PASSERES — SYLVICOLIDAE — TRICHAS. 
81 
THE MOURNING WARBLER. 
TrICHAS PHILADELPHIA. 
PLATE L1V. FIG. 122 (Adult). 
(STATE COLLECTION.) 
Sylvia Philadelphia. Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 101, pi. 14, fig. 0 (adult male); agilis, Id. Vol.5, p. 64, pi. 39, 
fig. 4 (young). 
£. agilis el Philadelphia. Bonaparte, Ann. Lyc. N. Y. Vol. 2, pp. 84 and 85. 
S. agilis. Audubon, fol. pi. 133 (young); Orn.Biog. Vol. 2, p. 227; Philadelphia , pi. 399; Orn. Biog. Vol. 5, p. 79. 
5. agilis el Philadelphia. Nuttall, Manual, Vol. 1, pp. 399 and 404. 
TrichasPhiladelphia. Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 2, p. 70, pi. 101 (male). Sylvicola agilis , Id. Vol. 3, p. 71, pi. 99. 
3Iourning Ground Warbler. Giraud, Birds of Long island, p. 65. 
Characteristics. Deep greenish olive. Head slate ; breast bluish slate, with numerous 
crescent-shaped black bars ; beneath yellow. Female and young : Uni¬ 
form greenish olive ; throat, sides of the neck and breast buff. Length, 
5 inches. 
Description. Tips of the wings, and centre of the tail-feathers, brownish. Head and 
back part of the neck blue-grey ; space before the eye, and on the frontlet, black ; chin and 
sides of the neck blue-grey. Central part of the throat and breast black, with numerous 
concentric paler lines. In an individual in the Cabinet of the Lyceum, the breast is of a 
uniform jet black, and only faint traces of the concentric or cresent-shaped lines are to be 
seen: from this I am induced to suspect that Wilson’s specimen was in change, and that in 
the old male this part is of a uniform black color. Female and young: Throat of a pure buff; 
breast buff, with a darker shade. Tail-feathers rather more acute than in the adult. The 
figure given by Wilson of agilis, would scarcely be understood without liis description. 
Length, 5-0 —5'5. Alar extent, Y’O-S'O. 
Our great ornithologist first described the male of this species under the name of Philadel¬ 
phia. He never met with but this single specimen, and Charles Bonaparte at one time sup¬ 
posed it to be a variety of the preceding. Another specimen has since been added to the 
Collection of the Lyceum of Natural History of New-York, from Rockland county, and Mr. 
Bell obtained another from Long island. Dr. Bachman informs me that he has not the slightest 
doubt that agilis was the female and young of this species ; and -from a careful comparison 
of the specimens within my reach, I have arrived at the same conclusion. Charles Bona¬ 
parte, in the prodromus of the general system of ornithology which he intends to publish, 
also accords with these views. Mr. Audubon, however, in his latest work cited above, 
separates the species. 
The Mourning Warbler derives its name from its peculiarly melancholy notes, and is a 
bird of shy and solitary habits. It is a rare species, and its history is imperfect. Its present 
ascertained geographical range is between the 23d and 44th parallels of latitude. 
[Fauna — Part 2.] 11 
