88 LAND-BIRDS. 



on the tenth of May), and but a few times in September. The 

 following observations were made at the Fresh Pond marshes 

 of Cambridge, in the autumns of 1870 and 1871, and illus- 

 trate the habits of these birds. 



" Mr. Henshaw found them almost constantly engaged in 

 seeking their food on the ground. When startled, they would 

 fly up to the nearest bush, upon which they would sit perfectly 

 motionless, in a manner closely resembling the Thrushes. If 

 not further disturbed, they immediately returned to the ground. 

 ... If greatly startled, they took a long flight among the 

 bushes, and could rarely be found again." 



d. I have heard them utter only tsips and chirps whilst in 

 their usual haunts, namely, swampy thickets, and shrubbery 

 near them. I have never heard their song, nor read any de- 

 scription of it.* 



IV. HELMITHERUS. 



A. VERMIVORUS. Worm-eating Warbler. 45 Though found 

 in Maine, this species very rarely comes so far to the north- 

 eastern part of the United States as to reach New England. f 



a. About 5^ inches long. Greenish olive above. Head 

 and under parts, buff. The head is marked with two dark 

 stripes bordering the crown, and two running from the eyes 

 to the back. 



6. The nest is placed on or near the ground. The eggs are 

 described as averaging about .70 X .55 of an inch, and being 



* Mr. Thompson says that the song bier (H. swainsoni) has been erroneous- 

 is " somewhat like the song of the ly reported from Massachusetts. 

 Oven-bird, but different in being in t A summer resident of southern 

 the same pitch throughout instead of Connecticut from Bridgeport eastward 

 beginning in a whisper and increasing to Saybrook, near the shores of the 

 the emphasis and strength with each Sound, and up the valley of the Con- 

 pair of notes to the last." He renders necticut River at least as far as Essex, 

 it by the syllables " beecher-beecher- breeding rather commonly in a few 

 beecher-beecher-beecher-beecher." An- places. A single specimen has been 

 other type " nearly resembled the syl- taken at Hartford and another (in early 

 lables 'Fru-chapple fru-chapple fru- autumn) at Cambridge, Mass. Yen-ill's 

 chappie whoit^ . . . uttered in a loud, vague statement (Proc. Essex Inst.,Vol. 

 ringing voice." (Proc. U. S. Nat. Ill, p. 156) to the effect that this War- 

 Mus., Vol. XIII, 1890, pp. 621, 622.) bier is a rare summer visitor to southern 

 W. B. Maine is now generally discredited. 



45 The closely allied Swainson's War- W. B. 



