West Va. May 1874 inclined to think it bears only as close natural affinity to as to Majidactes. Hal. virminos is quite unique ; unlike anything else. It keeps almost entirely on the ground, walks instead of hopping, is shy restless & potentual, the male continually chatting one another through the woods. At sometimes mounts to a short distance above the ground winding about the trunks & branches exactly like M. varia. Its song which I heard to day for the first time, is a weak feeble trill so exactly Resembling that of Spizella socialis that had I not been within a yard or two of the bird & shot it in the very act & should not have hazarded recording it. May 7 Clear still & warm. a model day for collecting. Ruth intended starting for home yesterday but received a telegram at the last moment granting another week so we all started out together this morning as usual. I took my favourite ground up "Ahem cave Rim" & made a good day of it bringing in 24 birds, the best D. camba 60', My. mitratus 30', C. prunus 8x2, H. virminos 5', Hal. chrysip. 8+2,