WORM-EATING WARBLER. ^^^ 



Length 4^ inches ; and 6^ in alar dimensions. Belly and vent 

 yellow, tinged with olive. Wings and tail dusky -brown, the former 

 very short. Legs and bill flesh-colored. Iris hazel. 



Subgenus. — Dacnis. 



Bill thick at base, rounded, quite straight. , 



These are very active birds ; creeping and hanging by the claws, 



after the manner of the Titmouse, which they also somewhat resemble 



in voice and action. 



WORM-EATING WAPvBLER. 



(Sylvia vermivora, Lath. Wilson, iii. p. 74. pi. 24. fig. 4. Dacnis 

 vermivora, Audubok", pi. 34. Phil. Museum, No. 6848.) 



Sp. Charact. — Dusky-olive ; head striped with black and buff; 

 beneath dull buff, brighter on the breast; bill stout. 



This species arrives in Pennsylvania about the middle 

 of May, and migrates to the South towards the close of 

 September ; they were seen feeding their young, in that 

 state, about the 25th of June, by Wilson, so that some pairs 

 stay and breed there. They are very active and inde- 

 fatigable insect-hunters, and have much of the manners 

 and even the note of the Marsh Titmouse or Chicadee. 

 About the 4th of October, I have seen a pair of these 

 birds roving through the branches of trees with restless 

 agility, hanging on the twigs and examining the trunks, 

 in quest, probably, of spiders and other lurking and dor- 

 mant insects and their larvcE. One of them likewise 

 kept up a constant complaining call, like the sound of 

 tshe de de. 



Length 5| inches, and 8 inches in alar extent. Above dark olive, 

 except the quills and tail, which are umber-brown. Tail scarcely fork- 

 ed. Head buff, marked with 4 longitudinal stripes of umber-brown. 

 Breast orange-buff, mixed with dusky. Vent waved with du^ky 

 olive. Bill blackish above, below flesh-colored. Legs pale flesh- 

 color. Iris hazel. — Female nearly similar to the male. 



35 



