540 HISTORY OF THE 



This species inhabits the deep woods and thick growths in the 

 ravines. They are shy and retiring, and, as their call note is 

 weak, they are liable to be passed unnoticed. They search for 

 their food not only among the foliage but upon the ground, 

 where they scratch among the leaves, and move about much like 

 the Oven-bird, barring the teetering motion of the body when 

 they halt. They feed largely upon the leaf-eating worms. In 

 the stomachs of two examined I found caterpillars and small 

 spiders. 



Its song is feeble. Mr. Ridgway says it closely resembles that 

 of the Chipping Sparrow, and, to my ear, is not any more mu- 

 sical. 



Their nests are embedded in dry leaves, in a slight depression 

 in the ground, and are usually hidden beneath small plants or 

 neatly concealed by the leaves around and partially covering 

 them. The interior is lined with small, flexible, hair-like stem, 

 lets. Eggs usually four, .68x. 55; white to creamy white, finely 

 spotted with varying shades of reddish brown, thickest and run. 

 ning together about the larger end, intermingled with a few lilac 

 stains. Some are thickly and others are thinly marked. They 

 also vary greatly in size, and in form, from broadly oval to 

 pointed oval. 



GENUS HELMINTHOPHILA RIDGWAY. 



Bill rather elongated (but shorter than the head), somewhat conical, very 

 acute, the outlines nearly straight but sometimes slightly decurved at the tip; 

 no trace of a notch at the tip nor of bristles at the base. Wings long and pointed 

 (decidedly longer than a moderately-developed tail); the first quill nearly, some- 

 times quite, the longest. Tail nearly eveu or slightly emargiuate. Tarsi ap- 

 preciably longer than the middle toe and claw. (Ridgway. ) 



Helminthophila pinus (Lmx.). 



BLUE- WINGED WARBLER. 

 PLATE XXXI. 



Summer resident in the eastern part of the State; rare; in 

 migration quite common. Arrive the last of April; begin lay- 

 ing the last of May; leave early in September. 



B. 180. R. 79. C. 98. G. 35, 274. U. 641. 



HABITAT. Eastern United States; north to southern New Eng- 

 land, the Great Lakes and Minnesota; west to Nebraska, middle 



