Page:Ornithological biography, or an account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America, vol 2.djvu/263



the pair represented in the Plate, on a fine evening, nearly at sun-set, at the end of August, on the banks of the Delaware River, in New Jersey, a few miles below Camden. When I first observed them, they were hopping and skipping from one low bush to another, and among the tall reeds of the marsh, emitting an often-repeated tweet at every move. They were chasing a species of spider which runs nimbly over the water, and which they caught by gliding over it, as a Swallow does when drinking. I followed them for about a hundred yards, when, watching a fair opportunity, I shot both at once. The weather was ex- ceedingly sultry ; and although I outlined both by candle-light that even- ing, and finished the drawing of them next morning by breakfast time, they had at that early hour become putrid, so that their skins could not be preserved. On opening them I counted upwards of fifty of the spiders mentioned above, but found no appearance of any other food. The sexual distinction was very apparent, and the brace proved a pair. They were not in the least shy, and in fact seemed to take very little notice of me, although at times I was quite close to them. These being the only indi- viduals I ever met with, I am of course unable to say where the species breeds, or what are its migrations.

The plant on which they are placed grew abundantly on the spot where I procured them; and as they had just alighted on it when I shot them, it being moreover a handsome species, I thouglit it best to attach it to them.

Sylvia agilis, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. S4. Connecticut Waubler, Svlvia agilis, Wih. Amer. Ornith. vol. v. p. 64, pi. 39, fig. 4. Nuttall, Manual, part i. p. 399.

Adult Male, Plate CXXXVIII, Fig. 1.

Bill short, straight, conico-subulate, acute ; nostrils basal, lateral, oval, exposed ; head of moderate size ; neck short, body rather slender ; feet ot