AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 

 GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER. INDIGO BIRD. 



25 



SYLVIA CHRYSOPTERA. 



FRINGILLA CYANEA. 



[Plate III. Vol. 3.] 



[Plate III. Vol. 3.] 



Edw. 299. — Le figuier aux ailes dorees, 'Bwe. v. 311. — 

 Lath. ii. 492.—Arct. Zool. 403, No. 295. lb. No. 

 296. — Motacilla chrysoptera, Turt. Syst. i. 597. — 

 Motacilla fiavifrons, Yelloiv-fronted Warbler, Id. 

 601. — Parus alls aureis, Bartram, p. 292. — Mota- 

 cilla chrysoptera, Linn. Syst. i. p. 333. — Gmel. Syst. 

 I. p. 971. — Motacilla Jlavifrons, Gmel. Syst. i. p. 976. 

 — Sylvia chrysoptera, Lath. Ind. Orn. n. p. 541. — 

 Vieill. Ois. de VAm. Sept. pi. 97. Sylvia Jlavifrons, 

 Lath. Ind. Orn. n. p. 527. — Collection of L. J. Sa- 

 laignac, Esq. 



[On a branch of Dog-wood.] 



This is another spring passenger through the United 

 States to the north. This bird, from the particular form of 

 its bill, ought rather to be separated from the Warblers, 

 or, along with several others of the same kind, might be 

 arranged as a sub genus, or particular family of that tribe, 

 which might with propriety be called Wormeattrs, the 

 Motacilla vermivora of Turton, having the bill exactly 

 of this form. The habits of these birds partake a good 

 deal of those of the Titmouse, and in their language and 

 action they very much resemble them. All that can be 

 said of this species is, that it appears in Pennsylvania for a 

 few days, about the last of April or beginning of May, 

 darting actively among the young leaves and opening buds, 

 and is rather a scarce species. 



The Golden-winged Warbler is five inches long, and 

 seven broad; the crown golden yellow; the first and second 

 row of wing coverts of the same rich yellow; the rest of 

 the upper parts a deep ash, or dark slate colour; tail 

 slightly rounded, and, as well as the wings, edged with 

 whitish; a black band passes through the eye, and is sepa- 

 rated from the yellow of the crown by a fine line of white; 

 chin and throat black, between which, and that passing 

 through the eye runs a strip of white, as in the figure; 

 belly and vent white; upper mandibill black, gradually 

 tapering to a sharp point; legs dark ash; irides hazel. 



Pennant has described this species twice, first as the 

 Golden-winged Warbler, and immediately after as the 

 Yellow-fronted Warbler. See the synonymes at the be- 

 ginning of this article. — Wilson. 



G 



Tanagra cyanea, Linn. Syst. i. 315. — Le Ministre, 

 Buffon, iv. 96. — Indigo Bunting, Arct. Zool. n. No. 

 235. — Lath. Syn. in. 205, 63. — Blue Linnet, Edw. 

 273. — Linaria cyanea, Bartram, p. 290. — Collection 

 of L. J. Salaignac, Esq. 



[On a branch of Dog- wood.] 



This is another of those rich-plumaged tribes, that visit 

 us in spring from the regions of the south. It arrives in 

 Pennsylvania on the second week in May, and disappears 

 about the middle of September. It is numerous in all the 

 settled parts of the middle and eastern states; in the Caro- 

 linas and Georgia it is also abundant. Though Catesby 

 says that it is only found at a great distance from the sea; 

 yet round the city of New-York, and in many places along 

 the shores of New-Jersey, I have met with them in plenty. 

 I may also add, on the authority of Mr. William Bartram, 

 that " they inhabit the continent and sea-coast islands, 

 from Mexico to Nova-Scotia, from the sea-coast west be- 

 yond the Apalachian and Cherokee mountains." They 

 are also known in Mexico, where they probably winter. 

 Its favourite haunts, while with us, are about gardens, 

 fields of deep clover, the borders of woods, and road 

 sides, where it is frequently seen perched on the fences. 

 In its manners it is extremely active and neat; and a 

 vigorous and pretty good songster. It mounts to the high- 

 est tops of a large tree, and chants for half an hour at a 

 time. Its song is not one continued strain, but a repeti- 

 tion of short notes, commencing loud and rapid, and fall- 

 ing by almost imperceptible gradations for six or eight 

 seconds, till they seem hardly articulate, as if the little 

 minstrel were quite exhausted; and after a pause of half a 

 minute or less commences again as before. Some of our 

 birds sing only in spring, and then chiefly in the morning, 

 being comparatively mute during the heat of noon; but 

 the Indigo bird chants with as much animation under the 

 meridian sun, in the month of July, as in the month of 

 May; and continues his song, occasionally, to the middle 

 or end of August. His usual note, when alarmed by an 

 approach to his nest, is a sharp chip, like that of striking 

 two hard pebbles smartly together. 



Notwithstanding the beauty of his plumage, the vivacity 

 with which he sings, and the ease with which he can be 



