122 MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT. 



States seem to attract and detain more individuals, during the breeding 

 season, than any others. Very few breed in Louisiana. In Kentucky, 

 however, many breed in the barrens. The neighbourhood of swamps and 

 such places is their favourite ground, but every field provided with briar 

 patches or tall weeds harbours some of them. It leaves the Central Dis- 

 tricts about the middle of September. The male bird does not attain its 

 full colouring until the first spring, being for several months of the same 

 tints as the female. 



The twig on which the male is seen, is commonly called in Louisiana 

 the Wild Olive. The tree is small, brittle and useless. It bears an acid 

 fruit, which is sometimes employed as a pickle, and eaten when ripe by 

 some people. 



The female is perched on a twig of the Bitter-wood Tree, the wood 

 of which is hard, and resembles that of the Crab. This is also a small 

 tree, and grows along fences, amongst the briars, where the birds are 

 found. Both these trees I have seen in Louisiana only. 



Sylvia Trichas, Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. iL p. 519. 

 TuHDus Trichas, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 293. 



Sylvia Marilakdica, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 85. 

 Yellow-breasted Warbler, Lath. Synops, vol. iv. p. 438. 



Maryland Yellow-throat, Sylvia Marilakdica, Wilson, Americ. Ornith. 

 vol. i. p. 88. PI. 6. fig. 1. Male ; and vol. ii. p. 163. PL 18. fig. 4. Female. 



Adult Male. Plate XXIII. Fig. L 



Bill of ordinary lengti., tu.,poring, donrlpr, nparly straight, acute. 

 Nostrils basal, lateral, eUiptical, half-closed by a membrane. Head and 

 neck of ordinary size, the latter short. Body rather short. Feet longish, 

 slender ; tarsus longer than the middle toe, covered anteriorly with a few 

 scutella, the uppermost long ; toes scutellate above, the inner free, the 

 hind toe of moderate size ; claws slender, compressed, acute, arched. 



Plumage loose, blended. Wings very short, the first quill longest. 

 Tail rounded. 



Bill dark brown. Iris dark hazel. Feet flesh colour. A broad 

 band of bl^ck across the forehead, including the eyes, and terminating 

 in a pointed form half-way down the neck; behind which is a nar- 

 rower band of very pale blue ; a slender white streak under the eye. Fore 

 part of the neck bright o.chre-yellow, the rest of the under parts pale 



