SYLVICOLID^E — THE WARBLERS. 195 



Helminthophaga pinus, Baird. 



BLUE -WINGED YELLOW WARBLER. 



Certhia pinus, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 187. Sylvia pinus. Lath., Vieill. (not of Wil- 

 son). HclmintJwphaga pinus, Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 254 ; Rev. 174. — Sclater 

 • & Salvin, Ibis, 1, 1859, 11 (Guatemala). — Sclater, Catal. 1861, 28, no. 176. Sylvia 

 solitaria, Wilson, Am. Orn. H, pi. xv. — Aud. Orn. Biog. I, pi. xx. Sylvicola sol. 

 Rich. Vermivora sol. Sw. Helinaia sol. Aud. Birds Am. II, pi. cxi. Helmithertis 

 sol. Bon. — Sclater, P. Z. S. 1856, 291 (Cordova). Helmintlwplmga sol. Cab. 



Sp. Char. Upper parts and cheeks olive-green, brightest on the rnmp; the wings, tail, 

 and upper tail-coverts, in part, bluish-gray. An intensely black patch from the blue-black 

 bill to the eye, continued a short distance behind it. Crown, except behind, and the under 

 parts generally, rich orange-yellow. The inner wing and under tail-coverts white. Eye- 

 lids, and a short line above and behind the eye, brighter yellow. Wing with two white 

 bands. Two outer tail-feathers with most of the inner web, third one with a spot at the 

 end. white. Female and young similar, duller, with more olivaceous on the crown. Length, 

 4.50; wing, 2.40; tail, 2.10. 



Hab. Eastern United States and Mexico to Guatemala (Cordova; Coban). Not 

 noted from West Indies. 



Habits. The Blue-winged Yellow Warbler is not known so far to the 

 north as New England, and is rare even in Eastern and Southern New York. 

 It seems to be distributed through the United States from Pennsylvania to 

 Florida, and from the Mississippi Valley eastward. It has also been taken 

 in Central America. Mr. Trippe states that it breeds in the vicinity of 

 Orange, N. Y. Mr. Audubon found it abundant in the barrens of Ken- 

 tucky, and as far north on the Mississippi as St. Genevieve. 



In regard to the song of this bird, Mr. Trippe states that its notes are very 

 forcible and characteristic. Once heard, they will alwaj^s be remembered. 

 He describes them as a rapid chirrup resembling chuuchich, Iz -a-re-r r r r r , 

 uttered very quickly. According to Mr. Ridgway, they are wonderfully 

 similar to the rude lisping chirrup of the Coturniculm passcriniis. 



Wilson says that these Warl)lers come from the South early in May, fre- 

 quenting thickets and shrul)l)eries in search of insects, which they seek in 

 the branches. They are also fond of visiting gardens and orchards, gleaning 

 for insects among the low bushes. They generally build their nests on the 

 edge of sequestered woods. These Mr. Wilson states to have been, in every 

 instance observed by him, fixed on the ground, in a thick tussock of long 

 grass, and built in the form of an inverted cone, the sides being formed 

 of the dry bark of strong fibrous weeds lined with fine dry grasses. These 

 materials, he remarks, are not arranged in the usual circular manner, but 

 shelve downward from the top, the mouth being wide and the bottom narrow. 

 He describes the eggs as five in number, pure white, with a few faint dots 

 of reddish near the larger end. The young appear the first week in June. 

 The nests were always in an open but retired part of tlie woods, and were 

 all as thus described. 



