CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. 
139 
108 . SYLVIA PENNSYLVANICA , WILSON. SYLVIA ICTEROCE- 
PH ALA, LATHAM. 
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. 
WILSON, PLATE XIV. FIG. V. 
Of this bird I can give but little account. It is one 
of those transient visitors that pass through Pennsyl- 
vania in April and May, on their way farther north to 
breed. During its stay here, which seldom exceeds a 
week or ten days, it appears actively engaged among 
the opening buds and young leaves, in search of insects ; 
has no song but a feeble chirp, or twitter; and is not 
numerous. As it leaves us early in May, it probably 
breeds in Canada, or, perhaps, some parts of New 
England ; though I have no certain knowledge of the 
fact. In a whole day’s excursion, it is rare to meet 
with more than one or two of these birds ; though a 
thousand individuals of some species may be seen in 
the same time. Perhaps they may be more numerous 
on some other part of the continent. 
The length of this species is five inches, the extent, 
seven and three quarters. The front, line over the eye, 
and ear feathers, are pure white ; upper part of the 
head, brilliant yellow ; the lores, and space immediately 
below, are marked w r ith a triangular patch of black ; the 
back and hind head is streaked w ith gray, dusky, black, 
and dull yelknv; wdrigs, black; primaries, edged with 
pale blue, the first and second row of coverts, broadly 
tipt with pale yellow ; secondaries, broadly edged wdth 
the same ; tail, black, handsomely forked, exteriorly 
edged w ith ash ; the inner webs of the three exterior 
feathers with each a spot of w bite ; from the extremity 
of the black, at the lower mandible, on each side, a 
streak of deep reddish chestnut descends along the sides 
of the neck, and under the wings, to the root of the tail ; 
the rest of the low er parts are pure white ; legs and 
feet, ash ; bill, black ; irides, hazel. The female has 
the hind head much lighter, and the chestnut on the 
