FEMALE BLACK-POLL WARBLER. 



307 



FEMALE BLACK-POLL WAKBLER. {Sylvia striata) 



PLATE LIV.-Fig. 4. 



Amer. Orn. vol. iv. p. 40. 

 SYLVICOLA STBIATA.—Swainson. 



This bird was shot in the same excursion with the preceding, 

 and is introduced here for the purpose of preventing future 

 collectors, into whose hands specimens of it may chance to 

 fall, from considering it as another and a distinct species. Its 

 history, as far as was then known, has been detailed in a 

 preceding part of this work, supra, p. 32. Of its nest and 

 eggs I am still ignorant. It doubtless breeds both here and 

 in New Jersey, having myself found it in both places during 

 the summer. From its habit of keeping on the highest 

 branches of trees, it probably builds in such situations, and its 

 nest may long remain unknown to us. 



Pennant, who describes this species, says that it inhabits, 

 during summer, Newfoundland and New York, and is called 

 in the last, sailor. This name, for which, however, no reason 

 is given, must be very local, as the bird itself is one of those 

 silent, shy, and solitary individuals, that seek the deep retreats 

 of the forest, and are known to few or none but the naturalist. 



Length of the female black-cap, five inches and a quarter, 

 extent, eight and a quarter ; bill, brownish black ; crown, 

 yellow olive, streaked with black ; back, the same, mixed with 

 some pale slate ; wings, dusky brown, edged with olive ; first 

 and second wing-coverts, tipt with white ; tertials, edged with 

 yellowish white ; tail-coverts, pale gray ; tail, dusky, forked, 

 the two exterior feathers marked on their inner vanes with 

 a spot of white ; round the eye is a whitish ring ; cheeks and 

 sides of the breast, tinged with yellow, and slightly spotted 

 with black ; chin, white, as are also the belly and vent ; legs 

 and feet, dirty orange. 



The young bird of the first season and the female, as is 

 usually the case, are very much alike in plumage. On their 



