V 

 SPECIES 10. SYLVIA PHILADELPHIA. 



MOURNING WARBLER. 

 [Plate XIV. Fig. 6.] 



I HAVE now the honour of introducing to the notice of natu- 

 ralists 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 atten- 

 tion. 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, how- 

 ever, the satisfaction to say, that the drawing was done with 

 the greatest attention 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 ex- 

 cursions, 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 some resemblance, viz. Motacilla mitrata, or Mi- 

 tred Warbler, and M. cucullata, or Hooded Warbler, both birds 

 of the United States, or more properly a single bird; for they 

 are the same species twice described, namely, the Hooded War- 

 bler. The difference, however, between that and the present is 

 so striking, as to determine this at once to be a very distinct 



VOL. ii. x x 



