26o 



SINGING BIRDS. 



GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER. 



Helminthophila chrysoptera. 



Char. Above, bluish gray .; crown yellow ; side of head yellowish 

 white, with broad patch of black from bill through eyes ; two wing-bars, 

 yellow ; blotches on tail white ; beneath, white tinged with yellow ; throat 

 black ; sides tinged with gray. Length about 5 inches. 



Nest. Amid a tuft of long grass, in moist meadow or damp margin of 

 woods ; constructed of shreds of bark, roots, etc., lined with fine grass. 



Eggs. 4-6; white spotted with brown and lilac; 0.65 X 0.50. 



This scarce species appears only a few days in Pennsylvania 

 about the last of April or beginning of May. It darts actively 

 through the leafy branches, and like the Titmouse examines the 

 stems for insects, and often walks with the head downwards ; 

 its notes and actions are also a good deal similar, in common 

 with the Worm-eating W^arbler. I have never yet seen it in 

 Massachusetts, and if it really does proceed north to breed, it 

 must follow a western route. 



The Golden-wing still remains a somewhat "scarce" bird, but it 

 occurs regularly in Connecticut and southern Massachusetts, and 

 in some few localities is often quite numerous. Its general breeding 

 area lies north of latitude 40°, though nests have been found among 

 the hills of Georgia and North Carolina. To the westward it breeds 

 in Ohio, southern Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, and in the 

 vicinity of London, Ontario, where Saunders reports it quite com- 

 mon. It winters south to Central America. 



