Wayne: Birds of South Carolina. 149 



Prothonotary Warbler begins to migrate from the localities where 

 it has bred by the middle of July. 



This species breeds from Florida to Virginia and in the interior 

 to Minnesota. In winter it has been found as far south as Vene- 

 zuela. 



•^248. Helinaia swainsonii Aud. Swainson's Warbler. 



Swainson's Warbler was discovered by Dr. John Bachman in 

 the spring of 183/^ near the banks of the Edisto River, and was 

 named by Audubon in honor of William Swainson, a celebrated 

 English ornithologist. ' 



From the time of its discovery by Dr. Bachman, until April, 



1884, it was practically a lost species. On April 22, 1884, I 

 secured my first specimen within seven miles of Charleston dur- 

 ing a driving rain-storm, and about one week later, my friend 

 Mr. Wilham Brewster of Cambridge, Mass., who had come to 

 Charleston the previous year to search for this bird, as well as 

 for Bachman's Warbler, shot a specimen on James Island. From 

 April 22 to September 25, I secured and preserved forty-seven 

 specimens, including the young in first plumage. An account of 

 the habits and description of the young, based upon specimens 

 which I collected, was published by Mr. Brewster in the Auk.^ 



Although I was unable to find the nest and eggs in 1884, I 

 made every exertion to find them the next year, and on June 6, 



1885, I secured the first nest and two eggs that were known to 

 science, while on June 30, of the same year, I obtained another 

 nest which contained three eggs. A description of the nest and 

 two eggs taken on June 6, was published by Mr. Brewster in For- 

 est and Stream.^ These eggs are dull white with a bluish tinge, 

 measuring .75X.59 and .74X.59. They are now in the Smithsonian 

 Institution. The nest and three eggs taken June 30, were also 

 described by Mr. Brewster in the Auk.* 



The eggs are normally white with a faint bluish tinge, but are 

 sometimes spotted with reddish brown and cinnamon. Spotted 

 eggs are, however, very rare and I have found only four or five 

 nests containing them, as follows: May 15 and 26, 1890, Yemas- 

 see; June 30, 1885, Charleston; May 6, 1891, Hardeeville; and 

 May 7, 1894, Wacissa River, Florida. A set of four eggs meas- 



i See Birds of America, II, 83-85. 2 n, iggs, 65-80. 



» XXIV, No. 24, July 9, 1885. * II, 1885, 346-348. 



