HELMINTHOPHAGA. 115 
2. Helminthophaga pinus. 
Certhia pinus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 1877. 
Helminthophaga pinus, Scl. & Saly. Ibis, 1859, p.11?; Baird, Rev. Am. B.i. p.174°; Baird, Brew. 
& Ridgw. N. Am. B. i. p. 195*; Coues, B. Col. Vall. i. p. 214’; Merrill, Pr. U.S. Nat. 
Mus. i. p. 123°. 
Salvia solitaria, Wils. Am. Orn. ii. p. 109, t. 15. f. 4. 
Vermivora solitaria, Sw. Phil. Mag. new ser. i. p. 484°. 
Helmitheros solitarius, Scl. P. Z.8. 1856, p. 291°. 
Supra olivaceo-viridis, alis et cauda cinereis, illis fasciis duabus albis notatis ; vertice antico et corpore subtus 
flavis, loris nigris, crisso albo; rostro et pedibus brunnescentibus. Long. tota 4°5, ale 2:4, caudee 1:9, 
rostri a rictu 0-6, tarsi 0°7. (Descr. exempl. ex Coban, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 
flab. Norrtu America, Eastern States+®, Texas ®—Mexico%, Vera Cruz (Bullock 8) 
Jalapa (Deppe, Mus. Berol.), Cordova (Sallé®); GuaTEMALA”, Retalhuleu, Coban °, 
Choctum, Teleman (0. S. & F. D. G.) 
Helminthophaga pinus is by no means a common bird in either Mexico or Central 
America in winter, the only time of year it is to be found there. Besides being included 
in Swainson’s list of Bullock’s birds, the evidence of its occurrence in Mexico is almost 
confined to the appearance of its name in the first list of Mons. Sallé’s birds®, to the 
existence of one of Deppe’s specimens in the Berlin Museum, and to the mention of 
a Mexican specimen in the Smithsonian Institution®; the bird seems to have been 
unnoticed by de Oca, Sumichrast, and other assiduous collectors in Mexico. In Guate- 
mala it occurs most frequently in the neighbourhood of Coban; but, besides being 
found in this mountain-region, we obtained it almost at the sea-level in the Polochic 
valley and at Retalhuleu, less than 1000 feet above the Pacific Ocean. Like so many 
of its family, it is to be found in the neighbourhood of cleared ground. 
In the States, though it occurs in Texas %, it is almost exclusively an eastern bird. 
Here it spends the breeding-season, remaining from the early part of May to September 
or October*. Its nest is described by Wilson’; but his account of it does not tally 
with that of Mr. Ridgway, who found several near Mount Carmel in Illinois, where the 
bird is plentiful. The latter authority says that the nest is a very loose open structure, 
composed chiefly of broad thin flexible strips of bark. 
The synonymy of this bird has been much involved with that of Dendreca pinus, a 
very different species. The difficulties connected with this question have been carefully - 
unravelled by Dr. Coues°. 
b. Cauda uniformis, macula alba nulla. 
8. Helminthophaga ruficapilla. 
Sylvia ruficapilla, Wils. Am. Orn. iii. p. 120, t. 27. £.3%. 
Helminthophaga ruficapilla, Scl. P. Z.S. 1858, p. 298°; 1859, p. 373°; Baird, Rev. Am. B. i. 
15* 
