y6 Brewster o/i Swainsoris Warbler. [January 



Critical Notes. — Swainson's Warbler has been considered 

 nearly related to the Worm-eating Warbler and, by most recent 

 writers, even placed with it in the genus Helmitherus. It has 

 been occasionally separated, however, at least subgenerically, 

 under the Audubonian name Helinaia. With abundant material 

 for study and comparison, I am convinced that it merits such sep- 

 aration, and furthermore that Helinaia should stand as a full 

 o-enus. It may be characterized as follows : 



Genus Helinaia Audubon. 



Char. — Bill long, robust at base, tapering to a sharp point, smooth or 

 slightly notched at tip; the culmen slightly curved, its ridge compressed, 

 elevated and extending well back on the forehead, resembling in this, as 

 in some other respects, the bill of the Meadow Lark (Sturnella). Wings 

 long, rather rounded, the first quill always shorter than the second and 

 third, which are about equal. Tarsus stout, slightly longer than the 

 middle toe. Feet large, flesh-colored. Eminently terrestrial. 



/ 



Helinaia swainsoni And. 



Sp. Char. — (Adult J , breeding plumage, No. 8974, Coll. W. B., Charles- 

 ton, South Carolina, May 1, 1SS4.) Crown and nape reddish-brown; 

 remainder of upper parts, including the sides of neck, clear olive, the- 

 wings, tail, and upper tail-coverts tinged with reddish-brown; under parts 

 creamy white with a lemon-yellow tinge, most pronounced on the breast 

 and abdomen, faintest on the throat and crissum ; sides of body brownish 

 olive; sides of breast olivaceous-ashy, extending completely across the 

 breast in a broad but rather indistinct band of pale, nebulous spots ; 

 throat, abdomen, and crissum immaculate ; a dusky stripe starting at the 

 lores (which are nearly black) passes backward along the side of the 

 hea-d intersecting the eye and separating a conspicuous, brownish-white 

 superciliary stripe from the region below the eye, which is dappled with 

 reddish-brown on a creamy -white ground. There is also a short, yellowish, 

 concealed median stripe on the forehead. Iris hazel; legs and feet flesh- 

 colored (notes taken from the freshly killed specimen). Sexes indistin- 

 guishable. 



Dimensions. — Length, 5.65 ; extent, 9.00; wing, 2.S2 : tail. 2. 03 : tarsus. .74; 

 culmen from base, .70; from feathers, .61; from nostril, .42: depth of 

 bill at anterior corner of nostril, . iS; width at same point. .13. 



Juv.* first flumage.—($ No. 224, A. T. W., Charleston, June 9. 1884). 

 Wings and tail essentially as in the adult; abdomen dirty-white: rest of 

 plumage, including the crown, nape, back, rump, throat, breast, sides of 

 head, neck and body, and the wing-coverts, nearly uniform dull cinnamon- 

 brown, without bands, spots, or any other markings whatever, even on 



