SYLVK'OUD.E — THE WARnT.EHS. 105 



Helminthophaga pinus, r>Aiui>. 



BLUE-WIHOED YELLOW WABBLEB. 



Certhin pinus, Linn. Syst. Xat. I, 17fi6, 1S7. SiiJein phius. Lath., Vikiij.. (n«»t of ^VlI,- 

 soN). /fif,iiliif/ii'/i/iinftij)iiiiis, Maiiii>, Uiuls N. Am. 1^.'»8, '234; Hfv. 174. — SrL.vrKi; 

 Si Salvin, litis, 1, 1«;V.», 11 ((luiitriiiala). Sti.ATKK, C'atal. l^«il, •li<, no. 17t). Siilcin 

 solitiirin, Wii.soN, Am. Orn. II, |»1. xv. — ^ Ari». nm. Hioj^. I, pi. xx. SjilcU-oln sol. 

 KUH. fennuDi'if sij. S\v. ILllmiia snl. A( l». Uinls Am. II, pi. rxi. llclinUhci us 

 futl. W)S. — SiLAlEi:, r. Z. S. l^.'.t}, •J'.>1 ^Conlova). JIi/iiuiifJn>jfhtiiju sol. Cab. 



Sp. Char. Upjx'r parts and rliecks oliv«'-<rre»'n, bri<jht«'st on the rump; the wimrj*, tail, 

 and upper tail-coverts, in part, bhiish-j/ray. An intensely bhu-k pat<li IVoin the blu«'-bUuk 

 bill to the eye, eontiniietl a short distance behind it. t'rown, except behind, and the under 

 parts i_a'nerally, rich oranp'-yellt>\v. Thi- imici- win;: and under tail-cuv«'its white. Eye- 

 lids, and a short line above and bt;hiinl the eye. biii^ditei- yellow. Wini; with two white 

 bands. Two outer tail-teat hers with most ol' the iinier web, third one with a spot at the 

 end, white. Female and fioumj .similar, duller, w ith ujore olivaceou.s on the crown. Length, 

 4.r>0; win^', 2.4M; tail, 2.10. 



Hah. Eastern Enited States and Mexico to Guatemala (Cordova; Cohan). Not 

 noted Irom West Imlie.s. 



Habits. The Blue-wiiijred Yellow WaiMcr is not known so far to the 

 nortli as New En^hiiul, and is rare even in Eastern and Sonthern New York. 

 It seems to be distributed throui^li tlie Enited States trcnn Eenn.sylvania to 

 Elorida, and from the Mississij>j)i Yalley eastwartl. It has also been taken 

 in Central America. Mr. Tri]>i>e states that it breeds in the vicinity of 

 Orange, X. Y. Mr. Audubon found it abundant in the barrens of Ken- 

 tucky, and as far north on the Mississipjd as St. (lenevieve. 



In regard to the .song of tliis Idrd, Mr. Tripi>e states tli.at its notes are very 

 forcible and characteristic. Once heard, thev will alwavs be remembered. 

 He describes them as a rapid chirrup resendding rhndchich, k'-a-re-rrr'/r, 

 uttered very ([uickly. According to ]\Ir. Eidgway, they are wonderfully 

 similar to the rude lisping cliirrup of the Cot iirnicidus pa.sst'rin us. 



Wilson says that these Warblers come from the South early in May, fre- 

 quenting thickets and shrubberies in search of insects, which they seek in 

 the branches. They are also fond of visiting gardens and orchards, gleaning 

 for insects among the low bushes. They generally build their nests on the 

 edge of se(iuestered woods. These ]\Ir. Wilson states to have been, in every 

 instance observed by him, fixed on the ground, in a thick tussock of long 

 grass, and built in the form of an inverted cone, the sides being formed 

 of the dry bark of strong fil)rous weeds lined with fine dry gi"asses. These 

 materials, he remarks, are not arranged in the usual circular manner, but 

 shelve downward from the top, the mouth being wide and the bottom narrow. 

 He describes the eggs as five in number, pure white, with a few faint dots 

 of reddish near the larger end. The young appear the first week in June. 

 The nests were always in an o])en but retired ])art of the woods, and were 

 all as thus described. 



