MNIOTILTID.E: AMERICAN WARBLERS. 309 



narrow frontal line to meet its fellow across base of culmen, and also reaching back to invade 

 auriculars, on which it shades through dusky to the general bluish. Under jjarts yellow as 

 far as middle of belly, a little farther on flanks, also spreading on sides of the jaw to involve 

 part of mandibular and malar region ; on fore breast deepening into rich orange, but showing 

 nothing of the orauge-chestuut and blackish of C. americana. Lower belly, flanks and cris- 

 sum white. Bill black above, yellow below. Legs light horn-color. Length about 4.50 ; 

 wing 2.00-2.20; tail 1.80-1.90; bill from nostrils 0.38-0.40; tarsus 0.62-0^6.5; middle toe 

 alone 0.40. Texas, in the valley of the Lower Rio Grande, and southward in Mexico. Another 

 little exquisite, which I added to our fauna in 1878. 



PROTONOTA'RIA. (Low Lat. protonotarius, first notary, or scribe; whyf) Golden 

 Swamp Warblers. Bill of great size, nearly as long as head, compressed, conic, acute, 

 with slightly notched tip and scarcely bristled rictus. Wings pointed, unmarked, much 

 longer than the short, nearly even, tail. Tarsus about equal to middle toe and claw. One 

 s]K'cies. 



P. cit'rea. (Lat. citrea, pertaining to the citron; i. e., yellow.) Prothonotary War- 

 Bi,ER. Adult ^ 9 • Golden-yellow, paler on belly, changing to olivaceous on back, thence 

 to bluish-ashy on rump, wings, and tail ; most of the tail-feathers largely white on inner 

 webs ; no other special markings ; bill entirely black, very large, at least 0.50 long. Length 

 about 5.50; extent 9.25; wing 2.75-3.00; tail 2.25; tarsus 0.75. Sexes similar. In high- 

 est feather the yellow of the head sometimes becomes orange-red. Eastern U. S., southerly; 

 N. to Virginia, southern Michigan, and S. E. Minnesota, casually to Maine and Ontario, 

 W. to Kansas, Nebraska, Indian Territory, and Texas ; winters extra-limital. A beautiful 

 species, of striking form and colors, and sedate manners, inhabiting swamps and thickets ; 

 nest in holes or other sheltered cavities in trees, stumps, and logs, of the most miscellaneous 

 materials; eggs usually 4-5, but varying 3-7, 0.68 X 0.54, creamy white, profusely speckled 

 with brown and gray. 



HEL3IITHE'RUS. (Gr. tXfiis, gen. eXfjLivdos, hehnis, helminthos, a bug; dijpav, to hunt; 

 6t]p, an animal; i.e., iXfiivdodrjpas, helminthotheras, a bug-hunter; like verinirora, worm- 

 eating.) Worm-eating Swamp Warblers. Bill large, conic-acute, especially high and 

 stout at base, nearly as long as head, unnotched and scarcely or not bristled. Wings rather 

 pointed, much longer than the little rounded tail. Tarsus about equal to middle toe and claw. 

 Sexes similar ; tail-feathers unmarked ; legs pale. Two very distinct species were formerly 

 included in this genus, as in all former eds. of the Key. It is now restricted to one of them. 

 The name of the genus is Helmitheros Raf., Journ. Phys., 1819, p. 417, cited as Hehnitherus 

 by Baird, 1858, by me in orig. ed. of the Key, 1872, and so given in the A. 0. U. Lists, 1886 

 and 1895 ; given as Helmintherus by me in 2d-4th eds. of the Key, 1884-1890, and in the Cen- 

 tury Dictionary; given as Hehninthotherus in the British Museum Catalogue, 1885; probably 

 the most classic form we could use would be Helminthotheras. 



H. vermi'vorus. (Lat. rerwirorMS, worm-eating; vermis, a, woTm; roro, I devour. Fig. 166.) 

 Worm-eating Warbler. Adult ^ 9'- Olive, below 

 huffy, paler or wliitish on belly; head buff, with four black 

 stripes, two along sides of crown from bill to nape, one 

 along each side of head through eye ; wings and tail oliva- 

 ceous, unmarked ; iris dark brown ; upper mandible brown, 

 lower mandible and feet pale ; bill acute, unbristled, un- 

 notched, at least 0.50. Length 5.50; extent 8.75; wing 

 2.75-3.00; tail 2.00-2.25. The distinctive head-stripes Fio. icc. — Worm-eating Warbler, nat. 



appear before the bird is fully fledged, when the upper "^^- ^^^- "**• ^^^- ^- ^■'> 

 parts are brownish, and the wing-coverts have buff tips. Eastern U. S., rather southerly, 

 but N. regularly to Middle States and Connecticut ; west to Kansas, Missouri, and Indian 



