strong rim firmly woven of strips of fine bark, stems of grasses, and fine pine-needles, bound round with flaxen fibres of plants and wool. Around the base a few bits of hornets’ nests, mosses, and lichens are loosely fastened. The nest within is furnished with fine stems and needles, and the flooring is very thin and slight. The egg is somewhat similar in its general appearance to that of D. æstiva, but is smaller and with a ground-color of a different shade of greenish-white. It is oblong-oval in shape, and measures .70 of an inch in length by .50 in breadth. It is thinly marked over the greater portion of its surface with minute dottings of reddish-brown. A ring of confluent blotches of purple and reddish-brown surrounds the larger end.

=Dendroica blackburniæ= (I, 237). Obtained at Ogden, Utah, in September, 1871, by Mr. Allen (Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl. III, No. 5, p. 166).

=Dendroica dominica= (I, 240). A superb nest of the Yellow-throated Warbler was taken by Mr. Giles, near Wilmington, N. C., in the spring of 1872. The nest was enclosed in a pendent tuft of Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides), and completely hidden within it. Its form is cup-shaped, and it is made of fine roots, mixed with much downy material and a few soft feathers, and, except in its situation, does not differ much from other nests of this genus. Other nests have since been received from Mr. Giles; also a nest of Parula americana similarly situated. Mr. Ridgway, from an examination of the nests, infers that this situation is not constant, but that in other localities where the moss is not found this Warbler may build in thick tufts of leaves near the extremity of drooping branches, or in other similar situations.

=Dendroica dominica=, var. =albilora= (I, 241). See Am. Nat, VII, October, 1873, p. 606.

=Dendroica graciæ=, var. =decora= (I, 244). See Am. Nat. VII, October, 1873, p. 608.

=Dendroica castanea= (I, 251). This Warbler is cited by us as exceedingly rare in Eastern Massachusetts, though not unknown. A remarkable exception to this otherwise general rule occurred in the spring of 1872. For several days, in the latter part of May, they were found in great abundance in the vicinity of Boston. As the same unusual occurrence of this species in large numbers was noticed by Mr. Kumlien in Southern Wisconsin, it is probable that along the 42d parallel something occurred to cause a deviation from their usual migrations. The long pause of this species in its spring migrations, and its appearance in large numbers, are not known to have occurred before.

Mr. Salvin (Ibis, April, 1872) expresses the opinion that this Warbler, in its southern migration, does not pause in its flight from the Southern United States to stop in any of the West India Islands, nor in any point of Central America north of Costa Rica. It is by no means rare at Panama during the winter. We may therefore infer that in both its southern and its northern migrations long flights are made, at certain periods, over sections of country in which they do not appear at all, or where only a straggling few are ever seen, and that their abundance in 1872 was exceptional and due to causes not understood.

=Dendroica nigrescens= (I, 258). Obtained in El Paso County, Colorado; AIKEN.

=Dendroica occidentalis=, =D. townsendi=, and =D. nigrescens= (I, 258, 265, 266). While travelling over the Cuyamaca Mountains east of San Diego, in April, 1872, Dr. Cooper found D. occidentalis, for the first time, quite common. They seemed to be still migrating during the last week of April, but perhaps were only moving upwards, being numerous between the elevation of 1,500 and 4,000 feet, while heavy frosts still occurred at the latter height. They probably go in May as high as 6,200 feet, the summits of the highest peaks, which are densely covered by coniferous trees. D. townsendi and D. nigrescens were in company with occidentalis in small flocks, among the oaks, and all seemed to be following an elevated route northward. In 1862, Dr. Cooper found them among the chaparral along the coast, but he regards this as exceptional and probably occasioned by a severe storm in the mountains, as he saw none in 1872 in a spring of average mildness. They occur about Petaluma as early as April 1.

=Seiurus ludovicianus= (I, 287). Mr. E. Ingersoll met with the nest and eggs of the Large-billed Thrush near Norwich, Conn. The nest was sunk in the ground, in some moss and in the rotten wood underneath the roots of a large tree on the banks of the Yantic River. It was covered over, except just in front, by the roots. The nest was 2½ inches in internal diameter and rather shallow, and was somewhat loosely constructed of fine dry grasses and little dead fibrous mosses. About the nest, but forming no part of it, were several loose leaves. These were chiefly in front of the nest, and served as a screen to conceal it and its occupant. The nest itself was placed under the edge of the bank, about ten feet above the water. The eggs were four in number and were quite fresh. Unblown, they have a beautiful rosy tint, the ground-color is a lustrous white, the egg having a polished surface. They are more or less profusely spotted all over with dots and specks, and a few obscure zigzag markings of reddish-brown of two shades, and umber, with faint touches of lilac and very pale washing of red. These markings are much more thickly distributed about the larger end, but nowhere form a ring. They resemble the eggs of S. aurocapillus, but differ in their somewhat rounder shape, the brilliant polish of their ground, and the greater distinctness of the markings. They varied from .75 to .80 of an inch in length, and from .60 to .62 in breadth.

=Geothlypis= (I, 295). For a new synopsis of all the species of this genus, see Am. Journ. Science and Arts, Vol. X, December, 1872.

=Geothlypis trichas= (I, 297). Dr. Cooper found this species wintering in large numbers near San Buenaventura. They frequented the driest as well as the wettest spots.

=Geothlypis macgillivrayi= (I, 303). We now consider this form a geographical race of S. philadelphia. (See Am. Journ. Science and Arts, Vol. X, December, 1872.)

=Myiodioctes pusillus=, var. =pileolatus= (I, 319). See Am. Nat. VII, October, 1873, p. 608.

=Setophaga picta= (I, 322). This species, not included in the preceding pages among North American Birds, was noticed on only two occasions by Captain Charles Bendire in the vicinity of Tucson, Arizona. This was on the 4th of April, and again on the 12th of September, 1872. He thinks that they unquestionably breed in the mountains to the northward of Tucson. When seen in September they appeared to be moving southward, on their way to their winter quarters. He saw none throughout the summer. (See Am. Nat. VII.) By letter from Mr. Henshaw, we learn that he has obtained this species at Apache, Arizona.

=Vireosylvia olivacea= (I, 369). Obtained at Ogden, Utah, in September, 1871, by Mr. Allen.

=Lanivireo solitarius= (I, 373). Dr. Cooper found, April 30, 1870, a male of this species in full plumage and singing delightfully on a ridge above Emigrant Gap on the west slope of the Sierra, about 5,500 feet altitude, and where the snow was still lying in deep drifts. He is confident that he saw the same species at Copperopolis in February, 1864. He thinks there is no doubt that to some extent they winter in the State.

=Lanivireo solitarius=, var. =plumbeus= (I, 378). El Paso County, Colorado; AIKEN.