82 
THE YELLOW-THROATED WOOD-WARBLER. 
The Black Gum is seldom found of a greater height than from fifty to sixty 
feet, with a diameter of about three. The wood is of little use, even for 
firing, as it takes a long time to consume, affords no blaze, and burns 
dismally. A trunk of this tree falling into the water immediately sinks and 
remains. Its foliage is pleasing to the eye, and in many parts of the Middle 
Districts some are kept standing as shade-trees for cattle. The berries, which 
hang in pairs, and sometimes three or four together, at the extremity of their 
slender peduncle, are eaten in great quantities during winter by various 
species of birds. 
THE YELLOW-THROATED WOOD- WARBLER. 
Sylvicola pensilis Lath. 
PLATE LXXIX.— Male. 
This beautiful bird absents itself from the State of Louisiana only for two 
months in the year, December and January. When they return in the 
beginning of February, they throw themselves by thousands into all the 
cypress woods and cane-brakes, where they are heard singing from the first 
of March until late in autumn, sometimes in November. 
Their habits are very different from those of the Warblers, and are more 
in general accordance with those of the Certhiaj. They move up and down, 
sidewise and spirally, along the trunks, branches, and even twigs of the 
tallest and largest cypresses, or such other trees as are found intermingled 
with them. They are extremely active, in fact, fully as much so as the little 
Brown Creeper itself. Like it, they suddenly leave the uppermost branches 
or higher parts of the trunks, and diving downwards alight on the roots, and 
renew their search after small insects and larvas. I never saw any of them 
pursue insects on wing. 
The nest of this species is prettily constructed. Its outer parts are com- 
posed of grey lichens and soft mosses, the interior of silky substances and a 
few fibres of the Spanish moss. The female lays four pure white eggs, 
having two or three purple dots near the larger end. I think they raise two 
broods during their- stay in Louisiana, but cannot speak of this as certain. 
The nest is placed on a horizontal branch of a cypress, twenty, thirty, or 
even fifty feet above the ground, and is with difficulty discovered from below, 
as it resembles a knot or a tuft of moss. 
