HOODED OR MITRED WARBLER. 373 



of black on the breast composed of black spots; vent white. 

 Bill, the upper mandible dusky, the lower flesh-color;; legs. and feet 

 the same. Eye hazel,. 



HOODED OR MITRED WARBLER. 



{Sylvia mitrata, Latham. Muscicapa cucuUatai Wilson", iii. p. 101. 

 pi. 26. fig. 3. [male.] Phil. Museum, No. 7062. ) 



Sp. Charact. — Yellow-olive; head, neck, and throat black; fore- 

 head, cheeks, and body beneath, yellow ; 3 lateral tail-feathers 

 white on one half of their inner webs. 



This beautiful and singularly marked summer species, 

 common in the South, is rarely seen to the north of the 

 state of Maryland. It retires to Mexico or the West In- 

 dies probably to pass the winter. At Savannah, in 

 Georgia, it arrives from the south about the 20th of 

 March, according to Wilson. It is partial to low and 

 shady situations darkened with underwood, is frequent 

 among the cane-brakes of Tennessee and Mississippi, and 

 is exceedingly active, and almost perpetually engaged in 

 the pursuit of winged insects. While thus employed, it 

 now and then utters three loud, and not unmusical, very 

 lively notes, resembling the words, twee tioee 'ttoittshe. 

 In its simple song and general habits it therefore much 

 resembles the Summer Yellow Bird. Its neat and com- 

 pact nest is generally fixed in the fork of a small bush, 

 formed outwardly of moss and flax, lined with hair, and 

 sometimes feathers ; the eggs, about 5, are greyish-white, 

 with reddish spots towards the great end. 



This species is about 5^ inches long, and 8 in alar extent. The 

 forehead, cheeks, and chin yellow, surrounded with a hood of 

 black that covers the crown, hind-head, and part of the neck, and 

 descends rounding over the breast ; all the rest of the lower parts 

 yellow. Above, yellow-olive. Bill black. Legs flesh-colored- 

 32 



