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SYLVICOLA AMERICANA— LATHAM. 



BLUE YELLOW-BACKED WOOD WARBLER. 



Blue Yellow-back Warbler, Sylvia pusilla, Wils. Amer. Orn. 



Sylvia Americana, Bonap. Syn. 



Particolored Warbler or Finch Creeper, Nult. Man. 



Blue Yellow-backed Warbler, Sylvia Americana, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — Upper parts blue ; a broad deep olive band 

 on the fore part of the back. 



Adult with the loral space black ; head, sides of the neck, and 

 all the upper parts blue, marked with deep olive on the back ; wings 

 and tail blackish brown, edged with blue; two bands across the 

 wings formed by the tips of the outer secondary coverts, and those 

 of the first rows of small coverts, which are white ; the outer three 

 tail feathers with a spot of white on their inner webs near the end ; 

 throat yellow ; a black band on the fore neck, below which a belt of 

 dull orange ; fore part of the breast yellow ; side of the body pale- 

 blue, marked with a few touches of reddish-brown; rest of the lower 

 parts white. 



Female, with the loral band and the belt on the fore neck want- 

 ing. General plumage duller. 



Length four inches and a quarter, wing two inches and a quarter. 



This abundant species seems to have no choice of residence — it 

 is equally common in the woods, high, dry grounds, and swamps, 

 and resorts to the orchards, where it is seen searching among the 

 blossoms for insects, and it is observed on the uppermost branches of 

 the tallest trees. It has a low, feeble, chirping note. On Long 

 Island I am not aware that it breeds, but I am informed that its nest 

 has been found at the Catskill Mountains. 



