114 



HEMLOCK WARBLER. 



SYLVIA PAIiUS. 



[Plate XLIV.— Fig. 3.] 



THIS is another nondescript, first met with in the Great Pine 

 swamp, Pennsylvania. From observing it almost always among 

 the branches of the hemlock trees, I have designated it by that ap- 

 pellation, the markings of its plumage not affording me a peculia- 

 rity sufficient for a specific name. It is a most lively and active 

 little bird, climbing among the twigs, and hanging like a Titmouse 

 on the branches ; but possessing all the external characters of the 

 Warblers. It has a few low and very sweet notes, at which times 

 it stops and repeats them for a short time, then darts about as be- 

 fore. It shoots after flies to a considerable distance; often begins 

 at the lower branches, and hunts with great regularity and admi- 

 rable dexterity, upwards to the top, then flies off to the next tree, 

 at the lower branches of which it commences hunting upwards as 

 before. 



This species is five inches and a half long, and eight inches 

 in extent; bill black above, pale below; upper parts of the plumage 

 black, thinly streaked with yellow olive; head above yellow, dot- 

 ted with black ; line from the nostril over the eye, sides of the neck 

 and whole breast rich yellow; belly paler, streaked with dusky; 

 round the breast some small streaks of blackish ; wing black, the 

 greater coverts and next superior row broadly tipt with white, 

 forming two broad bars across the wing; primaries edged with 

 olive, tertials with white; tail coverts black, tipt with olive; tail 

 slightly forked, black, and edged with olive; the three exterior fea- 

 thers altogether white on their inner vanes; legs and feet dirty 



