SWAIN SON'S WARBLER. 569 



I found a fuw at New Providence, Bahainas, from the last of Jaini.irv, until April 8tli, 1 SS4. 

 They were common about Kingston, Jiiniaica in Febuarv, J88H, and I shot a single 

 specimen on April 5th of the same year on Cayman Brae. 



HELMITHERUS SWAIIMSONI. 

 Swainson's Warbler. 



Ht'Iiuithems swainsoni Ltunaji.. Cuuspectus, ISJO, ;!11. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Ch. Form, rather robust Size, quite large. Bill, Inig, stout anil aeurainate. Win^s, 1or» 

 Tail short and slightly rounded. Color. Adult. Abr.-e, reddish brown which is brightest on the to]) of 

 the head and palest on the back where there is a tinge of olivaceous. Strifie over the eye and entire under 

 parts, including under wing and under tail eoverts, yellowish white, with a tinge of pale olivaceous across 

 the breast. The sides and flanks are also pale olivaceous. Lores, dusky. Neck, brown. Bill, brown, 

 lighter on the lower side of tlie lower mamlible- Feet, pale brown. Sexes similar. Darker in the male 

 and young plumage. 



Description of the first Plumage of Ilelinaia swainsoni from a specimen in tlte collection of Mr. G. S. 

 Miller, Jr., taken near Charleston, S. C, June l-t, iSSli. 



Above, uniform reddish brown, with a slight indication of the lighter superciliary stripes of the adult, 

 l)ecoming olivaceous on the edges of the wing and tail feathers, which are of a clear, rather slaty brown 

 Beneath, quite light rufous brown, with the middle of the breast slightly darker, and the abdomen, under 

 wing and tail eOFerts, yellowish white, tinged with rnf .ms Bill, dark brown. Feet, pale brown. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



There is no need of confounding this species with 11. vermivorus as the latter has the top of the head 

 striped, while this has a rufously colored crown. Habitat, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and other Gulf' 

 States, during the breeding season ; winters in Cuba and Jamaica. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Measurements of Mr. Tha.xter's specimen taken from the skin. — Length, 5.^2'^ to ti.OO; wing, 2.75 t9 

 2.80 ; tail, 1.90 to 2.00 ; bill .65 to 70 ; tarsus, .70 to -SO. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 Nests, placed in high grass some distance above the ground. Composed of grasses and weeds. Eggs, 

 three or four in number, oval in f jrm. pure white in color, usually unspotted, but occasionally faintly 

 marked with dots of reddish on the kirger end. Dimensions, from .52 by .(iS to .!I2 by .71). 



HABITS. 



The first Florida specimen of Swain.sun's Warbler was taken by Mr. L. L Tha.xter 



on the St. John's River, April lutli, 18G9. At that time, tliis was an exceedingly i-are bird 



in collections, but since that time, many specimens have been taken mainly in the vicinity 



of Charleston, South Carolina. Tliey have also been 



found to breed there in Ma\-, June, and July. The 



nest is placed among the stalks of high grass on fresh 



water marshes. 



Judging from the number of skins -wliich 1 found 



in the Museum of the Institute of Jamaica at Kingston, 



-c- CO w c\- TO this must l)e a common winter s])e<'iea on the island, 



Fig. 83. Uing of loungWorm- ' 



catiniT Warbler, although I did not see any specunens ni my walks 



about Kin^•ston nor about Spanish Town. 



