MARYLAND YELLOW-THROAT. 
79 
is less active in its motions than most birds of the genus, but makes up this 
deficiency by continued application, it being, to appearance, busily employed 
during the whole of the day. It does not chase insects by flying after them, 
but secures them by surprise. Caterpillars and spiders form its principal 
food. 
Although this species is found throughout the Union, the Middle States 
seem to attract and detain more individuals, during the breeding season, than 
any others. Very few breed in Louisiana. In Kentucky, however, many 
breed in the barrens. The neighbourhood of swamps and such places is 
their favourite ground, but every field provided with briar patches or tall 
weeds harbours some of them. It leaves the Central Districts about the 
middle of September. The male bird does not attain its full colouring until 
the first spring, being for several months of the same tints as the female. 
The twig on which the males are seen, is commonly called in Louisiana 
the wild olive. The tree is small, brittle, and useless. It bears an acid 
fruit, which is sometimes employed as a pickle, and eaten when ripe by some 
people. 
This bird was published in my Ornithological Biography erroneously as a 
new species. Of this I informed my friends Dr. Bachman, Mr. Harris, 
and Dr. Brewer ; and afterwards the Prince of Musignano. I have nothing 
to add to my account of its habits. It was found on the Columbia river by 
Mr. Townsend, several of whose specimens I have seen. I also found it in 
the Texas in April. No mention is made of it in the Fauna Boreali- 
Americana ; and I saw none in Labrador or Newfoundland. The eggs of 
this species measure 5£ eighths in length, by four and a half eighths, and are 
rather pointed at the small end. 
The roof of the mouth is flat, posteriorly with two ridges, anteriorly with 
a middle prominent and two very slight lateral ridges ; its width 3 twelfths. 
The tongue is 4 h twelfths long, sagittate and papillate at the base, thin, 
concave above, tapering to a deeply slit and slightly lacerated point. The 
oesophagus is 1 inch 7 twelfths long, its greatest width 2 twelfths. The 
stomach is rather small, elliptical, 4§ twelfths long, 3£ twelfths broad ; its 
lateral muscles moderate, the lower very thin ; the epithelium longitudinally 
rugous. The intestine is 5 inches long, its greatest width 1 twelfth ; the 
coeca 1 twelfth long, and about a third of a twelfth wide, their distance from 
the extremity 7 twelfths. 
The trachea is 1J inches long, 1 twelfth broad at the top ; its rings 60 ; its 
muscles as usual. Bronchial rings 15. 
Maryland Yellow-throat, Sylvia Marilandica , Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. i. p. 88, 
Male; vol. ii. p. 163, Female. 
Sylvia Marilandica, Bonap. Syn., p. 85 . 
