Parula americana Bonap.
2219
Compsothlypis gutturalis, Cabanis (Parula gut., Baird, Rev. Am. B.), and Conirostrum superciliosum, Hartlaub (Parula superciliosa, Baird, Rev.), have been referred by later systematists to this genus; but they are much more closely related to Conirostrum,—a genus usually assigned to the Cærebidæ. The “P.” gutturalis is confined to Costa Rica; but “P.” superciliosa is a species of the table-lands of Mexico, and likely to be detected in Arizona or New Mexico. The characters of this species are as follows:—
Conirostrum superciliosum, Hartl. R. Z. 1844, 215. Whole dorsal region, including rump, olive-green; rest of upper parts ashy. Anterior half beneath yellow, with a crescentic bar of chestnut-brown across the jugulum; posterior lower parts white, ashy laterally. A conspicuous superciliary stripe of white. Wing, 2.60; tail, 2.10.
Parula americana, Bonap.
BLUE YELLOW-BACKED WARBLER.
Parus americanus, Linn. Syst. Nat. 10th ed. I, 1758, 190. Motacilla am. Gmelin. Sylvia am. Lath., Aud. Sylvicola am. Rich., Aud.—Jones, Nat. in Bermuda, 1839, 59. Parula am. Bon. List Birds N. Am. 1838.—Gosse, Birds Jam. 1847, 154 (Jamaica).—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 238; Rev. 169.—Sclater, P. Z. S. 1857, 202 (Xalapa).—Ib. Ibis, 1859, 10 (Guatemala).—Ib. Catal. 1861, 26, 163.—Newton, Ibis, 1859, 143 (Santa Cruz; winter).—Cassin, Pr. A. N. S. 1860, 376 (St. Thomas).—Gundlach, Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba; very common). Compsothlypis am. Cab. Mus. Hein. 1850, 20.—Ib. Jour. III, 1855, 476 (Cuba). Ficedula ludoviciana, Brisson. Motacilla lud. Gm. Motacilla eques, Bodd. Sylvia torquata, Vieill. Thryothorus torq. Stephens. Sylvia pusilla, Wils. Sylvicola pus. Swains.
Figures: Aud. Orn. Biog. I, pl. xv.—Ib. Birds Am. II, pl. xci.—Vieill. Ois. Am. II, pl. xcix.—Wils. Am. Orn. IV, pl. xxviii.—Buffon, pl. enl. dccxxxi, fig. 1; dccix, fig. 1.
Sp. Char. Above blue, the middle of the back with a patch of yellowish-green. Beneath yellow anteriorly, white behind. A reddish-brown tinge across the breast. Lores and space round the eye dusky; a small white spot on either eyelid; sides of head and neck like the crown. Two conspicuous white bands on the wings. Outer two tail-feathers with a conspicuous spot of white. Female similar, with less brown on the breast. Length, 4.75; wing, 2.34; tail, 1.90. Nest of long moss.
Hab. Eastern Province of United States, north to the Lakes (“Greenland”), west to the Missouri Valley; in winter, south to Guatemala (not seen on the west coast of Mexico). West Indies; Bahamas; Cuba; Jamaica; St. Croix; St. Thomas; Jalapa, Guatemala (Sclater); Orizaba, winter (Sumichrast); Yucatan (Lawrence); Porto Rico and Inagua (Bryant).