190 XORTII AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Helmitlierus swainsoni, Aud. 



SWAINSON'S SWAMP WARBLER. 



Syhia sivainsoni, AuD. Om. Biog. II, 1S34, 51)3, pi. cxcviii. Sylvicola sto. Rich. Vermi- 

 vora sw. Hon. Hclinnia sir. AuD. Birds Ain. II, 1841, jjI. civ (type of genus). Hel- 

 mitlierus sw. Bon. ; C.^-B. ; B.iir.D, Birds N. Am. 1858, 252 ; Rev. 180. 



Sp. Char. Bill as long as the head. Upper parts dull olive-green, tinged with reddish- 

 brown on the wings, and still more on the crown and nape ; a superciliary stripe and the 

 under parts of the body are white, tinged with yellow, but palest on the tail-coverts ; the 

 side.'* pale olive-brown. There is an obscure indication of a median yellowish stripe on 

 the forehead. The lores are dusky. No spots nor Ijands on wings or tail. Length, 5.G0 ; 

 wing, 2.85 ; tail, 2.20. 



Hab. Coast of South Carolina and Georgia ; Cuba (very rare). 



A young bird (No. 32,241 Liberty Co., Georgia) is very .similar to the adult 

 described, but differs in the following respects : the lower parts have a de- 

 cided soiled, sulphur-yellow tinge, while the brown of the uj^per parts is 

 much more redilish, there being no difference in tint between the crown 

 and back ; also the sujierciliary stri])e is more sharply defined. 



Habits. This species is conii)aratively rare, and, so far as is known, has a 

 very restricted distriljution. It was first discovered by Eev. Dr. Bachman, 

 in the vicinity of Charleston, S. C, near the banks of the Edisto Itiver. 

 This was in the spring of 1882. He was first attracted Ijy the novelty of its 

 notes, wliich were four or five in number and repeated at intervals of a few 

 minutes. These notes were loud an<l clear, and nuu-e like a wliistle than a 

 song. They resembled the .sounds of some e.xtraordiuary veutriloipiist, — so 

 much so that he at first sujjjiosed the bird to be much farther off than it 

 really was. He was so fortunate as to secure it. Tlie shape of the bill he 

 at once noticed as being different from that of any other American bird then 

 known to him. In tlie cour.se of that sea.son lie obtained two other specimens. 

 Toward the close of the same season he saw an old female, accompanied by 

 its four young. One of the latter, which lie procured, did not differ materi- 

 ally from the old birds. 



He met with them only in swamjjy aud muddy places, and when ojjcned, 

 he always found their stomachs filled with fragments of coleopterous insects, 

 as well as small green worms, such as are common on water-plants. The 

 habits of this species most resemble those of the Prothonotary Warbler, 

 as the latter skips among the low bushes growing about ponds or in marshy 

 places. It is seldom seen on liigh ti-ees. Nothing is known as to theii- 

 nesting or eggs. 



