138 



YELLOW-RUMP WARBLER. 

 SYLVIA COROKATA. 

 [Plate XVIL— -Fig. 4.] 



Motacilla maculosa, Gmel. Syst. 1, p. 984. — Motacilla coronata^ Linn. Syst. I,/?. 332, A'o. 

 31. — Le Figuier a tete cendree^ Buff. V, p. 291. — Le Figuier couronne d^or^ Id. V, 

 312. — Yellow-rump Flycatcher^ Edw. t. 255. — Golden-crowned Flycatcher^ Id. t. 298. — 

 Yellow-rump Warbler, Arct. Zool. II, No. 2^^.— Golden -crowned Warbler, Id. II, No. 294. 

 —Lath. Syn. IV, p. 481, A^o. 104. Id. Supp. p. 182. Id. Syn. IV, p. 486, No. 11.— 

 TuRTON, p. 599. Id. 606. — Parus cedrus uropygio Jlavo, the Yellow Rump, Bartram, 

 p. 292. — Parus aurio vertices the Golden-croxvn Flycatcher, Id. 292. — Pe ale's Museum, 

 No. 7134. 



IN this beautiful little species we have another instance of the 

 mistakes occasioned by the change of color to which many of our 

 birds are subject. In the present case this change is both progres- 

 sive and periodical. The young birds of the first season are of a 

 brown olive above, which continues until the month of February 

 and March; about which time it gradually changes into a fine slate 

 color, as in the figure on the plate. About the middle of April 

 this change is completed. I have shot them in all their gradations 

 of change. While in their brown olive dress, the yellow on the 

 sides of the breast and crown is scarcely observable, unless the 

 feathers be parted with the hand ; but that on the rump is still 

 vivid; the spots of black on the cheek are then also obscured. The 

 difference of appearance, however, is so great, that we need scarcely 

 wonder that foreigners, who have no opportunity of examining the 

 progress of these variations, should have concluded them to be two 

 distinct species; and designated them as in the above synonyms. 



This bird is also a passenger thro Pennsylvania. Early in 

 October he arrives from the north, in his olive dress, and frequents 

 the cedar trees, devouring the berries with great avidity. He re- 



