VIUKONID.K -tup: VIUEOS. 307 



Vireosylvia philadelphicus, Cassin. 



PHILADELPHIA GBEENLET. 



rirravffvia fihi'hih'IpJii'rff, (\v i\s, Vr. A. X. S.-. V, Fch. IS'.T, l.'.f?. —In. VI, pi. i. ti;,'. 1 

 (IMiihul.lphia). -ScL.vTKK & Svi.v'N, ll.is, I, is:.!», 12 iCuiittinala). r..\ii:i., Ktv. 

 Am. Binls, ."540. I'iiro p.'iilntfifjf/unc. li.Miii), IJinls X. Am. is.'»s, :',:{.-,, pj. Ixxviii, 

 fig. 3. Virrosijlvin cnfMnimsis, S« I,.VTK. V. Z. S. 1S«)0, 463 ((.'oban). — In. Ann. 

 Mag. N. II. lJ>til, :J28. 



Sp. CiiAR. (Xo. 2(),(»4;> (^.) AI>()V(' (lark olivf-irrocM, tinircd witli p1ninhoon>;-a.«:h pk- 

 rcpt on the rump; top ot" lu-ad ami iiaju* piiror pliimln'ous-a.<<li, not (MJircd with <hisky, the 

 line of (leniarcalion intlistiiiPt. nen«'ath liu'ht 

 sulphur-yellow, paler and almost whit»' on chin 

 and middle of alxlomen ; .■^ido.s more olivaceous. 

 A whitish stripe from l^ill over eye, lus also a 

 patch beneath it and the eyelids. A dusky 



loral and post-ocular spot. Quills and rectrices ' ^ * ^'"^ 



brown, ed":ed externallv with olive, internallv 



with whitish; the larirer coverts with paler 



outer edges. Bill blackish, paler plumbeous v. iJuimielphku.-^. 



below. Legs plnmbeotis. Sj>urious outer or (irst (piill (seen in y/Zra) wanting; the outer 



jibont equal to fifth; third longest; second and fourth not much shorter. Total U-ngtii, 



4.80 ; wing, 2.Go ; tail, 2.2r>. 



IIab. Eastern North America to Hudson's I>ay and Maine, south (in wintiM-) to Co.sta 

 Rica and Guatemala. Veragua (S-vlvin). Not recorded from Mexico or West Indies. 



Specimens vary somewhat in purity of tints, and especially in intensity 

 of yellow of under parts, which color is deeper in autumnal skins. 



Specimens from Costa Kica and CJuatemala, beinjj; merely winter visitoi's 

 to that region, are (juite identical with Xorth American examples. 



IIadits. This but little known s])ecies was first described by ^fr. Ca.ssin, 

 in 18r>l, from a s])ecimeu shot by him in some woods near Philadelpliia nine 

 years previously, which was then unique, and remained so for some time alter. 

 This fact, and its resend)lance to V. gilva, led to the impression that it mi^ht 

 be only a variety of that species. Since the publication of the description 

 other specimens have been ju'ocured from different localities, — ^loose Fac- 

 tory, Maine, Oliio, Wisconsin, ( 'osta Kica, and ( Juatemala. Hut little is as yet 

 known in regard to its habits or its di.stribution. It is quite abundant in tlie 

 si)ring in Southern Wisconsin, wliere it appeal's only as a migrant passing 

 north, none remaining to breed. As it makes its ap])eai'ance late in May, and 

 usually passes rapidly on, it seems natural to infer that it cannot be far from 

 its breeding-place at the i)eriod of its appeanmce. The specimen obtained 

 by Mr. Cassin was shot in 8eptend)er, on its southward journey. It was in 

 the upper branches of a high tree, capturing insects ; and his attention was 

 drawn to it by its slow^ and deliberate movements. 



Mr. Tluire Kumlien, of Dane County, Wis., informs me that he has been 

 familiar with this Vii-eo since 1S49, and has collected it every year since 



