Worm-eating Warbler, Sylvia vermivora, Wils. Americ. Ornith. vol. iii. p. 74. vol. xxiv. fig. 4.
Adult Male. Plate XXXIV. Fig. 1.
Bill longish, nearly straight, rather strong, elongated-conical, as deep as broad at the base, with sharp, nearly straight edges. Nostrils basal, oval, half concealed by the feathers. Head rather large, neck short. Body short and full. Feet of ordinary length, rather slender; tarsus compressed, covered anteriorly with a few long scutella, acute behind, longer than the middle toe; toes scutellate above, free; claws arched, slender, compressed, acute.
Plumage blended, soft and tufty. Wings of ordinary length, considerably curved, the second quill longest, the first little shorter. Tail rather short, a little rounded, of twelve rather narrow, obtuse feathers.
Bill blackish-brown above, greenish-grey beneath. Iris hazel. Feet flesh-colour. General colour of the upper parts deep green, tinged with brown. Head and lower parts light brownish-yellow, the former with four longitudinal black bands, of which one on each side proceeds from the middle of the upper mandible, the other from the inferior angle of its base. The lower part of the neck anteriorly, and the fore part of the breast are more yellow than the rest of the under parts; the abdomen and under tail-coverts nearly white.
Length 5½ inches, extent of wings 8½; bill along the ridge 7⁄12, along the gap ¾; tarsus ⅚, middle toe ¾.
Adult Female. Plate XXXIV. Fig. 2.
The female hardly differs from the male in external appearance.