3 16 PINE-CREEPING WARBLER. 



PINE-CREEPINQ WARBLER {Sylvia pinus.) 



PLATE XIX.-Fig. 4. 



Pine Creeper, Catesby, i. 61. — Peak's Museum, No. 7312. 

 SYLVIGOLA PINUS.— Jakdine. 

 Sylvia pinus, Bonap. Synop. p. 81. 



This 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. Its note is a 

 simple reiterated chirrup, continued for four or five seconds. 



Catesby first figured and described this bird, but so 

 imperfectly, as to produce among succeeding writers great 

 confusion, and many mistakes as to what particular bird was 

 intended. Edwards has supposed it to be the blue-winged 

 yellow warbler ! Latham has supposed another species to 

 be meant; and the worthy Mr Pennant has been led into 

 the same mistakes, describing the male of one species and 

 the female of another as the male and female pine creeper. 

 Having shot and examined great numbers of these birds, I 

 am enabled to clear up these difficulties by the following 

 descriptions, which will be found to be correct : — 



The pine-creeping warbler is five and a half inches long, 

 and nine inches in extent ; the whole upper parts are of a rich 

 green olive, with a considerable tinge of yellow ; throat, sides, 

 and breast, yellow ; wings and tail, brown, with a slight cast 

 of bluish, the former marked with two bars of white, slightly 

 tinged with yellow ; tail, forked, and edged with ash ; the 

 three exterior feathers, marked near the tip with a broad spot 

 of white ; middle of the belly and vent- feathers, white. The 



