3 0 6 YELLOW-RUMP WARBLER.
spots on the breast and rump paler, and tinged with green. Feet and
legs blackish-brown.
IRIS VERSICOLOR.
IRIS VERSICOLOR, Willd. Sp. PI. vol. i. p. 233. Pursh, Fl. Amer. Sept. vol. i. p. 20.
—TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA, Linn. IRIDES, JUSS.
Beardless; the stem round, flexuous, equal in height to the leaves,
which are ensiform ; the stigmas equalling the inner petals; capsules ovate,
with their angles obtuse. This Iris is extremely common in all the
swampy parts of the Southern States, and extends far up along the Mississippi.
In many places I have seen beds of a quarter of an acre. It is
cultivated here and there in gardens.
The Smilax represented grows abundantly in the same localities,
climbing over any low bush so profusely as to cover it. The berries when
ripe are eaten by many species of birds.
THE TENNESSEE WARBLER
SYLVIA PEREGRINA, WILS.
P L A T E C L I V . MALE.
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 die 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
hanging to the extremities of branches, like several others of the tribe.
It utters a single mellow tweet, 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. Oniith. 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; tarsus
compressed, covered anteriorly with a few long scutella, sharp behind
; toes slender, free, the outer united to the second joint, the hindtoe
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
u 2