520 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Genus GEOTHLYPIS Cabanis. (Page 482, pi. CXVIL, figs. 4-7.) 



Species. 



Common Characters. — Above plain olive or olive-green, the head usually more 

 or less different in color ; beneath yellow, the anterior portions sometimes grayish 

 or blackish, and belly sometimes whitish ; adult males of some species with black 

 patch on sides of head. Nest on or near ground, among bushes or weeds. Eggs 

 white, speckled, more or less, with brownish. 



a^. Bill slender, little if any deeper than broad, its greatest depth much less than 

 half its length from nostril, the culmen only slightly or moderately curved. 

 b^. Tail decidedly shorter than wing, with more than the basal half concealed 

 by the coverts ; first quill longer than fifth (sometimes longest) ; out- 

 stretched feet reaching nearly (sometimes quite) to end of tail. (Sub- 

 genus Oporornis Baird.) 

 c\ Entire lower parts pure gamboge-yellow ; forehead and sides of head 

 black, with a bright j^ellow superciliary stripe, involving hinder as 

 well as upper border of eye ; feathers of crown tipped with slate- 

 gray. (Sexes alike in color.) 



Adult : Above plain bright olive-green (except as described 

 above), beneath continuous pure gamboge-yellow; m winter, 

 similar, but gray tips to feathers on top of head more tinged 

 with brown, and black on side of head somewhat obscured by 

 grayish brown tips to the feathers. Young : Above olive-brown 

 (including top and sides of head), the back and scapulars more 

 decidedly brown ; wing-coverts tipped with light tawny brown ; 

 wings otherwise, and tail, as in adult ; beneath plain light dull 

 olive, paler and more yellowish posteriorly ; no black nor yel- 

 low on sides of head. Length 5.00-5.85, wing 2.55-2.80, tail 

 1.90-2.20, tarsus .80-.90. Nest a very bulky structure of dried 

 leaves, etc., lined with fine (usually black ?) rootlets, on ground, 

 in woods. Eggs .72 X -56, white, or cream}'- white, speckled or 

 spotted with brown, reddish brown, and lilac-gray. Hob. East- 

 ern United States (chiefly west of Alleghanies), north to Great 

 Lakes and southern New England ; in winter, south to Cuba, 

 and through eastern Mexico and Central America to Panama. 

 677. G. formosa (Wils.). Kentucky "Warbler. 

 c^ Only the breast, belly, and under tail-coverts pure yellow, the chin, 

 throat, and chest grayish (sometimes mixed with black) in adult 

 males, light grayish, dull light smoky buff", or dingy yellowish in 

 adult females and immature birds ; no yellow on sides of head, nor 

 black on top or sides of head, except sometimes on lores. (Sexes 

 decidedly different in color.) 



