200 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



lower tail-coverts, wliicli are lemon-yellow ; there is scarcely a tinge of yellow 

 on the jugnlum, and not a trace of chestnut on the crown. 



Habits. But little is as yet known in regard to the habits and distribution 

 of this somewhat rare and recently discovered species. It was first met with 

 by Dr. W. W. Anderson, at Fort Burgwyn in New Mexico, and described 

 by Professor Baird in 18G0, in a. note to .the explanation of Vol. II. of the 

 Birds of North America. It was named in honor of Mrs. Virginia Ander- 

 son, the wife of its discoverer. An immature individual of this species was 

 obtained August 15, 1864, by Dr. Coues, at Fort Whipple, near Prescott, in 

 the Territory of Arizona. As it bears a close resemblance to the Helmin- 

 thophaga ruficapilla, it is not improbable that its habits bear a very close 

 resemblance to those of that species. 



In the summer of 1869, Mr. Robert Ridgway was so fortunate as to meet 

 with the nest and eggs of this bird near Salt Lake, Utah (Smitli. Coll. 

 15,239). This was June 9. The nest was embedded in the deposits of 

 dead or decaying leaves, on ground covered by dense oak-brush. Its rim 

 was just even with the surface. It was built on the side of a narrow ravine 

 at the Ijottom of which was a small stream. The nest itself is two inches 

 in depth by three and a half in diameter. It consists of a loose but intri- 

 cate interweaving of fine strips of the inner bark of the mountain mahog- 

 any, fine stems of grasses, roots, and mosses, and is lined with the same 

 with tlie addition of the fur and hair of the smaller animals. 



The eggs were four in number, and measure .64 by .47 of an inch. They 

 are of a rounded-ovoid sliape, have a white ground with a slightly roseate 

 tinge, and are profusely spotted with numerous small blotches and dots of 

 purplish-brown and lilac, forming a crown around tlie larger end. 



This bird was first observed by Mr. Ridgway among the cedars and pines 

 of the East Humboldt Mountains, where in July it was quite common. It 

 was very abundant in the Wahsatch Mountains near Salt Lake City, through- 

 out the summer chiefly inhabiting the thickets of scrub-oak on the slopes of 

 the canons in which they nested, and where they were daily seen, but where, 

 owing to the thickness of the bushes, they were with difficulty obtained. He 

 describes its song as almost exactly like that of Dendroica cestiva. The 

 usual note is a &oii pit, quite different from the sharp chii) of H. cclata. 



Helminth ophaga luciae, Cooper. 



LUCY'S WARBLER. 



Hclminthiqihaga lucice, Cooper, Pr. Cal. Acad. July, 1861, 120 (Fort Mohave). — Baird, 

 Rev. Am. B. 1864> 178. — Elliot, lUust. Birds N. Am. I, v. — Cooper, Orn. Cal. I, 

 1870, 84. 



Sp. Char. G-eneral form and size that of H. ruficapilla. Above Hght-cinereous ; beneath 

 white, liaving a soiled, very pale buff, almost white tinge on the throat, breast, and flanks. 



