spotted from the throat downwards with black streaks; vent white; tail slightly forked; wings black, crossed with two broad transverse bars of white; crown fine ash; legs brown; bill black. Markings of the female not known.

BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER.

[Plate XXIII.-Fig. 3.]

LATHAM, II, p. 461, No. 67.—PEALE'S Museum, No. 7060.*

THIS is another scarce species in Pennsylvania, making its appearance here about the beginning of May; and again in September on its return, but is seldom seen here during the middle of summer. It is an active silent bird. Inhabits also the state of New York, from whence it was first sent to Europe. Latham has numbered this as a variety of the Yellow-fronted Warbler, a very different species. The specimen sent to Europe, and first described by Pennant, appears also to have been a female, as the breast is said to be yellow, instead of the brilliant orange with which it is ornamented. Of the nest and habits of this bird I can give no account, as there is not more than one or two of these birds to be found here in a season, even with the most diligent search.

The Blackburnian Warbler is four inches and a half long, and seven in extent; crown black, divided by a line of orange; the black again bounded on the outside by a stripe of rich orange passing over the eye; under the eye a small touch of orange yellow; whole throat and breast rich fiery orange, bounded by spots and streaks of black; belly dull yellow, also streaked with black; vent white; back black, skirted with ash; wings the same, marked with a large lateral spot of white; tail slightly forked; the interior vanes of the three exterior feathers white; cheeks black; bill and legs brown. The female is yellow where the male is orange; the black streaks are also more obscure and less

numerous.

*Motacilla Blackburnia, GMEL. Syst. 1, p. 977.-Sylvia Blackburniæ, Lath. Ind. Orn. 11, p. 527.-VIEILL. Ois. de l'Am. Sept. pl. 96.

SPECIES 21. SYLVIA AUTUMNALIS.

AUTUMNAL WARBLER.

[Plate XXIII.-Fig. 4.]

THIS plain little species regularly visits Pennsylvania from the north in the month of October, gleaning among the willow leaves; but what is singular, is rarely seen in spring. From the first to the fifteenth of October, they may be seen in considerable numbers almost every day in gardens, particularly among the branches of the weeping willow, and seem exceedingly industrious. They have some resemblance in colour to the Pinecreeping Warbler; but do not run along the trunk like that bird; neither do they give a preference to the pines. They are also less. After the first of November they are no longer to be found, unless the season be uncommonly mild. These birds doubtless pass through Pennsylvania in spring, on their way to the north; but either make a very hasty journey, or frequent the tops of the tallest trees; for I have never yet met with one of them in that season; though in October I have seen more than a hundred in an afternoon's excursion.

Length four inches and three quarters, breadth eight inches; whole upper parts olive green, streaked on the back with dusky stripes; tail coverts ash, tipt with olive; tail black, edged with dull white; the three exterior feathers marked near the tip with white; wings deep dusky, edged with olive, and crossed with two bars of white; primaries also tipt, and three secondaries. next the body edged, with white; upper mandible dusky brown; lower, as well as the chin and breast, dull yellow; belly and vent white; legs dusky brown; feet and claws yellow; a pale yellow ring surrounds the eye. The males of these birds often warble out some low, but very sweet notes, while searching among the leaves in autumn.

THIS is an inhabitant of the same country as the Painted Bunting; and also a passenger from the south; with this difference, that the bird now before us seldom approaches the house or garden; but keeps among the retired deep and dark swampy woods, through which it flits nimbly in search of small caterpillars; uttering every now and then a few screaking notes, scarcely worthy of notice. They are abundant in the Mississippi and New Orleans territories, near the river; but are rarely found on the high ridges inland.

From the peculiar form of its bill, being roundish and remarkably pointed, this bird might with propriety be classed as a sub-genus, or separate family, including several others, viz. the Blue-winged Yellow Warbler; the Golden-crowned Warbler, the Golden-winged Warbler, the Worm-eating Warbler, and a few more. The bills of all these correspond nearly in form and pointedness, being generally longer, thicker at the base, and more round than those of the genus Sylvia, generally. The first mentioned species, in particular, greatly resembles this in its general appearance; but the bill of the Prothonotary is rather stouter, and the yellow much deeper, extending farther on the back; its manners and the country it inhabits are also different.

This species is five inches and a half long, and eight and a half in extent; the head, neck, and whole lower parts (except the vent) are of a remarkably rich and brilliant yellow, slightly VOL. II.-3 A

inclining to orange; vent white; back, scapulars and lesser wing coverts yellow olive; wings, rump and tail coverts a lead blue; interior vanes of the former black; tail nearly even, and black, broadly edged with blue, all the feathers, except the two middle ones, are marked on their inner vanes near the tip with a spot of white; bill long, stout, sharp pointed and wholly black; eyes dark hazel; legs and feet a leaden gray. The female differs in having the yellow and blue rather of a duller tint; the inferiority, however, is scarcely noticeable.