Species XXXVI. SYLVIA MARITIMA. 



CAPE-MAY WARBLER. ^ 



[Plate LIV. Fig. 3, Male.] 



This new and beautiful little species was discovered in a maple swamp, 

 in Cape May county, not far from the coast, by Mr. George Ord of this 

 city, who accompanied me on a shooting excursion to that quarter in 

 the month of May last. Through the zeal and activity of this gentle- 

 man I succeeded in procuring many rare and elegant birds among the 

 sea islands and extensive salt marshes that border that part of tho 

 Atlantic ; and much interesting information relative to their nests, eggs, 

 and particular habits. I have also at various times been favored with 

 specimens of other birds from the same friend, for all which I return my 

 grateful acknowledgments. 



The same swamp that furnished us with this elegant little stranger, 

 and indeed several miles around it, were ransacked by us both, for 

 another specimen of the same ; but without success. Fortunately it 

 proved to be a male, and being in excellent plumage, enabled me to pre- 

 serve a faithful portrait of the original. 



Whether this be a summer resident in the lower parts of New Jersey, 

 or merely a transient passenger to a more northern climate, I cannot 

 with certainty determine. The spring had been remarkably cold, with 

 long and violent north-east storms, and many winter birds, as well as 

 passengers from the south, still lingered in the woods as late as the 

 twentieth of May, gleaning, in small companies, among the opening 

 buds and infant leaves, and skipping nimbly from twig to twig, which 

 was the case with the bird now before us when it was first observed. 

 Of its notes, or particular history, I am equally uninformed. 



The length of this species is five inches and a half, extent eight and 

 a half; bill and legs black; whole upper part of the head deep black ; 

 line from the nostril over the eye, chin and sides of the neck rich 

 yellow ; car feathers orange, which also tints the back part of the yellow 

 line over the eye ; at the anterior and posterior angle of the eye is a 

 small touch of black ; hind head and whole back, rump and tail coverts 

 yellow olive, thickly streaked with black ; the upper exterior edges of 

 several of the greater wing coverts are pure white, forming a broad bar 

 on the wing, the next superior row being also broadly tipped with white'; 

 Vol. II.— 14 (209) 



