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The Pine-creeping Warbler — so called from its habit of creeping 

 up the trunks of pine-trees in search of the larvae of insects— is quite 

 a common species, and one of the first that arrives in the spring. 

 On Long Island it breeds ; the eggs, four in number, are white, 

 marked at the great end with dark brown. It utters a simple chir- 

 rup, and is generally found in the pine forests. Common in various 

 parts of the Union. 



SYLVICOLA DISCOLOR— VIEILL. 



PRAIRIE WOOD WARBLER. 



Prairie Warbler, Sylvia minuti, Wils. Amor. Orn. 

 Sylvia discolor, Bonap. Syn. 

 Prairie Warbler SvKa disco'or. Nutt. Man. 

 Prairie Warbler, Sylvia discolor, And. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — Bill slender ; tarsi slender, very much com- 

 pressed; second quill longest ; first and third about equal ; fore part 

 of back distinctly marked with reddish-brown ; the sides of the body 

 streaked with black. Adult male with the upper parts olivaceous, 

 marked with reddish-brown on the back ; the head bordered in front 

 and over the eyes with yellow : a line of black from the bill to the 

 eye, a similar spot behind the eye : cheeks next to eye yellow, 

 lower portion black ; a spot of black on the sides of the neck ; 

 lower plumage bright yellow; the sides of the body broadly streak- 

 ed with black ; first row of lesser wing coverts tipped with yellow ; 

 secondary coverts more faintly marked with the same ; wings and 

 tail blackish-brown, a large portion of the outer feathers white, the 

 next with a similar spot on the inner web towards the end. the third 

 with a smaller spot of the some color. Female with the 

 plumage duller, and the black marks on the sides of the head wanting. 

 Length four inches and three-quarters, wing two and three-eighths. 



This delicate and prettily-marked species prefers the neglected 

 fields and open plains. The most of its time is passed upon the 

 ground, searching among the leaves, or climbing up the stalks of 

 rank weeds in pursuit of insects. Its flight is short and feeble; it 

 utters a low note. It remains with us during the summer, con- 

 structs its nest, which is small and neatly made, in the low bushes, 

 sometimes on the lower branches of the pine tree, eggs four, spotted 

 with brown on white ground. 



