232 MXIOTILTID^. 



2. Helminthothenis swainsoni. 



Sylvia swainsoni, Auduh. B. Amer. pi. 198 ; id. Orn. Biu(jr. ii. p. 503 



(1834). 

 Sylvicola swainsoni, Richards. Rep. Brit. Assoc. 1836-37, p. 171. 

 Yermivora swainsoni, Bp. Comp. List B. Eur. Sf N. Amer. p. 21 



Helinaia swainsoni, Audvb. Si/n. p. 60 (1839) ; id. B. Amer. ii. p. 83, 



pi. 104 (1841). 

 Muiotilta swainsoni, Gray, Gtn. B. i. p. 190 (1848) ; id. Hand-l. B. 



i. p. 239, no. 3464 (1869). 

 Helmitlieros swainsoni, Cab. Mas. Ilein. Th. i. p. 20 (1850) ; Bp. 



Consp. i. p. 314 (1850). 

 Helmitherus swainsoni, Baird, B. K. Amer. p. 180 (1858) ; Allen, 



Proc. JSss. Inst. iv. p. 82 (1804) ; Baird, Reviejv Amer. B. p. 180 



(1865); Allen, Am. Nat. iii. p. 576 (1869); Coues, Key N. Amer. 



B. p. 93 (1872) ; Gundl. J. f. O. 1872, p. 412 ; Muynard, B. 



Florida, p. 47 (1873) ; Baird, 'Brewer, ^ Ridgio. Hist. N. Amer. B. 



i. p. 190, pi. 10. fig. 9, iii. p. 504 (1874); Brezcer, Proc. Bost. Soc. 



N. H. xvii. p. 451 (1875); Coiws, B. Color. Vail. p. 213 (1878). 

 Helminthophaga swainsoni, Allen, Amer. Nat. iii. p. 513 (1809). 

 Helonaea swainsoni, Ridqiv. Pr. U.S. Nat. Mus. iii. p. 171 (1880) ; 



id. Bull. U.S. Nat. 3Ius. no. 21, p. 16 (1881). 

 Helmintliotherus swainsoni, Salvin S)- Godm. Biol. Centr.-Amer., Aves, 



i. p. 112 (1880) ; A. ^ E. Nnvt. Handb. Jamaica, p. 105 (1881). 

 Helmintherus swainsoni, Coiws, Check-list, p. 35 (1882) ; id. Key N. 



Amer. B. 2nd ed. p. 292 (1884). 



Adult male. General colour above dull russet-brown, with a slight 

 olive tinge on the back ; lesser and median wing-coverts like the 

 back; greater coverts, bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and quills 

 dusky, externally russet-brown like the back, the primaries a little 

 paler ; rump and upper tail-coverts a little deeper russet than the 

 rest of the back ; tail-feathers dusky, externally russet-brown tinged 

 with olive ; head clearer rufous than the back, with a fairly indicated 

 pale streak along the middle of the forehead ; eyebrow pale ochreous 

 or yellowish white ; loi'es dusky ; ear-coverts reddish brown ; sides 

 of neck ashy olive ; cheeks and under surface of body pale yellowish, 

 the sides of the fore neck and of the chest washed with pale ashy ; 

 the sides of the body and flanks as well as the thighs olive-brown ; 

 under tail-coverts white, slightly washed with yellow, and with pale 

 brown bases ; axillaries pale yellowish ; under wing-coverts dusky, 

 edged with pale yellowish ; quills dusky below, ashy along the inner 

 web : " upper mandible dark brown, lower mandible yellowish ; legs 

 and toes flesh-colour; iris dark brown" {E. Neiuton). Total length 

 5-2 inches, culmen 0-65, wing 2-7, tail 1-85, tarsus 0-7. (J/ms. E. 

 Neivton.) 



Adult female. Similar in plumage to the male. Total length 5-2 

 inches, culmen 0-7, wing 2-8, tail 1-9, tarsus 0-7. {Mas. E. Neivton.) 



The adult male was killed on the 31st of December, and the 

 female on the 16th of March. There is little or no diflPerence 

 between them ; but a female killed on the 1st of October is darker 

 russet-brown, the head being scarcely more rufous than the back ; 

 the under surface yellowish white, the fore neck and sides of the 



