65 



AUTUMNAL WARBLER, 

 SYLVIA AUTUMjYALIS, 

 [Plate XXIIL— Fig. 4.] 



THIS plain little species regularly visits Pennsylvania from 

 the north in the month of October, gleaning among the willow 

 leaves ; but what is singular, is rarely seen in spring. From the 

 first to the fifteenth of October, they may be seen in considerable 

 numbers almost every day in gardens, particularly among the 

 branches of the weeping willow, and seem exceedingly industrious. 

 They have some resemblance in color to the Pine-creeping War- 

 bler; but do not run along the trunk like that bird; neither do 

 they give a preference to the pines. They are also less. After the 

 first of November they are no longer to be found, unless the sea- 

 son be uncommonly mild. These birds doubtless pass through 

 Pennsylvania in spring, on their way to the north; but either make 

 a very hasty journey, or frequent the tops of the tallest trees; for 

 I have never yet met with one of them in that season; tho in Oc- 

 tober I have seen more than a hundred in an afternoon's excursion. 



Length four inches and three quarters, breadth eight inches; 

 whole upper parts olive green, streaked on the back with dusky 

 stripes ; tail coverts ash, tipt with olive ; tail black, edged with dull 

 white; the three exterior feathers marked near the tip with white; 

 wings deep dusky, edged with olive, and crossed with two bars of 

 white; primaries also tipt, and three secondaries next the body 

 edged, with white ; upper mandible dusky brown ; low er, as well 

 as the chin and breast, dull yellow; belly and vent white; legs 

 dusky brown; feet and claws yellow; a pale yellow ring surrounds 

 the eye. The males of these birds often warble out some low, but 

 very sweet notes, while searching among the leaves in autunm, 



VOL. III. R 



