VIREO ATRICAPILLUS.—Woodhouse. The Black-headed Flycatcher. PLATE XXIV.—Adult Male.

On account of their modest attire and sylvan habits, the birds of the group to which the present species belongs, are seldom noticed by the general observer, though some of them are to be met with commonly during the summer, in nearly all parts of the United States. But though inconspicuous in appearance, they make ample compensation by the loudness of their notes, which, after the early love-songs of the Thrushes, and other of our songsters of spring, have subsided into the more serious duties of parental responsibility, are to be heard above those of any other of our resident birds. They are active insect-catchers, and may be seen at nearly all hours of the day, patiently searching amongst the leaves and branches of the trees in almost every woodland, hopping from branch to branch, or sometimes making short sallies in pursuit of fugitive moths or butterflies, and occasionally pausing to refresh themselves with a rather quaint but very melodious warble, lengthened in the spring into a cheerful and agreeable song.

The red-eyed Flycatcher (V. olivaceus) is the most numerous, and not only is constantly to be met with in the woods, but ventures confidently into the public squares or parks, and the yards and gardens of the cities. In many such localities in Philadelphia, several of which are in the denser parts of the city, this little warbler rears its young, and pipes out his sprightly song, in entire security, and apparently feeling himself as much at home as if in the recesses of the most remote forest. The warbling Flycatcher (V. gilvus) is another pleasing singer, though in our opinion but an indifferent performer compared with the preceding. A species common in the West Indies, and which has been found in Florida, has some very singular notes, from one combination of which he has had assigned to him a name quite as singular, the “Whip Tom Kelly” (V. altiloquus).

The immediate relatives, however, of the little species before the reader in the present plate, are birds that rarely venture far from the woods. One of them, the White-eyed Flycatcher (V. noveboracensis), has a partiality for marshes and low grounds producing thick growths of vines and shrubbery; and although the smallest of his tribe has some quite remarkable notes, and so loud, that a person not sufficiently acquainted with him to recognise his voice, would be surprised to find such a high-sounding solo proceed from such a diminutive performer.

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The species represented in our present plate is an inhabitant of Texas, but it has as yet been only observed in a very limited district. It was discovered by S. W. Woodhouse, M. D., of Philadelphia, while attached to Capt. Sitgreave’s Surveying party. It is the handsomest bird of this group.

The following notice of this bird by Dr. Woodhouse, we take the liberty of extracting from Sitgreave’s report of an expedition down the Zuñi and Colorado rivers:

“On the twenty-sixth of May, 1851, while encamped on the Rio San Pedro, within about ten miles of its source, I was out in pursuit of specimens. Wandering about the hills among some cedars (Juniperus), my attention was first attracted by a singular note, which I am unable to describe; on looking, I discovered this beautiful little bird, which I at first took to belong to that interesting family of fly-catching warblers, Sylvania, it being constantly in motion. It was with the greatest difficulty that I could procure specimens; two, however, I secured, both of which, on dissection, proved to be males.”

Mr. John H. Clark, zoologist attached to the Mexican boundary commission, who observed this species in Texas, and near the same locality at which it was found by Dr. Woodhouse, has very obligingly made for us the following note from his journal:

“My attention was drawn to this bird by a shrill, discontented chirp which accompanied its incessant motion in pursuit of insects. Three specimens only were seen, and all of them at one locality, near the head of the Rio San Pedro, or Devil’s River, to the valley of which it appeared to be confined, for, being aware of its novelty to the fauna of the United States, I kept a strict look-out, but did not meet with it elsewhere.

“It was not at all shy, showing no concern when approached within a few rods. The procuring of a specimen was, however, a matter of some difficulty, as its constantly hopping or flying from branch to branch rendered an unobstructed shot the next thing to an impossibility. It was found in June, and the specimen obtained by me, now in the collection of the commission, is that of a male.”

Our figure is of the natural size.

DESCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Genus Vireo. Vieillot, Ois d’Am., Sept. I, p. 83. (1807.)

Size small; bill rather short, strong, wide at base, compressed towards the point, which is curved downwards, and sharp; upper mandible with distinct notches near the point; nostrils basal, large; wing moderate or rather short, with the third and fourth quills usually longest; tail rather short; legs long, rather slender. An American genus, containing six species. The Red-eyed Flycatcher (V. olivaceus), and others of the long-billed species, are not included, but have properly been embraced in a new group, Vireosylvia, Bonaparte.

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Vireo atricapillus. Woodhouse, Proc. Acad., Philada., VI. p. 60. (April, 1852.)

Form. Small, but compact, and rather broad; bill rather short, acute; wing with the third and fourth quills equal; tail rather short, even at the end, or slightly emarginate.

Dimensions. Male.—Total length, 7½ inches; Wing, 2¼; tail, 1¾; expanse of Wings, 7¼.

Color. Male.—Head above and cheeks black; stripe before the eye, and entire under parts, white, tinged with greenish-yellow on the sides and flanks; back, rump, and upper tail-coverts, dark olive-green; quills brownish-black, with a greenish tinge, and edged externally with greenish-yellow; wing-coverts tipped with greenish-white; tail feathers brownish-black, edged externally with greenish-yellow; bill and feet dark; iris light red.

Hab. Texas. Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada., and Nat. Mus., Washington city.

Obs. This is a very distinct and peculiar species of this genus, not at all resembling any other, and readily distinguished by its black head. It belongs, however, strictly to the same group as V. flavifrons, V. solitarius, V. noveboracencis, and others, and is one of the most interesting of the more recent additions to the ornithology of the United States.

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