DENDRCECID^ — THE WARBLERS — HELlVIIiSrTHOPHAGA. 83 



Helminthophaga celata, Say. 



THE ORANGE-CROWNED WABBLER. 



Sylvia celata, Say, Long's Expcil. H. Mts. I. 1823, 169. — Bonaparte, Am. Oni. L 1825, 

 45 ; p]. V. f. 2. — Sylvia (Daaiis) celata, Nuttall, Man. I. 1832, 413, Vermivora, 2d ed. 



273. AuDUBOX, Orn. Biog. II. 1834, 449 ; pi. 178. — Ilelinaia celata, Addubon, Syn. 



1839, 69. Ib. Birds Anier. II. 1841, 100; pi. 112. — Helmintliophaya celata, Baird, P. 

 R. Rep. IX. Birds, 257. — IIeermann, X. vi. 40. — Cooper and Suckley, XII. iii. 

 Zool. of W. T. 178. 



Sp. Guar. Above, olive-grccii, rather brighter on the rump. Beneath, entirely gi-een- 

 ish-yellow, except a little whitish about the anus ; the sides tinged with olivaceous. A 

 concealed patch of pale brownish-orange on the crown, hidden by the olivaceous tips to 

 the feathers. Eyelids and an obscure superciliary line yellowish, a dusky obscure streak 



through the eye. No white spots on wings or tail of /e7na?e, with little or none of the 

 orange on the crown. Length, 4.75 ; e.\tent, 7 ; wing, 2 25 ; tail, 2.00. Iris, feet, and bill 

 brown ; lower mandible yellow. In fall, the bill yellow, and feet and head blue. 

 Hab. Mississippi River to the Pacific ; south to Northern Me.xico. 



An abundant and constant resident everywhere near the coast south of 

 San Francisco, and extending in siimmer to the summits of the Sierra 

 Nevada, and north to Puget's Sound. 



They frequent the low shrubbery, even -wliere it forms the only vegeta- 

 tion, covering entire mountains, and Avhere there is no water for many 

 miles. There this plain little bird is entirely at home, busily seeking 

 for insects from morning till night, and usually showing its presence only 

 by a harsh chirp wlieii alarmed. About February 1st, at San Diego, and a 

 moiitli later near San Francisco, tlie males begin to sing their simple trill, 

 which is low, but rather musical, and audible for a long distance in tlie 

 silent regions tliey inhabit. Tliey also frequent high trees in open places, 

 but not the evergreen forests ; and I have seen one on the barren, water- 

 less island of Santa Barbara. 



I have searched frequently for their nests, but never succeeded in finding 

 one. Audvtbon speaks of finding them in New Brunswick in fir-trees, built 

 of lichens and grass, and lined with fine fibres and feathers. The eggs 

 were four, pale green, with small lilack spots. 



