BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER. 
379 
are of a light bluish-grey, the greater coverts and lower order of 
lesser bright yellow, forming a large spot on each wing. Primaries 
and tail deep ash-color ; the inner webs of the exterior tail-feathers 
spotted with white. 
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER. 
( Sylvia Blackburnice , Lath. Wilson, iii. p. 64. pi. 23. fig. 3. Phil. 
Museum, No. 7060.) 
Sp. Charact. — The head striped with black and orange ; throat 
and breast orange, bounded by black spots ; wings with a large 
white space ; the 3 lateral tail-feathers white on the inner web. 
— Female yellow, without orange, and the black spots fewer. 
This is one of the rarest and most beautiful species of 
the genus, which, from the 1st to the 15th of May, or 
sometimes later, pays a transient visit to the Middle and 
Northern States, on its way to its remote boreal place of 
retirement for the breeding season. It is still more 
rarely seen in the autumn, about the month of Septem- 
ber, on its passage to tropical America, where it winters, 
as may be presumed from its occurrence late in autumn 
about Vera Cruz, according to Mr. Bullock. Little 
more is known of it than its external appearance. It is 
an exceedingly nimble insect-hunter, keeping towards the 
tops of trees, scarcely uttering even an audible chirp, 
and at this season, no song, as far as is yet known ; 
but its habits at the period of incubation are wholly 
unknown. 
The Blackburnian Warbler is only about 4J inches long, and about 
7 in alar extent. A stripe of rich orange passes over the eye, and 
there is a small touch of the same beneath it ; the throat and breast 
almost approach the fiery color of red-lead, bounded by spots and 
streaks of black ; the belly dull yellow, also streaked with black ; 
vent white. The back black, skirted with ash; wings the same, 
marked with a large lateral patch of white ; tail a little forked. 
Cheeks black. Bill and legs brown. 
