196 TENNESSEE WARBLEE. 



the whole spring and half of the summer to pass away before it thought 

 of "passing to the north to breed," is a cironmstance one should think 

 would have excited the suspicion of so discerning a naturalist as the 

 author of Arctic Zoology, as to its truth. I do not know that this bird 

 breeds to the northward of the United States. As to their returning 

 home by " the country beyond the mountains," this must doubtless be 

 for the purpose of finishing the education of their striplings here, as is 

 done in Europe, by making the grand tour. This by the by would be 

 a much more convenient retrograde route for the ducks and geese ; as, 

 like the Kentuckians, they could take advantage of the current of the 

 Ohio and Mississippi, to float down to the southward. Unfortunately, 

 however, for this pretty theory, all our vernal visitants with which I 

 am acquainted, are contented to plod home by the same regions through 

 which they advanced ; not even excepting the geese. 



Species XXIV. SYLVIA PEREGBINA. 



TENNESSEE WARBLER. 



[Plate XXV. Fig. 2.] 



This plaifl little bird has hitherto remained unknown. I first found 

 it on the banks of Cumberland river, in the state of Tennessee, and sup- 

 posed it to be a rare species, having since met with only two individuals 

 of the same species. It was hunting nimbly among the young leaves, 

 and like all the rest of the family of Worm-eaters, to which by its bill 

 it evidently belongs, seemed to partake a good deal of the habits of the 

 Titmouse. Its notes were few and weak ; and its stomach on dissection 

 contained small green caterpillars, and a few winged insects. 



As this species is so very rare in the United States, it is most proba- 

 bly a native of a more southerly climate, where it may be equally nu- 

 merous with any of the rest of its genus. The small Cerulean War- 

 bler (Plate XVII., fig. 5), which in Pennsylvania, and almost all over 

 the Atlantic States, is extremely rare, I found the most, numerous of its 

 tribe in Tennessee and West Florida ; and the Carolina Wren (Plate 

 XII., fig. 5), which is also scarce to the northward of Maryland, is 

 abundant through the whole extent of country from Pittsburgh to New 

 Orleans. 



Particular species of birds, like difi'erent nations of men, have their 

 congenial climes and favorite countries ; but wanderers are common to 

 both ; some in search of better fare ; some of adventures ; others led by 

 curiosity ; and many driven by storms and accident. 



