274 BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



yellow ; lower tail-coverts, lining of wings, some feathers about anus and inner webs 

 of most tail feathers white ; rest of upper parts generally olive green, wings and tail 

 lead color. Length about 5 ; extent about 9^. 



Habitat. Eastern United States, chiefly southward ; in winter, Cuba and Central 

 America. 



Yery rare and irregular visitor. A few specimens, probably about ten, 

 have been captured during- the last twenty-five years in the southeastern 

 part of the state. I have taken two specimens, one in midsummer the 

 other in May, in Chester county ; a few individuals have been taken at 

 irregular intervals either in spring, summer or fall in Philadelphia and 

 Delaware counties. A male of this species, in the museum at Lancaster 

 city, was taken some years ago in Lancaster county, in the summer. 



GENUS HELMITHERUS RAFINESQUE. 

 Helmitherus vermivorus ((TMEL.). 



Worm-eating Warbler. 



DESCRIPTION {Plate 04). 



The bill nearly as long as head, is quite large, stout and sharp-pointed ; maxilla 

 blackish-brown ; lower mandible, also legs and feet much lighter in color ; the 

 rictal bristles absent; bill unnotched. Plumage of upper parts greenish-olive; 

 head has seven longitudinal stripes, to wit : two black on crown, divided by a 

 brownish-yellow mediam stripe, on either side of these black stripes extending 

 from nostrils back over and beyond are brownish-yellow stripes (one on each side) 

 and back of the eye is a black stripe (each side) alongside of crown : dusky spot in 

 front of eye ; upper surface of wings and tail olivaceous ; lower surface paler ; tail 

 and wings unmarked ; lower parts pale brownish-yellow or buffy, palest on chin 

 and middle of belly ; sides very similar to back but less greenish. Length (male) 

 about 5; extent 8J ; wing about 3; tail about 2; bill a little over .60; tarsus .70. 

 The female is usually a trifle smaller. 



Habitat. Eastern United States, north to southern New York and southern New 

 England, south in winter to Cuba and Central America. 



The Worm-eating" Warbler arrives in Pennsylvania about the first 

 week in May and remains here until September. I once captured a 

 specimen in Dauphin county on the 15th of September, and another in 

 Franklin county on the 20th of September, but usually the bird is sel- 

 dom seen here after the first of the month named. This warbler is 

 generally found on or near the ground. I have never seen one high in 

 trees, but have often observed them in bushes or on the lower limbs of 

 trees. I believe that two broods are frequently reared in a season in 

 this locality. During its residence with us this interesting and unsus- 

 picious haunter of thickets and woods is very generally dispersed through- 

 out the state, but in no section of the commonwealth does it occur more 

 plentifully than in the southeastern counties, especially in portions of 

 Chester county, where, doubtless, more nests and eggs have been taken 

 by Messrs. Thomas H. Jackson, Josiah Hoopes and Samuel B. Ladd, 

 all of West Chester, Penna., than in any other (perhaps all other parts) 



