120 BIKDS OF ILLINOIS. 



across the river in pairs and alitilitini^ will up. On June Ist be 

 bad no trouble in seeing them and procuring specimens. They 

 were occupied around the dead stumps, about ten feet from the 

 ground. On the 8th of June he gave his attention to hunting for 

 their nests, and found several. Young were found tlying about 

 June 16th. Mr. Coule says that "the Prothonotary Warbler is the 

 most abundant summer resident of this locality, excepting perhaps 

 the White-bellied Swallow and Kedstart. Probably from forty to 

 sixty pairs of the two former species were breeding within a dis- 

 tance of two miles." He regards the Kankakee as the northern 

 limit of the breeding range of the species. He notes it as having 

 been seen or taken in Cook county, however, near Chicago, in May 

 1883. 



Genos HELINAIA Auddbon. 



Helinaia AuD. Synopsis. IxRi, lio. Type. Sylt^ia sirainnonii Aid. 



Gen. <h.'— Bill nearly as lonj; as the head, somewhat compressed, especially toward 

 the c'ulmen, which is elevated biLsally where it extends backward, as a rather promiDcnt 

 ridge well between the frontal apices. 



This genus much resembles Ilelinitheros in general appearance, 

 but differs in having a considerably longer and more compressed 

 bill, the ridge of which is compressed, elevated, and appears to 

 extend backwards on the forehead, as well as to be in a straight 

 line with the upper part of 'the head. The wings are longer, the 

 tail forked, not rounded ; the feathers narrower and more pointed ; 

 the tarsi shorter. In form it is still nearer Protoiiotdria, but the bill 

 is quite different in shape, while the coloration is widely diverse. 



The single species is perhaps the plainest colored of American 

 Warl)lerH, l)eing uniform olive-brown above (the head more rufous) 

 and dingy yellowish-white below. 



Mr. Brewster remarks as follows conceniing the relationships of 

 this genus : 



•"Char. Bill lone, robust at base, taporins to a sharp point, smooth or sllchtly notched 

 at tip; the eulmen slichlly curved, its ruico oompresst'd, elevated, and extendinc well 

 back on the forehead, resemblinB in this, a- in some other respects, the bill of the Meadow 

 Lark iSlnmella), Wings lonit. rather rounded, the first quill always shorter than the 

 second and third, which are about equal. Tarsus stout, siiehtly lonuerthan the middle 

 toe. Feet large, flesh-oolored. Jitninentlu lerresiriaW Bbewstku, Auk, Jan. lsS5, p. 76.) 



