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THE PINE CREEPING WOOD- WARBLER. 
Sylvicola pinus, Lath. 
PLATE LXXXII. — Male and Female. 
The Pine Creeping Wood- Warbler, the most abundant of its tribe, is met 
with from Louisiana to Maine ; more profusely in the warmer, and more 
sparingly in the colder regions, breeding wherever fir or pine trees are to be 
found. Although it may occasionally be seen on other trees, yet it always 
prefers those of that remarkable and interesting tribe. I found it on the 
sandy barrens bordering St.John’s river, in East Florida, in full song, early 
in February. I am pretty certain that they had already formed nests at that 
early period, and it seems to me not unlikely that this species, as well as 
some others that breed in that country at the same time, may afterwards 
travel far to the eastward, and there rear another brood the same year. 
In some degree allied to the Certlnce in its habits, it is often seen ascend- 
ing the trunks and larger branches of trees, hopping against the bark, in 
search of the larvm that lurk there. At times it moves sidewise along a 
branch three or four steps, and turning about, goes on in the same manner, 
until it has reached a twig, which it immediately examines. Its restless 
activity is quite surprising : now it gives chase to an insect on wing ; now, 
it is observed spying out those more diminutive species concealed among 
the blossoms and leaves of the pines ; again, it leaves the topmost branches 
of a tree, flies downwards, and alights sidewise on the trunk of another, 
which it ascends, changing its position, from right to left, at every remove. 
It also visits the ground in quest of food, and occasionally betakes itself 
to the water, to drink or bathe. 
It is seldom that an individual is seen by itself going through its course of 
action, for a kind of sympathy seems to exist in a flock, and in autumn and 
winter especially, thirty or more may be observed, if not on the same tree, 
at least not far from each other. Although it feeds on insects, larvae, and 
occasionally small crickets, it seems to give a decided preference to a little 
red insect of the coleopterous order, which is found enclosed in the leaves 
or stipules of the pine. Low lands seem to suit it best, for it is much less 
numerous in mountainous countries than in those bordering the sea. 
Like many other birds, the Pine Creeping Warbler constructs its nest of 
different materials, nay even makes it of a different form, in the Southern 
Vol. II. 6 
