Descriptive List 277 



Genus Vermivora (Ridgw.) 



KEY TO SPECIES 



1. Tail-feathers with distinct white blotches. See 2. 



1. None of the tail-feathers blotched with white. See 6. 



2. Wings plain olive-green. Bachman's Warbler. 



2. Wings with gi-eater and middle coverts tipped more or less broadlv with white or vellow. 



See 3. 



3. Throat and ear-coverts black in male, dusky in female. 



3. Throat pure yellow or white in both sexes. 



4. Cheeks and lower parts W'hite. Golden-unngeil Warbler. 



5. Lower parts pure yellow. Blve-uinged Warbler. 



6. Wing an inch longer than the short tail. Tennessee Warbler. 



6. Wing only half an inch longer than tail. See 7. 



7. Head olive-green above, no orbital ring. Oriinge-croicned Warbler. 

 7. Head ashy above, a pale orbital ring. Nashrille Warbler. 



276. Vermivora bachmani (Aud.). Bachman's Warbler. 



Description. — Uniform ohve-gi-een above, forehead and underparts yellow. Male with a 

 black band across front of crown, and a large black patch on throat and breast, sm'rounded by 

 yellow. Female similar, but with no black on crown, and with that of breast replaced by dusky 

 olive. Measurements of 2 Raleigh specimens: L., 4.8.5-4.83; W., 2.45; T., 1.83, the last two 

 measurements being the same in each bu'd. 



Range. — South Atlantic States and Mississippi Valley, north to Missouri and \'ii'ginia. 



Range in North Carolina. — So far, known only from Kaleigh. 



Fig, 223. Bachman's \Varbler. 



Only two specimens of tliis rare species have been found in North Carohna. 

 These were two full-plnmaged males taken by C. S. Brimley at Raleigh, one on 

 April 27, the other May 22, 1891, both being in song at the time. 



The first nest of this species ever discovered was taken by Otto Widmann (see 

 Auk, July, 1897) in Dimldin County, Missouri, on May 17, 1897. It was in a 

 swamp, and was situated two feet from the ground in a blackberry vine. It was 

 composed of leaves and grass blades, lined with a peculiar black rootlet, and con- 

 tained three white, unmarked eggs, two of which measured .63 and .64 in length 

 by .48 and .49 in ^\ddth. The Bachman's Warbler has since been foimd breeding 

 near Charleston, S. C, by Wayne, and the bird doubtless breeds more or less com- 

 monly all through the Lower Austral Zone in the southeatern States. It is a low- 

 ground loving species, and should be looked for in the swamps of our eastern sec- 

 tion. 



