184 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Protonotaria citrea, Uxuib. 



PROTHONOTARY WARBLER; GOLDEN SWAMP WARBLER. 



MotaciUa citrea, Buuu. Tabl. 1783 (PI. eul. 704, fig. 2). Protonotaria citrea, IJaikd, Birds 

 N. Am. 1858, 239; Kev. 173. — Sclater, Catal. 1861, 26, no. 166. — Gundl. Cab. 

 Jour. 1861, 324 (Cuba ; very rare). ffelmintJiophaga citrea, Cab. Jour. 1861, 85 (Costa 

 Rica). MotaciUa protonotarius, Gm. Sylvia prot. Lath. — Vieill. Ois. Am. Sept. 

 II, pi. Ixxxiii. — Wilson, Am. Orn. Ill, \A. xxiv. fig. 2. — Aud. Orn. Biog. II, pi. 

 iii. Vermivora prot. Bon. Helinaia prot. AuD. Helmitlierus prot. Bon. Comp- 

 sothhjpis prot. Cab. Jour. MotaciUa auricoUis, Gmel. I, 1788, 984. Sylvia aiir. 

 Lath., etc. (based on Le Grand Figuier du Caimdu, Bklsson, Oi^. Ill, 1760, 508, pi. 

 xxvi, fig. 1). Female. Sylvicola aur. Nutt. Man. I, 1840, 431. 



Sp. Char. Bill very large ; as long as the head. Head and neck all round, with the 

 entire under parts, including the tibiie, rich yellow^, excepting the anal region and under 

 tail-coverts, which are Avhite. Back dark olive-green, with a tinge of yellow ; rump, 

 upper tail-coverts, wings, and tail above, bluish ash-color. Inner margin of quills and the 

 tail-feathers (except the innermost) white ; the outer webs and tips like the back. Length, 

 5.40 ; wing, 2.90 ; tail, 2.25. 



Hab. Eastern Province of United States (Southern region) ; Cuba, Costa Rica, and 

 Panama R. R. Not recorded from Mexico or Guatemala. Accidental in New Brunswick 

 (Gr. A. Boardman in letter). Yucatan (Lawrence). 



This is one of tlie very handsomest of American Warblers, the yellow of the 

 head and lower parts Leing of a pureness and mellowness scarcely approached 

 l)y any other species. In a highly colored male from Southern Illinois (No. 

 10,111, Mississippi Bottom, Union Co., April 23 ; E. Kennicott) it is stained 

 in spots, particularly over the eyes and on the neck, with a beautiful cad- 

 mium-orange. 



Habits. In regard to the habits of this beautiful and interesting Warbler 



we receive but little light from the ob- 

 servations of older ornithological writers. 

 Its geographical distribution is some- 

 what erratic and irregular. It does not 

 appear to be distributed over a very 

 wide range. It occurs as a migrant in 

 the West Indies and in Central Ameri- 

 ca. In the United States it is found 

 in the Southern region, but farther west 

 the range widens, and in the Mississippi 

 Valley it is found as far north as Kansas, 

 Southern and Central Illinois, and Missouri. Accidental specimens have been 

 obtained as far to the northeast as Calais, though unknown to all the Eastern 

 States as far south as Southern Virginia. It was met w4th by none of the gov- 

 ernment parties except by Dr. Woodhouse, who found it abundant in Texas. 

 Mr. Audubon observed them, near Louisville, Kentucky, frequenting creeks 

 and lagoons overshadoM'ed by large trees. These were their favorite places 



Protonotaria 



