MNIOTILT1D.E THE AMERICAN WARBLERS. 



127 



Helminthophila chrysoptera (Linn.) 



GOLDEN- WINGED WARBLER. 

 Popular synonyms. Blue Golden-winged Warbler; Golden-winged Swamp Warbler. 



Motacilla chrysoptera LINN. S. N. ed. 12, i, 1766, 333. 

 Sylvia chrysoptera LATH. WILS. Am. Orn. ii, 1810,113, pi. 15, fig. 5. Nuxr. Man. i, 18S2, 



411. AUD. Orn. Biog. v. 1839. 154, pi. 414. 



Helinaia chrysoptera AUD. Synop. 183'.), 67; B. Am. ii, 1841. 91, pi. 107. 

 Helminthophaga chrysoptera CAB. Mus. Hein. i, 1850, 20. BATED, B. N. Am. 185S, 255; 



Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 181; Review, 1864, 175. COUES, Key, 1872, 94; Check List, 1873, 



No. 63; 2d ed. 1882, No. 102; B. N. W. 1874, 49; B. Col. Val. 1878, 216. B. B. &R. Hist. N. 



Am. B. i, 1874, 192, pi. 11, fig. 2. RIDGW. JNom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 81. 

 Helminthophila chrysoptera RIDGW. Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl. vii, 1883, 53. 



HAB. Eastern United States (chiefly north of 40 in summer) and Canada. Winters in 

 Cuba, Central America and extreme northern portion of South America (Colombia). 



SP. CHAR. Adult t: Forehead and fore part of crown rich gamboge-yellow; occiput, 

 cervix, and other upper parts uniform bluish gray, relieved by a large patch of light gam- 

 boge-yellow covering both rows of wing-coverts; secondaries (including tertials) some- 

 times edged with olive-green; inner webs of three outer tail feathers marked with a large 

 white patch, that on the exterior feather occupying the greater portion of the terminal 

 two thirds. Lores, orbits, and auriculars deep black; below this, a pure white malar 

 stripe, and above the auriculars a more or less distinct white streak, extending anteriorly 

 to above the eye; chin, throat, and jugulum solid black, with a rounded posterior outline. 

 Remaining lower parts pure white medially, bluish gray along sides. Bill deep black; 

 iris brown. In autumn, similar, but black feathers of throat very narrowly margined with 

 white, the yellow of forehead and blue-gray of back tinged with olive-green. Adults: 

 Similar to the s, but black of throat and auriculars replaced by dusky grayish, the yellow 

 of forehead obscured by olive-green, and back usually tinged with the same. 



Total length about 5 inches; wing 2.45-2.65; tail 1.90-2.25; culinen about .50; tarsus .70. 



The southern limits of this species during the breeding season 

 are not known with certainty. The writer is certain of having seen 

 one or two individuals during a visit to Fox Prairie, in Kichland 

 county, in June, 1871, but whether they were breeding there he has 

 110 evidence further than the circumstance that all other species of 

 the neighborhood were then nesting, while all which were unques- 

 tionably migrating had passed north at least two weeks before.* It 

 has been found breeding abundantly in Stark county, Indiana, by 

 Mr. H. K. Coale, who sends me the following interesting communi- 

 cation concerning his discovery : 



"Each season reveals new and interesting facts in the study of 

 the birds. On May llth, 1884, in a woods on the Kankakee river, 

 in Starke county, Indiana, I found the Golden-winged Warbler quite 

 common. Five were shot and three others seen all males, which 

 were singing. Some were flushed from the ground and flew up to 

 the nearest small tree, where they sat motionless next the trunk. 



* Since the above was written, found breeding by the writer (in June, 1885) along the 

 southern edge of Calhoun Prairie, in Rich land county. 





