MOURNING WARBLER. 179 



black, primaries edged with pale blue, the first and second row of coverts 

 broadly tipped with pale yellow, secondaries broadly edged with the 

 same ; tail black, handsomely forked, exteriorly edged with ash, the 

 inner webs of the three exterior feathers with each a spot of white ; 

 from the extremity of the black at the lower mandible, on each side, a 

 streak of deep reddish chestnut descends along the sides of the neck, 

 and under the wings to the root of the tail ; the rest of the lower parts 

 are pure Avhite ; legs and feet ash ; bill black ; irides hazel. The female 

 has the hind head much lighter, and the chestnut on the sides is con- 

 siderably narrower and not of so deep a tint. 



Turton and some other writers have bestowed on this little bird the 

 singular epithet of bloody-sided, for which I was at a loss to know the 

 reason, the color of that part being a plain chestnut ; till on examining 

 Mr. Edwards's colored figure of this bird in the public library of this 

 city, I found its side tinged with a brilliant blood color. Hence, I sup- 

 pose, originated the name. 



Species X. SYLVIA PHILADELPHIA. 



MOURNING WARBLER. 



[Plate XIV. Fig. 6.] 



I HAVE now the honor of introducing to the notice of naturalists and 

 others, a very modest and neat little species, which has hitherto eluded 

 their research. I must also add, with regret, that it is the only one of 

 its kind I have yet met with. The bird from which the figure in the 

 plate was taken was shot in the early part of June, on the border of a 

 marsh, within a few miles of Philadelphia. It was flitting from one low 

 bush to another, very busy in search of insects ; and had a sprightly 

 and pleasant warbling song, the novelty of which first attracted my 

 attention. I have traversed the same and many such places, every 

 spring and summer since, in expectation of again meeting with some 

 individual of the species, but without success. I have, however, the 

 satisfaction to say, that the drawing was done with the greatest atten- 

 tion to peculiarity of form, markings and tint of plumage ; and the 

 figure on the plate is a good resemblance of the original. I have yet 

 hopes of meeting, in some of my excursions, with the female ; and 

 should I be so fortunate, shall represent her in some future volume of 

 the present work, with such further remarks on their manners, &c., as I 

 may then be enabled to make. 



There are two species mentioned by Turton to which the present has 



