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HERMIT WARBLER 



Sylvia occidentalis, Townsend. 



PLATE CCCXCV. Male and Female. 



Of this species discovered by Dr Townsend and Mr Nuttall, in 

 the forests of the Columbia River, all that I know is contained in the 

 following notes from these enterprising naturalists : — " The Hermit 

 Warbler," says Mr Nuttall, " I have little doubt, breeds in the dark fo- 

 rests of the Columbia, where we saw and heard it singing in the month of 

 June. It is a remarkably shy and solitary bird, retiring into the darkest 

 and most silent recesses of the evergreens, where, gaining a glimpse of 

 light by ascending the loftiest branches of the gigantic firs, it occupies 

 in solitude a world of its own, but seldom invaded even by the prying 

 Jay, who also retreats, as a last resort, to the same sad gloom. In con- 

 sequence of this eremitic predilection, it is with extreme difficulty that 

 we ever got sight of our wily and retiring subject, who, no doubt breeds 

 and feeds in the tops of these pines. Its song, frequently heard from 

 the same place, at very regular intervals, for an hour or two at a time, 

 is a soft, moody, faint, and monotonous note, apparently delivered 

 chiefly when the bird is at rest on some lofty twig, and within con- 

 venient hearing of its mate and only companion of the wilderness." 



Dr Townsend's note is as follows : — " I shot this pair of birds near 

 Fort Vancouver, on the 28th of May 1835. I found them flitting 

 among the pine trees in the depth of a forest. They were actively 

 engaged in searching for insects, and were frequently seen hanging 

 from the twigs like Titmice. Their note was uttered at distant inter- 

 vals, and resembled very much that of the Black-throated Blue Warbler, 

 Syhia canadensis.'''' 



Sylvia occidentalis, Hermit Warbler, Townsend, Journal of Acad, of Nat. 

 Sciences of Philadelphia, vol. vii. p. 190. 



Adult Male in Summer. Plate CCCXCV. Fig. 3. 



Bill short, straight, rather strong, tapering, acute, its dorsal outline 

 very slightly convex, the sides convex, the gape-line straight. Head 

 of ordinary size, ovate ; neck short ; body rather slender. Feet of or- 



