OF NE"W ENGLAND. 93 



slightly tinged with olive on the occiput. Greater and middle 

 wing-coverts, yellow, not so bright as the crown. Superciliary 

 line, cheeks, throat and entire under parts ; silky-white, with 

 a slight tinge of pale yellow on the breast. Dorsal surface 

 — exclusive of nape which is clear ashy — washed with yellow, 

 as are also the outer margins of the secondaries. A narrow 

 line of clear black passes from the base of the upper mandible, 

 through and to a short distance behind the eye, interrupted 

 however by the lower eyelid, which is distinctly white. No 

 traces of black upon the cheeks or throat, even upon raising 

 the feathers. Bill black. Feet, dark brown. Dimensions — 

 length, 5-19 ; extent, 7-88 ; wing, 2-45 ; tarsus, -71 ; tail, 1-86 ; 

 culmen, '53. 



"It will be seen from the above description that this bird 

 resembles most closely the Golden-winged Warbler {Helmin- 

 tJiojKtga chrysoptera.) 



"The entire absence of black or ashy on the cheeks and 

 throat, the peculiar character of the superciliary line, and the 

 white lower ej-elid, present however differences not to be recon- 

 ciled with any known seasonal or accidental variation of that 

 species. The restricted line of black through the eye gives 

 the head a remarkable similarity to that of Helminthophaga 

 pimts, but the semblance goes no farther. 



" The specimen above described was shot by the writer in 

 Newtonville, Mass., May 18, 1870. It was in full song when 

 taken and was flitting about in a thicket of birches near a 

 swampy piece of oak and maple woods. As nearly as can be 

 remembered it did not differ much in either voice or actions 

 from H. chrysojjtera. The first notice of this specimen ap- 

 peared in the ' American Sportsman,' vol. v, p. 33. * * * * 



"As previously remarked the diflTerences in coloration in the 

 present bird from any of its allies are so great, and of such a 

 nature, as to render any theory of accidental variation exceed- 

 ingly unlikely, while hybrids — at least among the smaller spe- 

 cies of undomesticated birds — are of such shadowy and prob- 

 lematical existence that their probable bearing upon the pres- 

 ent case is hardly worthy of consideration." 



