YELLOW-RUMP WARBLER. 127 
beginning' of May, on their way to the north to breed. 
It generally frequents the high branches and tops of 
trees, in the woods, in search of the larvce of insects 
that prey on the opening buds. It has a few singular 
chirruping notes ; and is very lively and active. About 
the 10th of May it disappears. It is rarely observed on 
its return in the fall, which may probably be owing to 
the scarcity of its proper food at that season obliging 
it to pass with greater haste ; or to the foliage, which 
prevents it and other passengers from being so easily 
observed. Some few of these birds, however, remain 
all summer in Pennsylvania, having myself shot three 
this season, [1809,] in the month of June ; but I have 
never yet seen their nest. 
This species is four inches and three quarters long, 
and seven broad; the whole back, crown, and hind 
head, is of a rich yellowish green ; front, cheeks, sides 
of the breast, and line over the eye, yellow ; chin and 
throat, black ; sides, under the wings, spotted with 
black ; belly and vent, white ; wings, dusky black, 
marked with two white bars; bill, black; legs and 
feet, brownish yellow; tail, dusky, edged with light 
ash ; the three exterior feathers spotted on their inner 
webs with white. The female is distinguished by having 
no black on the throat. 
99. SYLVIA CORONATA , LATHAM AND WILSON. 
YELLOW-RUMP WARBLER. 
WILSON, PLATE XVII. FIG. IV. — SUMMER DRESS. 
In this beautiful little species we have another instance 
of the mistakes occasioned by the change of colour to 
which many of our birds are subject. In the present 
case this change is both progressive and periodical. 
The young birds of the first season are of a brown olive 
above, which continues until the month of February 
and March ; about which time it gradually changes 
into a fine slate colour. About the middle of April this 
change is completed. I have shot them in all their 
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