HELMINTHOPHAGA LEUCOBRONCHIALIS 213 



on the forehead, and in the other is provided with slight rictal 

 bristles, and in the relative length of the tarsi and toes. The two 

 species commonly referred to Helmintherus are confined to the 

 Eastern United States; they are among the most simply- 

 colored of the Warblers, being plain olivaceous, with more or 

 less characteristic stripes on the head. 



The genus Helmlntliopliaga, established by Dr. Cabanis in 

 1850, is peculiarly North American, all the known species being 

 found in this country, and some of them not yet ascertained to 

 occur elsewhere. It is the second largest genus of the subfamily 

 Sylvicolince. To the six species known to the earlier writers, 

 two more were added a few years ago, and two others have 

 been just now described. It is a notable circumstance that 

 these birds scarcely occur iu the West Indies, except in Cuba. 

 The two species last described, H. leucobronchialis* and H. 



Mniotilta swainsoni, Gray, G. of B. i. 1848,. 196. 



Helmltheros swainsoni, Cab. MH. i. 1850, W.-Bp. CA. i. 1850, 314. 



Helniitherus swainsoni, Bd. Rev. AB. 1865, 180. Coues, Pr. Ess. Inst. v. 1868, 270 

 (wrong). Coues, Pr. Bost. Soc. xii. 1868, 109 (South Carolina). Oundl. J. f. 0. 1872, 412 

 (Cuba). Mayn. B. Fla. 1873, 47. B.B. 16 B. NAB.i. 1874, 190, pi. 10. f.9; iii. 1874, 

 504 (Florida). Brew. Pr. Bost. Soc. xvii. 1875, 451 (corrects the long-standing error). 



Swainson's Swamp Warbler, Swainson's Warbler, Authors. 

 HAB. Only known to occur in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and 



Cuba ; distribution thus like that of H. lachmani. Has been repeatedly but 



erroneously attributed to New England, on the authority of Dr. Brewer. 

 * Helminthophaga lencobronchialis. White-throated Warbler. 



Helminthophaga leucobronchialis, Brewster, Araer. Sportsman, v. Oct. 17, 1874, p. 33 

 (orig. descr., spec, unique, Newtonvillo, Mass., May 18, 1870). Coues, BNW. 1874, 

 760. Brew. Pr. Bost. Soc. xvii, 1875, 439 (note on same specimen). Brewster, Bull. 

 Nutt. Club, i. 1876, 1, pi. 1 (redescr. and fig.). Minot, B. N. EngL 167T, 92 (copy of the 

 last). Trotter, Bull Nutt. Club, ii. 1877, 79 (2d spec., from Clifton, Delaware Co., Pa.). 



(NOTE. Of this supposed good species, no specimen is known to be now in 

 existence. The unique type was accidentally destroyed shortly after publi- 

 cation of the original description, but fortunately not before Mr. Ridgway 

 had made the drawing which illustrates Mr. Brewster's second notice. At 

 the time that the specimen was kindly sent by the owner to the Smithsonian 

 Institution for examination by Mr. Ridgway, there was living at large in the 

 ' South Tower" an Owl of the genus Speotyto, species doubtful, which had 

 been captured at sea, somewhere near the West Indies, and was destined to 

 make history in an undesirable manner. This reckless bird of prey, in one 

 of his nocturnal explorations, discovered the pretty Warbler, and proceeded 

 to investigate the new species anatomically. He survived the dose of raw 

 cotton and arsenic, but was condemned to death by unanimous verdict 

 of the exasperated ornithologists who haunted the locality. His heart was 

 cut out with mock ceremony, bottled and sealed, and sent to Mr. Brewster as 

 a peace-offering ; and a serio-comic narrative of the whole transaction shortly 

 afterward" appeared in one of the papers by a "strictly anonymous''' author.) 



(NOTE (2). Since the foregoing was penned, Mr. Spencer Trotter has re- 

 corded a second specimen, as above cited.) 



