MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT. 79 



is less active in its motions than most birds of the genus, but makes up this 

 deficiency by continued application, it being, to appearance, busily employed 

 during the whole of the day. It does not chase insects by flying after them, 

 but secures them by surprise. Caterpillars and spiders form its principal 

 food. 



Although this species is found throughout the Union, the Middle 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 Districts 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 males are 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. 



This bird was published in my Ornithological Biography erroneously as a 

 new species. Of this I informed my friends Dr. Bachman, Mr. Harris, 

 and Dr. Brewer, and afterwards the Prince of Musignano. I have nothing 

 to add to my account of its habits. It was found on the Columbia river by 

 Mr. Towxsexd, several of whose specimens I have seen. I also found it in 

 the Texas in April. No mention is made of it in the Fauna Boreali- Ame- 

 ricana; and I saw none in Labrador or Newfoundland. The eggs of this 

 species measure 5^ eighths in length, by four and a half eighths, and are rather 

 pointed at the small end. 



The roof of the mouth is flat, posteriorly with two ridges, anteriorly with 

 a middle prominent and two very slight lateral ridges; its width 3 twelfths. 

 The tongue is 4^ twelfths long, sagittate and papillate at the base, thin, con- 

 cave above, tapering to a deeply slit and slightly lacerated point. The 

 oesophagus is 1 inch 7 twelfths long, its greatest width 2 twelfths. The 

 stomach is rather small, elliptical, 4|- twelfths long, 3-£ twelfths broad; its 

 lateral muscles moderate, the lower very thin; the epithelium longitudinally 

 rugous. The intestine is 5 inches long, its greatest width 1 twelfth; the 

 cceca 1 twelfth long, and about a third of a twelfth wide, their distance from 

 the extremity 7 twelfths. 



The trachea is 1-? inch long, 1 twelfth broad at the top; its rings 60; its 

 muscles as usual. Bronchial rings 15. 



Maryland Yellow-throat, Sylvia Marilandica, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. i. p. 88, Male; 



vol. ii. p. 163, Female. 

 Sylvia Marilandica, Bonap. Syn., p. 85. 



