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SYLVICOLA CASTANEA— WILSON. 



BAY-BREASTED WOOD WARBLER. 



Bay-breasted Warbler, Sylvia castanea, Wils. Amer. Orn. 

 Sylvia casianea, Bonap. Syn. 



Bay-breasted Warbler, Sylvia castanea, Nutt. Man. 

 Bay-breasted Warbler, Sylvia castanea, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — Second quill longest ; first and third scarcely- 

 shorter and about equal ; upper part of the head, fore neck and sides 

 of the body chestnut-red. Adult with the forehead, loral space and 

 cheeks black ; crown, fore neck, a portion of the breast, and sides 

 of the body chesnut-red, deeper on the crown ; a patch of yellow- 

 ish white on the sides of the neck ; back bluish, ash-gray, streaked 

 with black ; two white bands on the wings ; quills and tail feathers 

 brownish-black, the outer three of the latter with a patch of white 

 on the inner webs ; abdomen and middle portion of the breast white. 

 Female, with the markings on the upper part of the head and sides 

 of the body lighter.. Young in Autumn with the head and upper 

 parts yellowish-green, streaked with dusky ; throat and fore neck 

 faintly tinged with bay — sides of the body more deeply tinged with 

 the same. Length five inches, wing two and three-eighths. 



The Bay-breasted Warbler is among the last of the Genus that 

 arrives among^ us in spring. During some seasons it occurs in 

 considerable numbers, but in general it is by no means plenti- 

 ful. It seldom alights on the ground, or low bushes. It frequents 

 the orchards, but is more usually observed on the middle or upper 

 branches of the forest trees. In pursuit of its insect prey it displays 

 much less activity than many other species of Sylvia, and is noted 

 by collectors for its unsprightly manner. 



