544 HIS TORY OF TUB 



Helminthophila celata (Say). 



ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER. 

 PLATE XXXI. 



Migratory; common. Arrive the last of April to first of 

 May; begin to return the last of August; the bulk leave in 

 September, a few remain until the last of October. 



B. 184. E. 86. C. 107. G. 37, 276. U. 646. 



Habitat. Northern North America; breeding from the Rocky 

 Mountains north into the Arctic regions; rare in the northeast- 

 ern United States; quite common in the Middle States and 

 throughout the Mississippi valley; wintering in the South At- 

 lantic and Gulf States and eastern Mexico. (Replaced from the 

 Alaskan peninsula southward along the Pacific coast into Lower 

 California, by JI. celata lutescens.) 



Sp. Chab. "Above, grayish olive greeu, rather brighter on the rump. Be- 

 neath, entirely greenish yellovpish white, except a little whitish abont the anus; 

 the sides tinged with grayish olivaceous. A concealed patch of pale orange 

 rufous on the crown, hidden by the grayish tips of the feathers. Eyelids and 

 ol*«cure superciliary line yellowish white; a dusky obscure streak through the 

 eye. Inner webs of tail feathers broadly edged with white. Female with 

 little or none of the orange on the crown, and the white edgings to inner webs 

 of tail feathers. Young lacking the orange entirely, and with two fulvous whit^ 

 ish bands on the wing." 



Dimensions of a pair in "The Goss Ornithological Collection:" 



stretch of 

 Length. xving. Wing, Tail. Tarsus. Bill, 



Male 4.70 7.50 2.35 2.00 .70 .41 



Female... 4.60 7.40 2.30 1.90 .68 .40 



Iris dark brown; bill dusky, with forks of under pale blue; 

 legs, feet and claws dark brown; bottoms of feet greenish yellow. 



These lively little birds frequent the groves, edges of wood- 

 lands, the gardens and shrubbery about our dwellings. In the 

 winter season I have usually met with them along the coast, in 

 thickets and scattering bushes upon the bottom lands. They 

 are rather unsuspicious birds, that, regardless of the intruder, 

 continue their search among the foliage for the leaf worms, etc., 

 and often dart from their perch and successfully capture the 

 passing insects. As they flit here and there, occasionally utter 

 a sharp "Chip," that sounds more like an alarm than a call 

 note. 



