Part 16

Seiurus aurocapillus.

Turdus aurocapillus, +Linn.+—Aud. pl. 143. Sylvia aurocapilla, +Bonap.+ Seiurus aurocapillus, +Sw.+

Length 6¹⁄₄ inches, expanse 9¹⁄₂, flexure 3, tail 2¹⁄₁₀, rictus ⁷⁄₁₀, tarsus 1, middle toe ³⁄₄.

The speckled breast, rich fulvous crown, and warm olive back, make this a very pretty bird. His manners are much like those of his cousin Bessy, running along with much wagging of the tail, and chirping tsip, tsip, incessantly. He is, however, less aquatic in his predilections. I first observed the species about the middle of September; it was on a low part of the road by the side of a morass. Its attitude struck me, as it was running on the ground with the tail held almost perpendicularly upwards. In the stomach, a muscular gizzard, I have occasionally found various seeds, gravel, mud-insects, caterpillars, and small turbinate shells. I was one day amused by watching two, unassociated, walking about a place covered with dry leaves, beneath some trees. I was unseen by them, though quite close. The tail of each was carried quite perpendicular as they walked, which gave a most grotesque effect; but, as if this elevation were not sufficient, at almost every step they jerked it up still higher, the white under-coverts projecting in a puffy globose form.

Though this species arrives in Jamaica rather later than the preceding, they depart together, about the 20th of April: and soon after this their appearance in the United States is recorded. Unlike the preceding, the present species is said to be, even in summer, destitute of song.

BLUE YELLOW-BACK WARBLER.

Parula Americana.

Parus Americanus, +Linn.+ Sylvia Americana, +Lath.+—Aud. pl. 15. Sylvia pusilla, +Wils.+ Parula Americana, +Bonap.+

Length 4¹⁄₂ inches, expanse 7, flexure 2¹⁄₄, tail 1⁶⁄₁₀, rictus ⁵⁄₁₀, tarsus ³⁄₄, middle toe ⁴⁄₁₀.

This pretty little species, so much in habits and appearance like the European Tits, arrives in Jamaica early in September, and retires late in April, for we last saw it on the 20th. During the autumn and winter it was among the most common of our warblers. In the morasses, especially, they were to be seen in numbers, yet not in company, making the sombre mangrove-woods lively, if not vocal. They are active and restless, hopping perpendicularly up the slender boles, and about the twigs, peeping into the bases of the leaves, and crevices of the bark, for insects.

The female, identified by dissection, has all the colours paler, but agrees with the male in their variety and distribution. Individuals, however, were found in September, which had the blue plumage of the head and of the rump, tipped with yellow, imparting a green tinge to those parts.

YELLOW-RUMP WARBLER.

Sylvicola coronata.

Motacilla coronata, +Linn.+—Aud. pl. 153. Sylvicola coronata, +Sw.+

Length 5³⁄₄ inches, expanse 9²⁄₁₀, flexure 2⁹⁄₁₀, tail 2¹⁄₄, rictus ⁶⁄₁₀, (nearly), tarsus ¹⁷⁄₂₀, middle toe ¹¹⁄₂₀.

I have little to say of this changeable species. It occurs but sparsely with us, coming rather late in the autumn, when the plumage is undergoing its transformation, so well detailed by Wilson. On only one occasion have I observed them numerous; towards the latter part of March, on the estate called Dawkins’ Saltpond, near Spanish town, many were hopping about the Cashaw trees (Prosopis juliflora) that abound there. All of these that I examined, had the yellow of the crown obscured, and some almost obliterated. One which I shot in October did not display it at all, while one in January had the hue very brilliant, but only at the bases of the coronal feathers; exposed or concealed as in some of the Tyrants. As far as I have observed, the manners of this bird are those of a Flycatcher, capturing minute insects on the wing, and returning to a twig to eat them. The stomach is usually filled with a black mass of minute flies.

YELLOW-THROAT WARBLER.

Sylvicola pensilis.

Sylvia pensilis, +Lath.+—Aud. pl. 85. Sylvia flavicollis, +Wils.+ Sylvicola pensilis, +Bonap.+

Length 5¹⁄₄ inches, expanse 8, flexure 2¹⁄₂, tail 1⁹⁄₁₀, rictus ¹³⁄₂₀ (nearly), tarsus ³⁄₄, middle toe ¹¹⁄₂₀.

Wilson has justly observed that the habits of this lovely bird are those of a Tit or a Creeper. I have usually observed it creeping about the twigs of trees, or among the blossoms. The first I met with was thus engaged, creeping in and out, and clinging to the beautiful and fragrant flowers that grew in profuse spikes from the summit of a papaw-tree. It is one of the earliest of our visitors from the north, for this was on the 16th of August; and it remains until April among the sunny glades of our magnificent island. The stomach of such as I have examined was large, and contained caterpillars of various sizes and species. An individual in March, which I proved by dissection to be a female, did not differ in intensity of colouring, or any other appreciable respect, from the male. The eggs in the ovary at that season, were distinguishable, but minute.

YELLOW RED-POLL WARBLER.

Sylvicola æstiva.

Sylvia æstiva et petechia, +Lath.+—Aud. pl. 95. Sylvia citrinella et petechia, +Wils.+ Sylvia Childrenii (young,) Aud. pl. 35. Sylvicola æstiva, +Sw.+

Length 5¹⁄₄ inches, expanse 8¹⁄₁₀, flexure 2⁶⁄₁₀, tail 2¹⁄₁₀, rictus ⁶⁄₁₀, tarsus ⁹⁄₁₀, middle toe ¹⁄₂.

Of this very beautiful species, which has been described under so many names, I have specimens in much diversity of plumage, from that in which the chestnut crown, and spots of the breast are deep and conspicuous, to that in which there is no trace either of the one or the other. There is little in their manners to distinguish them from others of this pretty family. They arrive in Jamaica in September, and depart in April; and, like their fellows, hop about low trees, feeding on small insects. In March, I observed it rather numerous, hopping about the Cleome pentaphylla, and other low shrubs which were then in flower, on the banks of the new cut of the Rio Cobre, not half a mile from the sea of Kingston Harbour. Whenever I have seen it, it has been very near the sea.

AURORA WARBLER.

Sylvicola eoa.—+Mihi.+