104 
NEW-YORK FAUNA — BIRDS. 
THE CAPE-MAY WARBLER. 
Sylvicola maritima. 
PLATE LVIII. FIG. 132 (Male). 
(STATE COLLECTION.) 
Sylvia maritima. Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 6, p. 99, pi. 51, fig. 3 (male). 
maritima. Bonaparte, Am. Orn. Vol. 1, p. 32, pi. 3, fig. 3 (female?). 
Cape-May Warbler. Audubon, folio, pi. 414 ; Orn. Biog. Vol. 5, p. 156. Nuttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 1, p. 371. 
Cape-May Wood-warbler. Acdubon, B. of A. Vol. 2, p. 44, pi. 85 (male and female). Giraud, Birds of Long 
island, p. 61. 
Characteristics. Yellow olive, spotted with black. Crown and line through the eye blackish: 
a chesnut spot around and behind the eye. Beneath yellow spotted 
with black. Female, dusky olive ; beneath greyish, streaked. Length, 
5 inches. Rare. 
Description. Bill very slender ; the notch scarcely visible. First and second quills sub¬ 
equal, longest. Tail emarginate, O'5 longer than the tips of the closed wings. 
Color. Summit of the head deep brownish black, with a faint mixture of reddish : a ches¬ 
nut spot on the cheeks. Back yellow olive, spotted with black ; the feathers being black in 
their centres, and edged with yellow olive. Quills and tail brown ; the outer webs light 
yellowish. Rump bright greenish yellow : a broad white band over the wings. Inner webs 
of lateral tail-feathers broadly marked with white, except at their extreme tips. Beneath the 
chin and throat yellow unspotted, extending up the sides of the neck, and completely sur¬ 
rounding it. Black confluent spots on the breast and sides. Female, without the spot on 
the cheeks. Summit of the head olive-cinereous ; beneath whitish, spotted, slightly tinged 
with yellowish. 
Length, 4'5-5'5. Alar extent, 7'5-8'5. 
This is a very rare species. My description of the male is taken from a specimen shot in 
May, on the south side of Long island. For the description of the supposed female, I am 
indebted to the work of Bonaparte cited above. Its highest northern range, according to 
Audubon, is the Blue mountains of Vermont. Little or nothing is known of this beautiful 
species : its shy and solitary habits may have contributed to elude our observation. 
