The song of the Summer Yellow-Bird is simple but pleasing, and is easily recognized when once known, though liable to be confounded with that of the Maryland Yellow-Throat, and also said to resemble the song of several other Warblers.
In confinement they usually become very tame, confiding, and reconciled to their imprisonment, and have been known to perch on an outstretched finger, and to catch flies in a room.
Their eggs vary in length from .61 to .70 of an inch, and in breadth from .49 to .52. They have a ground-color of a light green. Their dots and blotches vary greatly in number, size, and manner of distribution. Their colors are light purple, darker purplish-brown, and other shades of brown and lilac.
YELLOW-RUMP WARBLER; MYRTLE WARBLER.
Motacilla coronata, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 333. Sylvia coronata, Lath.; Vieillot; Wils.; Nutt.; Aud. Orn. Biog. II, pl. cliii. Sylvicola coronata, Swains.; Bon.; Aud. Birds, Am. II, pl. lxxvi.—Jones, Nat. Bermuda, 59 (abundant in April). Dendroica coronata, Gray, Genera, 1842, 2.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 272; Rev. 187.—March, P. A. N. Sc. 1863, 292 (Jamaica, in summer; breeding).—Gundl. Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba; common).—Cooper & Suckley, P. R. R. XII, II, 1859, 180 (Puget Sound).—Samuels, 226.—Dall & Bannister (Alaska).—Cooper, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 89. Rhimanphus cor. Cab. Jour. 1855, 473 (Cuba). Motacilla canadensis, Linn. 12th ed. 1766, 334 (Ficedula canadensis cinerea, Br. III, 524, pl xxvii, fig. 1). Parus virginianus, Linn. 12th ed. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 342. Motacilla umbria, cincta, pinguis, Gm. Sylvia xanthopygia, Vieill. Sylvia xanthoroa, Vieill.
Localities quoted: S. Greenland, Reinhardt, Ibis, 1861, 5. Cordova, Scl. P. Z. S. 1856, 291. Xalapa, Ib. 1859, 363. Guatemala, Scl. & Salv. 1859, 11. Panama, Lawr. Ann. N. Y. Lyc. VIII, 63. Cuba, winter, Cab. Jour. III, 473. Bahamas, winter, Bryant, Bost. Pr. VII, 1859. Jamaica, Gosse, Birds Jam. 155. St. Domingo, Sallé, P. Z. S. 1857, 231. Costa Rica, Lawr. Orizaba, winter, Sumichrast.
Sp. Char. Above bluish-ash, streaked with black. Under parts white. The forepart of breast and the sides black, the feathers mostly edged narrowly with white. Crown, rump, and sides of breast yellow. Cheeks and lores black. The eyelids and a superciliary stripe, two bands on the wing and spots on the outer three tail-feathers, white. Female of duller plumage and browner above. Length, 5.65; wing, 3.00; tail, 2.50.
Hab. Eastern Province of North America, and northward, extending sparsely along United States boundary to Pacific Ocean; Denver City, Colorado; Fort Yukon; Greenland; Eastern Mexico to Panama R. R.; Western West Indies and Bermuda. Breeds in Jamaica!
Autumnal and winter birds are very much duller and more obscurely colored, the upper parts of an umber cast with the streaks almost obsolete; the black of the breast wanting or but just indicated, and the yellow patches on crown almost concealed by the brown tips to the feathers, and those on side of breast quite dull.