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T H E YELLOW RED-POLL WARBLER.
SYLVIA PETECHIA, LATH.
P L A T E C L X I I I . ADULT AND YOUNG.
The Yellow Red-Poll Warbler, of which an old bird in summer and
a young one fully fledged are represented in the plate, being abundant
in East Florida, and especially in the neighbourhood of St Augustine,
the most prosperous town on the eastern coast of that peninsula, I hope
you will not think it irrelevant to say a few words respecting that place,
to whose inhabitants I am indebted for many acts of kindness.
To reach St Augustine, the navigator has first to pass over a difficult
sand-bar, which frequently changes its position; he then, however, finds a
deep channel leading to a safe and commodious harbour. The appearance
of the town is rather romantic, especially when the Spanish Fort,
which is quite a monument of ancient architecture, opens to the view. The
place itself is quite Spanish, the streets narrow, the chvirch not very remarkable,
and the market-place the resort of numerous idlers, whether
resident or from other parts. It is supplied with, I believe, the best fish
in America, the " sheep-head'" and " mullet1' being the finest I have ever
seen ; and its immediate neighbourhood produces as good oranges as can
any where be found. The country around is certainly poor, and although
in an almost tropical climate, is by no means productive. When the
United States purchased the peninsula from the Spanish Government, the
representations given of it by Mr BAETEAM and other poetical writers,
were soon found greatly to exceed the reality. For this reason, many of
the individuals who flocked to it, returned home or made their way towards
other regions with a heavy heart; yet the climate during the winter
months is the most delightful that could be imagined.
In the plate you will find a branch of the wild orange, with its flowers.
I have already spoken of the tree at p. 260, to which I refer you. Whatever
its original country may be supposed to be, the plant is to all appearance
indigenous in many parts of Florida, not merely in the neighbourhood
of plantations, but in the wildest portions of that wild country.
Y E L L O W R E D - P O L L W A R B L E R . 361
SYLVIA PETECHIA, Lath. Ind. Ornith. voL ii. p. 355.
SYLVIA PALMARUM, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 78.
Adult Male in summer. Plate CXLIII. Fig. 1.
In its full summer plumage this bird presents so different an appearance,
that it has in that state been considered as a distinct species, and
yet the difference is not greater than is observed in many other birds.
When the plumage is new, with the tips of the feathers unworn, the lower
parts shew less of the red streaks so conspicuous in the opposite case;
the yellow is brighter, and the crown of the head is of a richer brownishred
colour. In other respects, however, the description already given at
p. 261, corresponds with that which might be presented here.
Young Bird. Plate CLXIII. Fig. 2.
On the head of the young the red is not perceptible, that part being
of nearly the same colour as the back.
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