BLUE YELLOW-BACK WARBLER.

[Plate XXVIII.—Fig. 3.]

Parus Americanus, LINN. Syst. 341.-Finch Creeper, Catesb. I, 64.-LATHAM, II, 558.-Creeping Titmouse, Arct. Zool. 423, No. 326.--Parus varius, Various coloured little Finch Creeper, BARTRAM, p. 292.-PEALE'S Museum, No. 6910.*

NOTWITHSTANDING the respectability of the above authorities, I must continue to consider this bird as a species of Warbler. Its habits indeed partake something of the Titmouse; but the form of its bill is decisively that of the Sylvia genus. It is remarkable for frequenting the tops of the tallest trees, where it feeds on the small winged insects and caterpillars that infest the young leaves and blossoms. It has a few feeble chirrupping notes, scarcely loud enough to be heard at the foot of the tree. It visits Pennsylvania from the south, early in May; is very abundant in the woods of Kentucky; and is also found in the northern parts of the state of New York. Its nest I have never yet met with.

This little species is four inches and a half long, and six inches and a half in breadth; the front, and between the bill and eyes, is black; the upper part of the head and neck a fine Prussian blue; upper part of the back brownish yellow, lower and rump pale blue; wings and tail black, the former crossed with. two bars of white, and edged with blue; the latter marked on

* Parus Americanus, LINN. Syst. Ed. 10, 1, p. 190.-GMEL. Syst. 1, p. 1007.LATH. Ind. Orn. 11, p. 571.-Motacilia americana, GMEL. Syst. 1, 960.—Sylvia americana, Ind. Orn. 11, p. 520.-Motacilla ludoviciana, GMEL. Syst. 1, p. 983. -Sylvia ludoviciana, LATH. Ind. Orn. 11, p. 535.-Figuier cendre de la Caroline, Dure. Pl. Ent. 731, f. 1.-Sylvia torquata, VIEILL. Ois. de l'Am. Sept. pl. 99.

the inner webs of the three exterior feathers with white, a circumstance common to a great number of the genus; immediately above and below the eye is a small touch of white; the upper mandible is black, the lower, as well as the whole throat and breast, rich yellow, deepening about its middle to orange red, and marked on the throat with a small crescent of black; on the edge of the breast is a slight touch of rufous; belly and vent white; legs dark brown; feet dirty yellow. The female wants both the black and orange on the throat and breast; the blue on the upper parts is also of a duller tint.

YELLOW RED-POLL WARBLER.

[Plate XXVIII.—Fig. 4.]

Red-headed Warbler, TURTqn, 1, 605.—PEALE'S Museum, No. 7124.*

THIS delicate little bird arrives in Pennsylvania early in April, while the maples are yet in blossom, among the branches of which it may generally be found feeding on the stamina of the flowers, and on small winged insects. Low swampy thickets are its favourite places of resort. It is not numerous, and its notes are undeserving the name of song. It remains with us all summer; but its nest has hitherto escaped me. It leaves us late in September. Some of them probably winter in Georgia, having myself shot several late in February, on the borders of the Savannah river.

Length of the yellow Red-poll five inches, extent eight; line over the eye, and whole lower parts, rich yellow; breast streaked with dull red; upper part of the head reddish chestnut, which it loses in winter; back yellow olive, streaked with dusky; rump and tail-coverts greenish yellow; wings deep blackish brown, exteriorly edged with olive; tail slightly forked, and of the same colour as the wings.

The female wants the red cap; and the yellow of the lower parts is less brilliant; the streaks of red on the breast are also fewer and less distinct.

* Motacilla petechia, LINN. Syst. 1, p. 334.-GMEL. Syst. 1, p. 983.-Sylvia petechia, LATH. Ind. Orn. 11, p. 535.-VIEILL. Ois. de l'Am. Sept. pl. 91.-Ficedula Pensylvanica erythrocephalos, BRISS. III, p. 488, 49.-Figuier à tête rouge de Pensylvanie, BUFF. Ois. v, p. 286.-Red-headed Warbler, PENN. Arct. Zool. 11, No. 289.-LATH. Syn. Iv, p. 479, 39.

SPECIES 31. SYLVIA STRIATA.

BLACK-POLL WARBLER.

[Plate XXX.-Fig. 3, Male.]

LATH. II, p. 460.-Arct. Zool. p. 401, No. 290.-TURTON, 600.— PEALE'S Museum, No, 7054.*

THIS species has considerable affinity to the Flycatchers in its habits. It is chiefly confined to the woods, and even there, to the tops of the tallest trees, where it is described skipping from branch to branch in pursuit of winged insects. Its note is a single screep, scarcely audible from below. It arrives in Pennsylvania about the twentieth of April, and is first seen on the tops of the highest maples, darting about among the blossoms. As the woods thicken with leaves it may be found pretty generally, being none of the least numerous of our summer birds. It is, however, most partial to woods in the immediate neighbourhood of creeks, swamps, or morasses, probably from the greater number of its favourite insects frequenting such places. It is also pretty generally diffused over the United States, having myself met with it in most quarters of the Union; though its nest has hitherto defied all my researches.

This bird may be considered as occupying an intermediate station between the Flycatchers and the Warblers; having the manners of the former, and the bill, partially, of the latter. The nice gradations by which Nature passes from one species to another, even in this department of the great chain of beings, will forever baffle all the artificial rules and systems of man. And this truth every fresh discovery must impress more forci

* Motacilla striala, GMEL. Syst. 1, p. 976.—Sylvia striata, LATH. Ind. Orn. 11, p. 527.

bly on the mind of the observing naturalist. These birds leave us early in September.

The Black-poll Warbler is five and a half inches long, and eight and a half in extent; crown and hind head black; cheeks pure white; from each lower mandible runs a streak of small black spots, those on the side larger; the rest of the lower parts white; primaries black, edged with yellow; rest of the wing black, edged with ash; the first and second row of coverts broadly tipt with white; back ash, tinged with yellow ochre, and streaked laterally with black; tail black, edged with ash, the three exterior feathers marked on the inner webs with white; bill black above, whitish below, furnished with bristles at the base; iris hazel; legs and feet reddish yellow.

The female differs very little in plumage from the male.

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