148 SOLITARY FLY-CATCHER.
hold its prey under its foot in the way of the Yellow-throated Fly-catcher
or Vireo, a habit which allies the latter to the Shrikes. On account of all
these circumstances, I look upon this bird as deserving the attention of
systematic writers, who probably will find its proper place in the general
arrangement.
The flight of this bird is performed by a continued tremor of the
wings, as if it were at all times angry. It seldom rises high above its favourite
cane-brakes, but is seen hopping up and down about the stems of
low bushes and the stalks of the canes, silently searching for food, more in
the manner of the Worm-eating Warbler than in that of any other bird
known to me. Their confidence at the approach of man is very remarkable.
They look on without moving until you are within a few feet, and
retire only in proportion as you advance towards them. In this respect
it resembles the White-eyed Fly-catcher.
When wounded by a shot, it remains quite still on the ground, opens
its bill when you approach it, and bites with all its might when laid hold
of, although its strength is not sufficient to enable it to inflict a wound.
I have never heard it utter a note beyond that of a querulous low murmuring
sound, when chasing another bird from the vicinity of its nest.
The young all leave the nest, if once touched, and hide among the grass
and weeds, where the parents continue to feed them. I once attempted
to feed some young birds of this species, but they rejected the food, which
consisted of flies, worms, and hard-boiled eggs, and died in three days without
ever uttering a note. In 1829,1 shot one of these birds, a fine male,
in the Great Pine Swamp. This was the only individual I ever saw to the
eastward of Henderson on the Ohio. As this happened in the beginning
of September, it is probable that some migrate to a considerable distance
north-east; but I am at the same time of opinion that very few of these
birds enter the United States.
I have represented a pair of them killed near a nest in a cane-brake.
A general description of the American Cane will be found in the present
volume.
V Í R E O S O L I T A R I U S , Ch. Bonaparte. Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 70.
S O L I T A R Y F L Y - C A T C H E R , M U S C Í C A P A S O L I T A R I A , Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. ii.
p. 143. PI. xvii. fig. 6.
Adult Male. Plate XXVIII. Fig. 1.
Bill rather short, broad and depressed at the base, strong, nearly
SOLITARY FLY-CATCHER. 149
straight; upper mandible with the sides convex, the edges overlapping
and notched near the tip, which is suddenly decurved ; lower mandible a
little shorter, convex on the sides and back. Nostrils basal, roundish.
Head and neck large. Body ovate. Feet of ordinary length, rather
strong; tarsus compressed, covered anteriorly with transverse scutella;
toes free, scutellate above, the lateral ones nearly equal; claws arched,
compressed, acute.
Plumage blended, tufty. Bristle-pointed feathers at the base of the
bilk Wings of ordinary length, the third quill longest. Tail slightly
forked, of twelve feathers.
Bill black above, light blue beneath. Iris dark brown. Feet and
claws light blue. Head and back light olive-green ; cheeks of the same
colour. A band of white on the forehead, passing over the eye, and
nearly encircling it, leaving the loral space dark green. Rump and upper
tail-coverts greenish-brown. Quills blackish-brown, margined externally
with brownish-yellow; two first rows of coverts blackish-brown,
largely tipped with white, forming two bands on the wing. Tail brownish
black, margined externally with yellowish-white. Under parts brownish
grey, fading posteriorly into white.
Length 5 | inches, extent of wings 8£ ; bill along the ridge along
the gap \ ; tarsus §.
Adult Female. Plate XXVIII. Fig. 2.
The female is considerably duller. The colouring is generally similar,
but the head is brownish-grey, and the band on the forehead and
round the eyes narrower and tinged with grey.
Length
T H E A M E R I C A N C A N E.
M I E G I A M A C R O S P E R M A , Pursh. Fl. Amer. vol. i. p. 59. A R U N D I N A R I A M A C R O S -
P E R M A , Mich. Fl. Amer. vol. i. p. 7 4 . — T R I A N D R I A M O N O G Y N I A , Linn. GRAM
Í N E A , Juss.
As the Cane is elsewhere described, it is unnecessary to speak particularly
of it here.