SPECIES 23. SYLVIA VERMIVORA, 

 WORM-EATING WARBLER, 



[Plate XXIV. Fig. 4.] 



Arct. Zool. p. 406, JVo. 300. EDWARDS, 305. LATHAM, n, 499. 

 Le Demi-fin mangaur de vers, BUFFON, v, 325. PEALE'S 

 Museum, JVo. 6848, 



THIS is one of the nimblest species of its whole family, in- 

 habiting the same country with the preceding; but extending 

 its migrations much farther north. It arrives in Pennsylvania 

 about the middle of May; and leaves us in September. I have 

 never yet met with its nest; but have seen them feeding their 

 young about the twenty-fifth of June. This bird is remarkably 

 fond of spiders, darting about wherever there is a probability 

 of finding these insects. If there be a branch broken and the 

 leaves withered, it shoots among them in preference to every 

 other part of the tree, making a great rustling in search of its 

 prey. I have often watched its manoeuvres while thus engaged 

 and flying from tree to tree in search of such places. On dis- 

 section I have uniformly found their stomachs filled with spi- 

 ders or caterpillars, or both. Its note is a feeble chirp, rarely 

 uttered. 



The Worm-eater is five inches and a quarter in length, and 

 eight inches in extent; back, tail, and wings a fine clear olive; 

 tips and inner vanes of the wing quills a dusky brown; tail slight- 

 ly forked, yet the exterior feathers are somewhat shorter than 

 the middle ones; head and whole lower parts a dirty buff; the 

 former marked with four streaks of black, one passing from 

 each nostril, broadening as it descends the hind head; and one 

 from the posterior angle of each eye; the bill is stout, straight, 

 pretty thick at the base, roundish and tapering to a fine point; 

 no bristles at the side of the mouth; tongue thin, and lacerated 



