372 TENNESEE WARBLER. 



TENNESEE WARBLER. {Sylvia per egrina) 



PLATE XXV.— Fig. 2. 



Peale's Museum, No. 7787. 

 VERMIVORA PEBEGBIIf A. Swusaos. 



Sylvia peregrina, Bonap. Synop. p. 87. — Sylvicola (Vermivora) peregrina, 

 North. Zool. ii. p. 185. 



This plain little bird has hitherto remained unknown. I first 

 found it on the banks of Cumberland river, in the state of 

 Tennesee, and suppose it to be rare, 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 probably a native of a more southerly climate, where it 

 may be equally numerous with any of the rest of its genus. 

 The small cerulean warbler (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 

 Tennesee and West Florida ; and the Carolina wren (plate 

 xii. fig. 5), which is also scarce to the northward of Mary- 

 land, is abundant through the whole extent of country from 

 Pittsburgh to New Orleans. 



Particular species of birds, like different nations of men, 

 have their congenial climes and favourite 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. 



The Tennesee warbler is four inches and three quarters long, 



