Size small; bill moderate, slightly curved, tapering gradually to the
tip, slightly notched; wings rather long; second and third quills
usually longest; tail moderate, or rather long, usually emarginate; legs
rather long, slender. An American genus, embracing a large number of
species, nearly all of which are of bright or gay colors.
Sylvicola Kirtlandii. Baird. Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist., N. Y., V., p. 218.
(1852.)
Form. About the size of _S. coronata_. Rather large for this genus; bill
straight; wing moderate; third quill slightly longer than the second;
tail rather long, emarginate; legs slender.
Dimensions. Total length (of skin) male, 5½ inches; wing 2¾; tail 2½
inches.
Colors. Entire upper part, bluish-ashy; on the head and back nearly
every feather having a longitudinal line of black; front and space
before and under the eye, black; quills dark-brown, paler on their outer
edges; tail brownish-black, several of the outer feathers having a white
spot each on their inner webs; entire under parts pale-yellow, with
small spots of black most numerous on the breast and sides, and obsolete
on the throat and middle of the abdomen; under tail coverts nearly
white; bill and feet dark.
Hab. Northern Ohio.
This bird bears an evident relationship to _Sylvicola coronata_, and to
_S. Auduboni_, from either of which it may at once be distinguished by
the entire absence of the yellow rump which characterises both the
species mentioned. It does not, however, resemble either of them to such
extent as to render a minute statement of comparative characters
necessary. The specimen above described is not in entirely mature
plumage.
We most cordially concur in the justice of naming this handsome little
bird in honor of our friend, Professor Jared P. Kirtland, M. D., of
Cleveland, Ohio; a gentleman who, to a reputation in private life most
exemplary and unexceptionable, adds high distinction as a naturalist and
pioneer of the Zoological Sciences in the Western United States.
To our friend, Thomas M. Brewer, M. D., of Boston, we are indebted for
much valuable information on the incubation and breeding places of many
of the Warblers of the United States. This interesting department of
Ornithology has been a special matter of research with Dr. Brewer for
many years; and we are happy to learn that his great work on the Oology
of North America is shortly to appear under the auspices of the
Smithsonian Institution. We venture to say that no more valuable
contribution to American Zoology has ever appeared.
[Illustration: Plate 48
The Orange-breasted Warbler
Sylvicola olivacea (_Giraud_)]
SYLVICOLA OLIVACEA.—(Giraud.)
The Orange-breasted Warbler.
PLATE XLVIII. Adult.
Of this handsome and peculiar-looking Warbler, unfortunately we can say
very little. It is known as a bird of Mexico, but has been noticed
within the limits of the United States, as yet, in one instance only,
having been received from Texas by our friend, Mr. Jacob P. Giraud,
Jun., of New York. At the period of its receipt it was unknown to
ornithologists, and it was accordingly described by Mr. Giraud, with
other new and interesting species, in his “New Species of Birds of North
America.”
Since the time of the discovery of this bird, we have looked for it,
with constant interest, amongst the many new and little-known birds
collected by American naturalists in Texas, but in vain. It has not yet
appeared again, and is to be regarded as one of the now numerous birds
of our country, of which the history remains to be written by the future
naturalist.
The Baron Du Bus, an ornithologist of Belgium, has received this bird
from Mexico; and specimens, also from that country, are in the
collection of the Philadelphia Academy. The short notice of it by the
author just mentioned in the Bulletin of the Royal Academy of Brussels,
contains no account of its history or of its habits; nor have we any
information from other sources. From the fact of its visiting Texas in
the summer, however, we infer that it is a species of which the Southern
range probably extends into Central or perhaps South America.
In general appearance, this bird somewhat resembles the Prothonotary
Warbler (_Helinaia protonotaria_), of the United States, but is much
darker colored, and it does not belong to the same group or sub-genus.
The figure in our plate is about two-thirds the natural size.
The plant represented is a species of _Asclepias_ from Texas, raised
from the seed by our friend, Mr. Kilvington.