206 PINE-CREEPING WARBLER. 
ants and other insects, with admirable dexterity. It arrives in Penn- 
sylvania, from the south, about the 20th of April; the young begin to 
fly early in July ; and the whole tribe abandon the country about the 
beginning of October. Sloane describes this bird as an inhabitant of 
the West India Islands, where it probably winters. It was first figured 
by Edwards from a dried skin sent him by Mr. William Bartram, who 
gave it its present name. Succeeding naturalists have classed it with 
the Warblers, —a mistake which I have endeavored to rectify. 
_ The genus of Creepers comprehends about thiity different species, 
many of which are richly adorned with gorgeous plumage; but, like 
their congenial tribe, the Woodpeckers, few of them excel in song; 
their tongues seem better calculated for extracting noxious insects 
from the bark of trees, than for trilling out sprightly airs; as the 
hardened hands of the husbandman are better suited for clearing the 
forest, or guiding the plough, than dancing among the keys of a forte-. 
piano. Which of the two is the more honorable and useful employ- 
ment, is not difficult to determine. Let the farmer, therefore, respect 
this little bird for its useful qualities in clearing his fruit and forest-. 
trees from destructive insects, though it cannot serenade him with its 
song. hid 
The length of this species is five inches and a half; extent, seven 
and a half; crown, white, bordered on each side with a band of black, 
which is again bounded by a line of white passing over each eye; 
below this is a large spot of black covering the ear-feathers; chin and 
throat, black; wings, the same, crossed transversely by two bars of 
white; breast and back, streaked with black and white; tail, upper, 
and also under coverts, black, edged, and bordered with white ; belly, 
white ; legs and feet, dirty yellow ; hind claw the longest, and all very 
sharp pointed ; bill, a little compressed sidewise, slightly curved, black 
above, paler below; tongue, long, fine-pointed, and horny at the 
extremity. These last circumstances, joined to its manners, charac- 
terize it, decisively, as a Creeper. 
The female, and young birds of the first year, want the black on 
the throat, having that part of a grayish white. 
os ‘ 
PINE-CREEPING WARBLER.—SYLVIA PINUS.—Fie. 92. 
Pine Creeper, Catesb. i. 61.— Peale’s Museum, No. 7312. 
SYLVICOLA PINUS, — Janine. 
Sylvia pinus, Bonap. Synop. p. 81. 
Tuts species inhabits the pine woods of the Southern States, where 
it is resident, and where I first observed it, running along the bark of 
the pines; sometimes alighting, and feeding on the ground, and almost 
always, when disturbed, flying up, and clinging to the trunks of the 
trees. As I advanced towards the south, it became more numerous. 
