VIRKOXID.K-TIIK VIHEOS. 3,jj 



Vireosylvia philadelphicus, Cassin. 



PHILADELPHIA OREENLET. 



VirensyhmphiMfllihicn, Cassis, I'r. A. X. Sr. V, Fob. l,sr.7. 1.'.3. — In. VI, pi i li- 1 

 (l'luhi,l.l,,l>i,0. --S.:i,AT|.;u& Sai.mx, Ibis, I, 1850, 12 ((Juafinala). - 'lU.Kl.', Krv. 

 Am. Bulls, -AM. firco phila,Hi,hi,;ix, liAini), Hlnls X. Am. 18.->.s, ;i;).-,, pi. Ixxviii, 

 fig. ;i. Viiroxyh-h colmnensis, .Sci.atkii, V. /,. S. 18(iO, 4(53 (C'obaii).'— In. Ann' 

 Mag. N. II. ISO], ;)28. 



Sp.Char. (No. 20,(M;J^J.) Ab„v.- .lark oliv.-m.,,, lin.irr'.l ,vitl. plMmb.>o„.-asl, ex- 

 cept on the rump; lop of head anil nap.' purer plumbeous-ash, not e.l-...l wilh .lusky, tlu, 

 lino of (leniarcation indistinct. Beni>ath lij,dit 

 sulphur-yellow, paler and almost whit." on eiiin 

 and middle of abdomen ; si.l.\s niori; olivaceou.s. 

 A whitish .stripe from bill over ey.', lus also a 

 patch beneath it fin.l the eyelids. A dusky 

 loral and post-ocular spot. Quills an.l rcctrics 

 brown, edge.l cxtornally with olive, internally 

 with whitish; the larjrer coverts with paler 

 outer edges. Bill blacki.sh, paler plumbeous 

 below. Legs plumbeous. .Spurious outer or (irsi .piill (.seen in r/ilra) wanting; the out.T 

 about etiual to lil'th; thir.1 longest; .seeon.l and Iburth not much shorter. Total Lm.-ili 

 4.80 ; wing, 2.G") ; tail, 2.2;"). '' ' 



IlAn. Eastern North America to Hudson's Bay and ^fain.-, .south (in winter) to Costa 

 Rica and Guatemala. Veragua (Salvi.v). Not recorded from Jlexico or West In.lie.s. 



Specimens vary .somewliat in purity of tints, and especially in intensity 

 of yellow of under parts, which color is deeper in autumnal skins. 



Specimens from Costa IJica and Guatemala, bein<>- merely winter visitors 

 to that region, are .piite identical with North American e.\amples. 



irAr.lT^-,. This but little known S])ecies was first described by .Afr. Ca.ssin, 

 in LSr.l, from a s])ecimeu shot by him in some woods near riiiladelphia nine 

 years previously, which was then iinique, and remained so for some time iifter. 

 This fact, and its resemblance to F. ffi/va, led to the impression that it mi.i^ht 

 be only a variety of that species. Since the i)ublication of the descriptTon 

 other specimens have been procured from different localities,— Moose Fac- 

 tory, Maine, Oiiio, Wisconsin, ( 'osta liica, and ( hiatemala. llut little is as yet 

 known in regard to its habits or its (listril)ution. It is quite iibundaut in the 

 s])ring in Southern AViscoiisin, where it appears only as a migrant passing 

 north, none remaining to breed. As it makes its api)earance late in Alay, and 

 usually ])asses rapidly on, it seems natural to infer that it cannot be far from 

 its breeding-place at the period of its appearance. The specimen obtained 

 by m- Cassin was .sliot in September, on its southward journey. It was in 

 the upper branches of a high tree, capturing insects ; and his attention was 

 drawn to it by its slow and deliberate movements. 



Mr. Thure Kumlien, of Dane County, Wis., informs me that he has been 

 familiar with this Vireo since 1849, and has collected it every year since 



