Page:Ornithological biography, or an account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America, vol 2.djvu/343



So very rare does this little bird seem to be in the United States, that in the course of all my rambles I never saw more than three individuals of the species. The first was procured near Bayou Sara, in the State of Louisiana, in the spring of 1821, when I drew it with the holly twig on which it was standing when I shot it. The second I obtained in Louisiana also, not many miles from the same spot, in the autumn of 1829, and the last at Key West, in May 1832. Of its migrations or place of breeding I know nothing.

It is an active and nimble species, an expert catcher of flies, fond of haneins: to the extremities of branches, like several others of the tribe. It utters a single mellow tzveet, as it passes from one branch to another in search of food, or while on the wing, when it moves in a desultory manner for some distance, diving suddenly towards the tree on which it intends to alight. All the individuals which I procured were males.

Sylvia peregrina, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 87. Tennessee Warbler, Sylvia peregrina, Wils. Amer. Omith. vol. iii. p. 83. pi. 25. fig. 2. — Nuttall, Manual, part i. p. 412.

Bill of moderate length, thick at the base, tapering, straight, acute ; upper mandible nearly straight in its dorsal outline, the edges sharp, without a notch. Nostrils basal, oval, covered above by a membrane, and partially concealed by the feathers. Head of ordinary size, neck short, body rather slender. Feet of ordinary length, rather slender ; tar- sus compressed, covered anteriorly with a few long scutella, sharp be- hind ; toes slender, free, the outer united to the second joint, the hind- toe proportionally large ; claws arched, slender, much compressed, acute.

Plumage blended, soft. Wings longish, little curved ; the second and third quills longest. Tail rather longish, nearly even, the lateral feathers bent outwards.

Bill dark brown, paler beneath. Iris hazel. Feet brown, tinged