Page:Ornithological biography, or an account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America, vol 2.djvu/346

310 snaps its bill so as to produce a clicking sound. It now and then alights on a low plant, such as that represented in the plate, and moves along the branches searching for pupae, ants, and insects. I have never heard its love-song, but its common note is a rather melancholy cheep. I am in- clined to believe that it breeds in the State of Maine, having seen several individuals of both sexes not far from Eastport, in the beginning of June 1833, when several other species had nests.

SytviA CANADENSIS, Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 539. Ch. Bonaparte, Synops, of Birds of the United States, p. 84.

Black-throated Blue Warbler, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 115. pL 15. fig. ?• Nuttall, Manual, p. 398.

Adult Male. Plate CLV.

Bill short, nearly straight, tapering, depressed at the base, compressed towards the end ; upper mandible slightly arched in its dorsal outline, and in the sharp notchless edge. Nostrils basal, oval, covered above by a membrane, and partially concealed by the feathers. Head of ordinary size, neck short, body rather slender. Feet of ordinary length, slender ; tarsus compressed, covered atnteriorly with a few long scutella, sharp be- hind ; toes slender, free, the outer united to the second joint, the hind- toe proportionally large; claws arched, slender, much compressed, acute. Plumage blended, soft, slightly glossed. Wings longish, straight, third quill longish, second almost equal, fourth next in length, and not much longer than the first. Tail of moderate length, even, the lateral feathers bent outwards towards the end. Bristles at the base of the bill distinct.

Bill black. Iris dark brown. Feet light brown. The general colour of the plumage above is deep greyish-blue. Quills, coverts, and tail- feathers black, edged with blue ; base of the primaries, excepting the first, white, forming a conspicuous spot on the wing ; inner margin of most of the quills and tips of the secondaries, white, of which there is a large spot on the inner webs of the four outer quill-feathers on each side. Margin of the forehead all round, a Une over the eye, the sides of the head, fore-neck and sides of the body deep black ; the rest of the under parts white.

Length 5 inches, extent of wings 1 ; bill along the back y%, along the edge ^^ ; tarsus ^^.

The Female resembles the male, but is somewhat paler in the colours.