WARBLERS. 93 



line, cheeks, throat, and entire under parts, silky white, with 

 a slight tinge of pale yellow on the breast. Dorsal surface 

 exclusive of nape, which is clear ashy washed with yellow, 

 as are also the outer margins of the secondaries. A narrow 

 line of clear black passes from the base of the upper mandible, 

 through and to a short distance behind the eye, interrupted, 

 however, by the lower eyelid, which is distinctly white. No 

 traces of black upon the cheeks or throat, even upon raising 

 the feathers. Bill, black. Feet, dark brown. Dimensions 

 length, 5.19 ; extent, 7.88 ; wing, 2.45 ; tarsus, .71 ; tail, 1.86 ; 

 culmen, .53. 



" It will be seen from the above description that this bird 

 resembles most closely the Golden-winged Warbler (Helmin- 

 thophaga chrysoptera). 



" The entire absence of black or ashy on the cheeks and 

 throat, the peculiar character of the superciliary line, and the 

 white lower eyelid, present, however, differences not to be recon- 

 ciled with any known seasonal or accidental variation of that 

 species. The restricted line of black through the eye gives 

 the head a remarkable similarity to that of Helminthophaga 

 pinus, but the semblance goes no farther. 



" The specimen above described was shot by the writer in 

 Newtonville, Mass., May 18, 1870.* It was in full song when 

 taken, and was flitting about in a thicket of birches near a 

 swampy piece of oak and maple woods. As nearly as can be 

 remembered, it did not differ much in either voice or actions 

 from H. chrysoptera. The first notice of this specimen ap- 

 peared in the ' American Sportsman,' vol. v, p. 33. ... 



" As previously remarked, the differences in coloration in the 

 present bird from any of its allies are so great, and of such a 



* Mr. Purdie has since unearthed " a since collected in Connecticut, New 

 very typical example shot by Mr. Sam- York, New Jersey, and elsewhere to the 

 uel Jillson, in Hudson, Mass., in May or southward. H. leucobronchialis, how- 

 June, 1858," and now in the collection ever, is no longer regarded as a valid 

 of Williams College. (Bull. N. 0. C., species. Some ornithologists consider 

 Vol. IV, July, 1879, p. 184.) This and it a hybrid between H. chrysoptera and 

 the bird originally described by me are H. pinus, while others believe that it 

 the only specimens known to have been represents merely a dichromatic phase 

 taken in Massachusetts, but very many of the latter. W. B. 

 (probably at least fifty in all) have been 



