PASSERES — SYLVICOLID^E — SYLVICOLA. 97 



THE BLUE YELLOW-BACKED WARBLER. 



SYLVICOLA AMERICANA. 



PLATE XL VIII. FIG. 108 (Male). 



(CABINET OF THE LYCEUM.) 



Parus amtricanus, LlNNios. Creeping Titmouse, Pennant, Arct. Zool. Vol. 2, p. 423. 



S. torquata, Vieillot, pi. 99 ; pusilla, Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 4, p. 17, pi. 28, fig. 3. 



•S. ameriama. Bonaparte, Ann. Lye. N. Y. Vol. 2, p. 83. Audubon, fol. pi. 13; Orn. Biog. Vol. 1, p. 78. 



Finch Creeper, or Particolored Warbler. Nuttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 1, p. 397. 



S. americana, Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 2, p. 57, pi. 91. Parula id. Bonapahte, Cotnp. List, 



The Blue Yellow-backed Wood-warbler. Giraud, B^rds of Long island, p. 60. 



Characteristics. Bluish : bajek yellowish olive ; throat and lower mandible yellow ; belly 

 white. Wings bifasciate with white. Breast spotted with orange. 

 Female : no loral black band, nor orange spots on the breast. Young, 

 brownish grey. Length, 4J inches. 



Description. Bill very slender, carinate, - 4 long, acute, slightly notched. First quill 

 longest ; the three first subequal. Tail very slightly emarginated,  7 longer than the tips 

 of the closed wings ; its feathers somewhat pointed. 



Color. Above light blue, with a broad belt on the back of a deep reddish yellow. Wings 

 brown, with the outer webs light blue : two white bands on the wings. Loral space black. 

 An indistinct white stripe above and below the eye. Tail dusky, with outer webs blue : a 

 white spot on the three external feathers. Chin, throat and all beneath yellow. An obscure 

 interrupted black collar around the breast, and beneath this brownish orange passing into 

 clear lemon-yellow. All beneath white. Female, wants the loral band and dark collar on 

 the breast. 



Length, 4' 5. Alar extent, 6*5. 



This beautiful warbler appears in this State about the beginning of May, when it is very 

 common. It ranges from Mexico to the 46th parallel along the Atlantic, and is very common 

 in the Western States. It breeds in this State, although I have never seen its nest, but have 

 been informed that it has been observed in Putnam county. I cannot coincide with Prince 

 Charles Bonaparte in placing it near Parus, under a new genus. It only resembles the Tit- 

 mouse in its creeping and prying habits, but is in structure a true Sylvicola. 



[Fauna — Part 2.] 13 



