CHARACTERS OF IJELMINTHOPHAG.E 217 



There is a great similarity in the habits of the Helminthophagw, 

 as might be expected from their close resemblance to each 

 other in structure. They are indefatigable insect-hunters, peer- 

 ing into the crevices of bark and the interstices of leaves and 

 blossoms for the minute bugs upon which they prey, catching 

 them adroitly with their acute and attenuate bill ; but they do 

 not appear to pursue flying insects so persistently as many 

 other Sylvicolines are known to do. Their notes are few, odd, 

 and not very musical, pitched in a high key, and delivered in 

 a slender, wiry tone. 



They are, without exception, migratory ; perhaps they are not 

 more delicate than other Warblers, but the special nature of 

 their food compels them to leave scenes which some other 

 species withstand without inconvenience. Their mode of nest- 

 ing is nearly uniform j all the species, as far as certainly known, 

 build on the ground or scarcely above it, making rather coarse 

 and bulky nests, for such elegant little owners, out of grasses, 

 weeds, mosses, withered leaves, bark-strips, and the like. The 

 eggs of all are alike white, speckled with various reddish 

 shades. 



The ten species may be thrown into two groups, according to 

 color groups \vhich correspond in a general way with geo- 

 graphical distribution, and exactly divide the genus in halves. 

 In one set of five species, namely, pinus, lawrencii, clirysoptera^ 

 leucobronchialis, and bachmani, the colors are highly variegated, 

 and the tail-feathers are largely blotched with white. These 

 are all exclusively Eastern. In the other five, ruficapilla, vir- 

 ginice, celata, peregrina, and lucice, the coloration is simpler ; the 



Gold-winged Warbler, Lath. Syn. ii. pt. ii. 1783, 492, n. 118. 



Gold-wing Warbler, Perm. AZ. ii. 1785, 403, n. 295. 



Figuier aux ailes dories, Buff. "v. 311". 



Figuier cendre a gorge noir de Pensllvanie, Ficcdula pensilvanica cinerea gutture 

 nigro, Briss. Orn. vi. 1760, 109. 



Yellow-fronted Warbler, Lath. Syn. ii. pt. ii. 1783, 461, n. 67. Penn. AZ. ii. 1785, 404, n. 296. 

 (Basis of MotaciUa flamfrons Gm.) 



Fauvette chrysoptere, V. Ency. M6th. ii. 1823, 438. 



Fauvetee chrysoptere, Le Maine, Ois. Canad. 1861, 200. 



Golden-winged Warbler, Golden-winged Swamp War- 

 bler, Blue Golden-winged Warbler, Authors. 



HAS. Eastern United States and Canada (Mcll- 

 wraith). "Nova Scotia " (Audubon). Rarer in the 

 Northern States. South (not in Mexico, for all 

 that is known) to New Granada. Many Central 

 American quotations. Cuba only of the West In- 

 dies. Breeds at large in the United States ; win- FlG 3 i t _Biue Golden-winged 

 ters beyond our limits. Warbler. 



