390 
INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 
somewhat more numerous towards the larger end, where 
they appear connected or aggregated around a purplish 
ground. The female made some little complaint, but 
almost immediately resumed her seat, though 2 of the 
eggs, were taken away ; the male made off immediately, 
and was but seldom seen near the place, 
I have a suspicion that Wilson’s Hemlock Warbler , or 
the following species, is little more than a variety or ac- 
cidental state of plumage of the present species. 
The length of the Pine Warbler is about 5J inches ; the alar extent 
8J to 9. Above, yellowish-green, inclining to olive ; throat, sides, and 
breast yellow, clouded at the sides near the breast with a few olive 
spots. Wings and tail dusky brown, the former marked with 2 
bars of whitish. Tail forked and edged with ash, the two exterior 
feathers marked near the tip with a broad spot of white ; vent white. 
Iris hazel. — The young in their first plumage, while fed by the old, 
are above dusky-olive, and below greyish-white, with scarcely any 
yellow. Before leaving us in the autumn, the male, however, very 
different from the Autumnal Warbler, acquires below, a j^ellow, 
niore brilliant than at any other period of its existence. 
AUTUMNAL WARBLER. 
{Sylvia autumnalis, Wilson, iii. p. 65. pi. 23. fig. 4. Audubon^ 
pi. 83. Orn. Biog. i. p. 447.) 
Sp. Charact. — Yellow-olive with dusky spots on the back; be- 
neath and cheeks pale yellow ; belly white ; wings with 2 white 
bands and as well as the tail dusky ; two (rarely 3) of the lateral 
tail-feathers with a white spot. 
This plain-looking species enters the southern ex- 
tremity of the United States early in March, and pro- 
ceeds to the Northern and Eastern States to breed. Gre- 
garious flocks are seen in the larger solitary forests of 
Massachusetts as early as the 20th of July, assembled 
from the neighbouring districts probably, in which they 
have been reared. They remain with us usually until the 
