AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 
25 
GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER. 
SYLVIA CHRYSOPTERA. 
[Plate III. Yol. 3.] 
Edw.299. — Lefiguier aux ailes dorees, Buff. v. 311. — 
Lath. ii. 492. — Arct. Zool. 403, No. 295. Ib. No. 
296. — Motacillci chrysoptera, Turt. Syst. i. 597. — 
Motacilla flavifrons, Yellow- fronted Warbler, Id. 
601. — Parus alis aureis, Bartram, p. 292. — Mota- 
cilla chrysoptera, Linn. Syst. i. p. 333. — Gmel. Syst. 
i. p. 971. — Motacilla flavifrons, Gmel. Syst. i. p. 976. 
— Sylvia chrysoptera, Lath. Ind. Orn. n. p. 541. — • 
Vieill. Ois. de VAm. Sept. pi. 97. Sylvia flavifrons, 
Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 527. — Collection of L. J. Sa- 
laignac, Esq. 
[On a branch of Dog-wood.] 
This is another spring passenger through the United 
States to the north. This bird, from the particular form of 
its bill, ought rather to be separated from the Warblers, 
or, along with several others of the same kind, might be 
arranged as a sub genus, or particular family of that tribe, 
which might with propriety be called Wormeaters, the 
Motacilla vermivora of Turton, having the bill exactly 
of this form. The habits of these birds partake a good 
deal of those of the Titmouse, and in their language and 
action they very much resemble them. All that can be 
said of this species is, that it appears in Pennsylvania for a 
few days, about the last of April or beginning of May, 
darting actively among the young leaves and opening buds, 
and is rather a scarce species. 
The Golden-winged Warbler is five inches long, and 
seven broad; the crown golden yellow; the first and second 
row of wing coverts of the same rich yellow; the rest of 
the upper parts a deep ash, or dark slate colour; tail 
slightly rounded, and, as well as the wings, edged with 
whitish; a black band passes through the eye, and is sepa- 
rated from the yellow of the crown by a fine line of white; 
chin and throat black, between which, and that passing 
through the eye runs a strip of white, as in the figure; 
belly and vent white; upper mandibill black, gradually 
tapering to a sharp point; legs dark ash; irides hazel. 
Pennant has described this species twice, first as the 
Golden-winged Warbler, and immediately after as the 
Yellow-fronted Warbler. See the synonymes at the be- 
ginning of this article. — Wilson. 
G 
INDIGO BIRD. 
FR INGILL A CYANEA. 
[Plate III. Vol. 3.] 
Tanagra cyanea, Linn. Syst. i. 315. — Le Ministre, 
Buffon, iv. 96. — Indigo Bunting, Arct. Zool. n. No. 
235. — Lath. Syn. in. 205, 63. — Blue Linnet, Edw. 
273. — Linaria cyanea, Bartram, p. 290. — Collection 
ofL. J. Salaignac, Esq. 
[On a branch of Dog- wood.] 
This is another of those rich-plumaged tribes, that visit 
us in spring from the regions of the south. It arrives in 
Pennsylvania on the second week in May, and disappears 
about the middle of September. It is numerous in all the 
settled parts of the middle and eastern states; in the Caro- 
linas and Georgia it is also abundant. Though Catesby 
says that it is only found at a great distance from the sea; 
yet round the city of New-York, and in many places along 
the shores of New-Jersey, I have met with them in plenty. 
I may also add, on the authority of Mr. William Bartram, 
that u they inhabit the continent and sea-coast islands, 
from Mexico to Nova-Scotia, from the sea-coast west be- 
yond the Apalachian and Cherokee mountains. ” They 
are also known in Mexico, where they probably winter. 
Its favourite haunts, while with us, are about gardens, 
fields of deep clover, the borders of woods, and road 
sides, where it is frequently seen perched on the fences. 
In its manners it is extremely active and neat; and a 
vigorous and pretty good songster. It mounts to the high- 
est tops of a large tree, and chants for half an hour at a 
time. Its song is not one continued strain, but a repeti- 
tion of short notes, commencing loud and rapid, and fall- 
ing by almost imperceptible gradations for six or eight 
seconds, till they seem hardly articulate, as if the little 
minstrel were quite exhausted; and after a pause of half a 
minute or less commences again as before. Some of our 
birds sing only in spring, and then chiefly in the morning, 
being comparatively mute during the heat of noon; but 
the Indigo bird chants with as much animation under the 
meridian sun, in the month of July, as in the month of 
May; and continues his song, occasionally, to the middle 
or end of August. His usual note, when alarmed by an 
approach to his nest, is a sharp chip, like that of striking 
two hard pebbles smartly together. 
Notwithstanding the beauty of his plumage, the vivacity 
with which he sings, and the ease with which he can be 
