HOODED OR MITRED WARBLER. 
373 
of black on the breast composed of black spots; vent white. 
Bill, the upper mandible dusky, the lower flesh-color; legs and feet 
the same. Eye hazel. 
HOODED or MITRED WARBLER. 
( Sylvia mitrata , Latham. Muscicapa cucullata , Wilson, iii. p. 101. 
pi. 26. fig. 3. [male.] Phil. Museum, No. 7062. ) 
Sp. Charact. — Yellow-olive; head, neck, and throat black; fore- 
head, cheeks, and body beneath, yellow ; 3 lateral tail-feathers 
white on one half of their inner webs. 
This beautiful and singularly marked summer species, 
common in the South, is rarely seen to the north of the 
state of Maryland. It retires to Mexico or the West In- 
dies probably to pass the winter. At Savannah, in 
Georgia, it arrives from the south about the 20th of 
March, according to Wilson. It is partial to low and 
shady situations darkened with underwood, is frequent 
among the cane-brakes of Tennessee and Mississippi, and 
is exceedingly active, and almost perpetually engaged in 
the pursuit of winged insects. While thus employed, it 
now and then utters three loud, and not unmusical, very 
lively notes, resembling the words, tivee twee ’ twittshe . 
In its simple song and general habits it therefore much 
resembles the Summer Yellow Bird. Its neat and com- 
pact nest is generally fixed in the fork of a small bush, 
formed outwardly of moss and flax, lined with hair, and 
sometimes feathers ; the eggs, about 5, are greyish-white, 
with reddish spots towards the great end. 
This species is about inches long, and 8 in alar extent. The 
forehead, cheeks, and chin yellow, surrounded with a hood of 
black that covers the crown, hind-head, and part of the neck, and 
descends rounding over the breast ; all the rest of the lower parts 
yellow. Above, yellow-olive. Bill black. Legs flesh-colored. 
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