158 SYLVIA PETECHIA. 
the woodpeckers, few of them excel in song; 
tongues seem better calculated for extracting noxio'*’ 
insects from the bark of trees, than foi- trilling 
sin-ightly airs ; as the hardened hands of the busbar' 
mau are better suited for clearing the forest or gui<l>‘- 
the plough, than dancing among the keys of a 
])iano. Wliich of the two is the most honourable 
useful employment is not difficult to determine. ^ . 
the farmer, therefore, respect this little bird for 
useful qualities, in clearing his fruit and forest tr^' 
from destructive insects, though it cannot serenade b"’ 
with its song. 
The length of this species is five inches and a bab’ 
extent, seven and a half ; crown, white, bordered ‘’J 
each side witli a band of black, which is again bound*;, 
by a line of white passing over each eye ; below tbi*,^ 
a large spot ot black covering the ear feathers ; rb* 
and throat, black ; wings, the same, crossed transvcr^f ? 
by two bars of white ; breast and back, streaked "'b 
black and white; tail, upper, and also under coVC/** 
black, edged, and bordered with white ; belly, wbib^! 
legs and feet, dirty yellon- ; hind claw the lornrest, 
all vei'y sharp pointed ; hill, a little compressed ^ 
wise, slightly curved, black above, paler below; tong*^ 
long, fine pointed, and horny at the extremity. Tbf* 
last circumstances. Joined to its manners, characteri^ 
it, decisively, as a creeper. , 
The female, and young birds of the first year, 
the black on the throat, having that part of a grav'b 
white. 
128 . Sri.VlA PETBCniA, LATHAM and WILSON. 
TELLOW BED-POLL WABBLEK. 
WILSO.S, PLATE XXVUI. FIG. IT. _ ADPLT MALE IN SPRING. 
Tins delicate little bird arrives in Pennsylvania 
in April, while the mai.les are yet in blossom, 
the branches of which it may generally he fonud 
that season, feeding on the stamina of the flowers, 
