190 NORTH AMP:RirAX BIRRS. 



Helmitherus swainsoni, Aid. 



SWAINSOrS SWAMP WABBLEB. 



Si/h'ia sivainsotti, Ari>. Orn. Hiog. II, 1834, 5t)3, pi. cxtviii. Si/lvicolu sic. liicn. Vcnni- 

 vara tar. Hon. Heliiuiin sir. AuD. liinls Am. II, 1841, pi. civ (typt* of genus), lid- 

 VI it her us SIC . Ii«»N. ; Cau. ; Baikd, Birds N. Am. 1858, 'lit'l; Uov. 180. 



Sp. Char. Rill jis lontr as the lit'jul. T'ppor part.s dull olive-green, tinged with reddish- 

 brown on thewingv and tstiil more on the erown and nape; a superciliary stripe and the 

 under parts of the hedy are white, tinged with yellow, but palest on the tail-coverts; the 

 sides pale olive-brown. Tliere is an obscure indication of a median yellowish stripe on 

 the ibrehead. The lores are dusky. Xo spots nor bands on wings or tail. Length, o.GO ; 

 wing. 2.8o ; tail. 2.20. 



Had. Coast of South Carolina and Georgia ; Cuba (very rare). 



A younjT bird (Xo. 32,241 Liberty Co., Ge(»rj;ia) is very similar to the adult 

 described, but diti'ers in the foUowing: respects: the lower parts have a de- 

 cided soiled, sulphur-yellow tiuge, while the brown of the ui)per parts is 

 much more reddish, there bi^ng; no difference in tint between the crown 

 and back ; also the sui»erciliary stripe is more sliarply defined. 



Habits. This species is comparatively rare, and, so far as is know^n, has a 

 very restricted distriljution. It was first discovered by Kev. Dr. Bachman, 

 in the vicinity of Charleston, S. C., near the banks of the Edisto Itiver. 

 This w^as in the spring of 18:^2. He was first attracted by the novelty of its 

 notes, wjiich were four or five in number and repeated at intervals of a few 

 minutes. Tliese notes were loud and clear, and more like a whistle than a 

 song. They re.sembled the sounds of some extraordinary ventrilocpiist, — so 

 much so that he at first supi)osed the bird to be much fartlier otf than it 

 really w^as. He was so fortunate as to secure it. The shape of the bill he 

 at once noticed as being ilili'erent from that of any other American bird then 

 known to him. In the course of that season he obtained two other specimens. 

 Toward the close of the same season he saw an old female, accompanied by 

 its four young. One of the latter, which he procured, did not dift'er materi- 

 allv from the old birds. 



He met with them only in swam]»y and muddy places, and when oj)ened, 

 he always found their stomachs filled with fragmtmts of coleopterous insects, 

 as well as small green worms, such as are common on water-jdants. The 

 habits of this species most resemble those of the Prothonotaiy Warlder, 

 as the latter skij)S among the low bushes growing about ponds or in marshy 

 places. It is seldom seen on high trees. Nothing is known as to their 

 nesting or eggs. 



