228 NORTHERN ZOOLOGY.
They are 1^ inch in length. ■' Wilson is mistaken in saying that this species has
no song; for the male serenades his mate in the breeding season with a loud,
clear, and remarkably pleasing ditty, sitting on the lower branches of an alder or
willow tree in the vicinity of the nest.—R.
The mode of constructing its nest, analogous to that of the Wrens and other
Scansorial types, is at once explained by the analogy of this group to the genus
Troglodytes and the tribe of Scansores, both of which, in conjunction with Accentor, it represents in the circle of Parianm. We see this bird again represented in the
most remarkable manner by the Oxyrhynchus cristatus, Sw., (since altered, for
what reason we know not, to Flammiceps,) which occupies a perfectly analogous
station in the family of Picidce. If the colours of the crown of S . durocapillus were more vivid, one description of plumage might serve for both birds. How superficially do we study Nature!—Sw.
DESCRIPTION
Of a male, killed at Cumberland House; June 1, 1827.
C olour.— Dorsal aspect between dark hair-brown and oil-green* : crown, brownish-
orange, bounded on each side by a line of black spots. Under plumage, white, thickly marked
on the breast and flanks with pitch-black, triangular, thrush-like spots ; axillary feathers and
inner wing coverts pale primrose-yellow. Bill umber-brown above: the whole, lower mandible
pale. Legs pale.
F orm. Typical. The bill is stouter than that of S. aquations, and does not taper so
suddenly : the lower mandible in particular is more robust. Vibrissa on the rictus, and chin
short. Wings an inch shorter than the tail; second quill. the longest, but scarcely exceeding
the first and third. Tail slightly emarginated, its feathers acutely pointed. Tarsus
much longer than the middle toe ; covered with a single or entire scale as in S. aquaticus :
lateral toes equal, and longer than the hind toe: claws small.
Length total
t„ of tail 2
. „ ' of folded wing . 2
„ of bill from rictus ,j 0
D im en s io n s.
Lin.
6 Length of bill above .
3 ,, of tarsus
11 „ of middle toe. 7
Inch. Lin..
. 0 G Length of middle nail
0 9 | ~ of hind toe
• 9 6 „ of hind claw .
Inch. Lin.
. 0 1J 0 • 3
. 0 2£