BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER. 379 



are of a light bluish-grey, the greater coverts and lower order of 

 lesser bright yellow, forming a large spot on each wing. Primaries 

 and tail deep ash-color; the inner webs of the exterior tail-feathers 

 spotted with white. 



BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER. 



(Sylvia Blackhurnm, Lath. Wilson, iii. p. 64. pi. 23. fig. 3. Phil. 

 Museum, No. 7060.) 



Sp. Charact. — The head striped with black and orange ; throat 

 and breast orange, bounded by black spots ; wings with a large 

 white space ; the 3 lateral tail-feathers white on the inner web. 

 — Female yellow, without orange, and the black spots fewer. 



This is one of the rarest and most beautiful species of 

 the genus, which, from the 1st to the 15th of May, or 

 sometimes later, pays a transient visit to the Middle and 

 Northern States, on its way to its remote boreal place of 

 retirement for the breeding season. It is still more 

 rarely seen in the autumn, about the month of Septem- 

 ber, on its passage to tropical America, where it winters, 

 as may be presumed from its occurrence late in autumn 

 about Vera Cruz, according to Mr. Bullock. Little 

 more is known of it than its external appearance. It is 

 an exceedingly nimble insect-hunter, keeping towards the 

 tops of trees, scarcely uttering even an audible chirp, 

 and at this season, no song, as far as is yet known ; 

 but its habits at the period of incubation are wholly 

 unknown. 



The Blackburnian Warbler is only about 4^ inches long, and about 

 7 in alar extent. A stripe of rich orange passes over the eye, and 

 there is a small touch of the same beneath it ; the throat and breast 

 almost approach the fiery color of red-lead, bounded by spots and 

 streaks of black ; the belly dull yellow, also streaked with black ; 

 vent white. The back black, skirted with ash ; wings the same, 

 marked with a large lateral patch of white ; tail a little forked. 

 Cheeks black. Bill and leors brown. 



