Wayne: Birds op South Carolina. 151 



individual was taken at Chester on August 30, 1887, by Mr. 

 Leverett M. Loomis and recorded by him in the Auk.^ 



"'^249. Helmitheros vermivorus (Gmel.). Worm -eating 

 Ware ler. 



This transient visitant has been noted from April 7 to May 3, 

 and from July 3 to September 29. The specimen taken July 

 3, 1884, was evidently hatched not far from Charleston (it was 

 shot near Ten Mile Hill), as it appeared to be a young bird. On 

 August 1, 1902, I obtained an individual which was moulting 

 and could scarcely fly. This bird must have bred near at hand, 

 but I have not as yet proved that this species breeds here. 



Audubon states in Birds of America i^ 



My friend Dr. Bachman says that it breeds sparingly in the swamps of Caro- 

 lina. He observed a pair followed by three or four young ones nearly fledged, 

 all of which already exhibited the markings on the head. 



While it is possible that this species bred in the swamps 

 in Dr. Bachman's day, it does not do so at the present time; 

 neither does it breed in Chester county, where Mr. Leverett M. 

 Loomis spent many years observing birds, but it was found 

 breeding by him at Caesar's Head and Mt. Pinnacle.^ 



This warbler is rare in spring and seldom sings; in fact I have 

 heard but one during all these years and that one, which was in 

 full song, was taken on April 16, 1901. The song of this species 

 very closely resembles that of Bachman's Warbler. During the 

 autumn migration the birds are really common, especially from 

 the middle of August to September 3. On some days it is by 

 no means unusual to meet with a dozen in the course of a few 

 hours. 



The Worm-eating Warbler is a swamp lover and is seldom seen 

 on the high land except during the migrations, and the few spec- 

 imens which I have encountered in such situations always appear- 

 ed to be very restless and out of their natural environment. 



A generic character of the genus Helmitheros is the absence 

 of white margins or spots from the rectrices. The specimen 

 which was in song on April 16, 1901, referred to above, has two 

 of the outer rectrices on each side very widely margined with 

 pure white; the next rectrix, on each side, is also margined with 

 white, but the area is less. This specimen, an adult male, closely 



1 IV, 1887, 347. 2 II, 87. 3 Auk, VIII, 1891, 331, and VII, 1890, 127. 



