SYLVICOLID^ — SYLVICOLIN^ : TRUE WARBLERS. 291 



as to obscure the dorsal patch, which is then not very different from the rest of the upper parts. 

 White tail-spots smaller, generally confined to two uuter feathers on each side. White wing- 

 bauds narrower. Edging of tail and wings tinged witli greenish, like the back. Eyelids not 

 spotted with white. Yellow of fore under parts pale, with little or no indication of the dusky 

 across the jugulum. White of the under parts tinged with yellowish posteriorly, and fre- 

 quently showing brownish touches along the sides. Eastern U. S. and British Provinces ; W. 

 sometimes to the Rocky Mts. ; migratory ; breeds in the greater part of its N. American range, 

 but chiefly northerly; winters from Florida southward. An elegant, diminutive species, abun- 

 dant in high open woods, where it is generally observed fluttering among the smallest twigs 

 and terminal foliage. Nest iu trees, an elaborate woven structure of mosses and lichens ; eggs 

 •1-5, 0.62 X 0.48, white with the usual sprinkling of reddish and other dots. 

 94. P. nigrilo'ra. (Lat. niger, black; lorum, a bridle; applied to the space between eye and 

 bill of a bird.) Sennett's Warbler. ^, adult : Upper parts of the same ashy-blue color 

 as in P. americana, with a dorsal patch of greenish -yellow exactly as iu that species. Wings 

 also as in americana, dusky, with grayish-blue outer, and whitish inner, edgings, and crossed 

 by two conspicuous white bars across tips of greater and middle coverts. Tail as in ameri- 

 cana, but the white spots smaller and almost restricted to two outer feathers on each side. 

 Eyelids black, toithoid white marks. Lores broadly and intensely black, this color extending 

 as a naiTow frontal line to meet its fellow across base of culmen, and also reaching back to 

 invade the auriculars, on which it shades through dusky to the general bluish. Under parts 

 yellow as far as the middle of the belly, and a little farther on the flanks, and also spreading up 

 the sides of the jaw to involve part of the mandibular and malar region ; on the fore breast 

 deepening into rich orange, but showing nothing of the orange-chestnut and blackish of P. 

 americana. Lower belly, flanks and crissum white. Bill black above, yellow below. Legs 

 xmdefinable light horn-color. Length about 4.50; wing 2.00-2.20; tail l.SO-1.90 ; bill 

 fi'om nostril 0.38-0.40 ; tarsus 0-62-0.65 ; middle toe alone 0.40. Texas. Another little 

 exquisite, recently added to our fauna ; quite distinct from, though resembling, P. americana; 

 coming nearer P. pitiayumi, a Mexican species. 



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

 Swamp Warblers. Bill of great size, nearly as long as head, compi-essed, conic, acute, with 

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

 the short, nearly even, spotted tail. Tarsus equal to middle toe and claw. One species. 



1)5. P. cit'rea. (Lat. citrea, pertaining to the citron ; i. e., yellow.) Prothonotary Warbler. 

 Golden -yellow, paler on the belly, changing to olivaceous on the back, thence to bluish-ashy 

 on the rump, wings, and tail ; most of the tail-feathers largely white on the 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 highest 

 feather the yeUow of the head sometimes becomes orange-red. Eastern United States, south- 

 erly ; north casually to Maine, New Brunswick, and Ohio ; regularly to Illinois and Kansas : 

 west to Indian Territory and Texas ; winters extra-limital. A beautiful species, of striking 

 forui and colors, and sedate manners, inhabiting swamps and tbickets ; nest in holes, or other 

 sheltered cavities in trees, stumps, and logs, of the most miscellaneous materials ; eggs 4-5, 

 0.68 X 0.54, creamy white, ])rofusely speckled. 



36. HELMINTHE'RUS. (Gr. eX/xty, gen. eX^tr^or, helmis, helmintlws, a bug; %, an animal; 

 i. e., e\iJiiv6odrjpas, helminthotheras, a bug-hunter; like vermivora, worm-eating.) WORM- 

 eating Swamp Warblers. Bill large, conic-acute, especially high and stout at the base, 

 nearly or quite 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. 



96. H. vermi'vorus. (Lat. vermivorus, worm-eating; vermis, a worm, uoro, I devour. Fig. 162.) 



