170 
SYLVIA RUBRICAPILLA. 
Pennsylvania, and almost all over the Atlantic States, 
is extremely rare, I found the most numerous of its 
tribe in Tennesee and West Florida ; and the Carolina 
wren, which is also scarce to the northward of Mary- 
land, is abundant through the whole extent of country 
from Pittsburg to New Orleans. 
Particular species of birds, like different nations of 
men, have their congenial climes and favourite coun- 
tries ; but wanderers are common to both ; some in 
search of better fare, some of adventure, others led by 
curiosity, and many driven by storms and accident. 
The Tennesee warbler is four inches and three quar- 
ters long, and eight inches in extent ; the back, rump, 
and tail-coverts, are of a rich yellow olive ; lesser wing- 
coverts, the same; wings, deep dusky, edged broadly 
with yellow olive ; tail, forked, olive, relieved with 
dusky; cheeks and upper part of the head, inclining to 
light bluish, and tinged with olive ; line from the nostrils 
over the eye, pale yellow, fading into white ; throat and 
breast, pale cream colour ; belly and vent, white ; legs, 
purplish brown ; bill, pointed, and thicker at the base 
than those of the sylvia genus generally are ; upper 
mandible, dark dusky, lower, somewhat paler; eye, 
hazel. 
The female differs little, in the colour of her plumage, 
from the male ; the yellow line over the eye is more 
obscure, and the olive not of so rich a tint. 
137 . SYLVIA RUBRICAPILLA , WILSON. NASHVILLE WARBLER. 
WILSON, PLATE XXVII. FIG. III. 
The very uncommon notes of this little bird were 
familiar to me for several days before I succeeded in 
obtaining it. These notes very much resembled the 
breaking of small dry twigs, or the striking of small 
pebbles of different sizes smartly against each other for 
six or seven times, and loud enough to be heard at the 
distance of thirty or forty yards. It was some time 
before I could ascertain whether the sound proceeded 
from a bird or an insect. At length I discovered the bird. 
