In this instance the parents showed much uneasiness at the approach of intruders, moving about among the twigs, snapping their bills, and uttering a plaintive note. In Newfoundland these birds had already begun to migrate on the 20th of August. He met with them in considerable numbers in Northern Maine in October, 1832. Mr. Turnbull mentions it as a rather abundant bird of Eastern Pennsylvania, appearing there early in May, in transitu, and again in October.
Mr. T. M. Trippe has observed this species at Orange, N. J., from the 19th to the 30th of May. It is said to keep low down in the trees, and is fond of haunting thickets and open brush fields. Occasionally he has heard it utter a loud chattering song, which it repeats at short intervals.
A nest of this species from Fort Yukon (Smith. Coll., 13,346), obtained May 20, by Mr. McDougal, contained four eggs. These varied from .60 to .63 of an inch in length, and from .45 to .49 in breadth. They were obovate in shape, their ground-color was a pure white; this was finely sprinkled round the larger end with brownish-red and lilac. No mention is made of the position of the nest, but it is probable this bird builds on the ground.
Myiodioctes pusillus, var. pileolatus, Ridgway.
Motacilla pileolata, Pallas, Zoög. Rosso Asiat. I, 1831, 497 (Russian America). Myiodioctes pusillus, var. pileolata, Ridgway, Report U. S. Geol. Expl. 40th Par. Myiodioctes pusillus, Auct. (all citations from Pacific coast of North and Middle America).—Lord, Pr. R. Art. Inst. Woolw. IV, 1864, 115 (Br. Col.).—Dall & Bannister (Alaska).—Cooper, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 101.
Sp. Char. Similar to var. pusillus, but much richer yellow, scarcely tinged with olive laterally, and deepened into an almost orange shade on the front and chin. Above much brighter and more yellowish olive-green. The black pileum with a brighter steel-blue gloss. Bill much narrower, and deep, light brown above, instead of nearly black. Measures (4,222 ♂, San Francisco, Cal.), wing, 2.15; tail, 2.00.
Hab. Pacific coast region of North America, from Kodiak (Alaska); south through Western Mexico (and Lower California) to Costa Rica.
This is an appreciably different race from that inhabiting the eastern division of the continent; the differences, tested by a large series of specimens, being very constant.
A Costa-Rican specimen before me is almost exactly like specimens from California.
Habits. The remarks, in the preceding article relative to specimens from the Pacific coast belong to this variety.