202 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



blaiice. The only note Dr. Coucs ever heard it utter was a quick and often 

 repeated taij), as slender and as wiry as that of a Uiialratcher. Dr. Cooper, 

 however, has described its song as rich and ])leasing, the little performer be- 

 ing mounted on the top of some mezquite or other bush. Dr. Cooper supposes 

 this species to breed, not in the Colorado Valley, but in the more mountain- 

 ous regions. 



Dr. Cones hazards the conjecture that this bird builds in low bushes. 

 Should it prove so, it would in this respect difler from all the other niend)ers 

 of this well-marked grouji, and from the other Ground Warblers, whicli, in its 

 general habits, it so nmch resembles. 



Helminthophaga celata, var. celata, r>.viuD. 



OBANOE-CROWNED WABBLEB. 



Sylvia cclnfa, Sav, Lons's Kxp. U. Mt.s. I, 182:5, Itl'.i. — Kus. Am. Orn. I, pi. v, tig. 2. — 

 Ari). Orii. liiog. II, pi. d.xxviii. Si/lvkuln rt.l. liiiii. J'cntiii-oni eel. .Iai;i>. lIcHniiia 

 cd. Arn. Rirds Am. II, jil. c.vii. /hhni/h'ru.i eel. Box. — Sci.atkk, P. Z. S. 18,')7, 

 212 ((liizalm). Helmiii/liojilunja eel. Haiki), Birds N. Am. 1858, aS? ; liev. Am. Birds, 

 I, 18d5, 17() (ill imrtK — Dai.i. k IJannistkii (AhiskiA. — Sclatki!, P. Z. S. 18.-)8, 298 

 (Oa.xiRii, Dt'iciiilicr) ; li^Sit, 373 ; 1862, 111 (La Puriula). //. ccUtIa, var. cdaUt, KiDcw. 

 Ui'l.t. U. S. Geol. Kxpl. 40tli Par. 



Sp. Char. Above <rrayisli olivo-jjropn, ratlior l)riglit<»r on the nmip. Beni-ath oiitiroly 

 prcciii.-!!! yollowi.sli-wliitf, L'xcu[)t a little wliili.sli aljout the amis; the siiU'.s tinged with 

 grayi.sh-olivaci'oii.'!. A coiireali'd patch of palo oraiigo-rufous on llio crown, hidden hy 

 the grayish tips to the leathers. Kyelids and an ol)seure snpi-reiliar}' line yellowish-white, 

 a (hisky obsenre streak through the e3'e. Inner webs of tail-feat her.s broadly edged with 

 white. Femiilf with little or none of the orange on the crown, and the white edging.s to 

 inner webs of tail-feathers. Vmnii/ lacking the orange entirely, and with two fulvons- 

 whitish bands on tlie wing. Length, 4.70; wing, 1!.2."); tail, 2.(10. 



Had. Mid<llu I'rovineo of North America; Yukon and McKenzie River (listrict. Very 

 rare in the Eastern I'rovini'o of I'nited States; Mexico in winter; Uuxaca, La I'arada, 

 (Sei.ATKu) ; Oriz.iha, winter (SiMtenu.vsT). 



This variety inhabits the interior regions of North America, from the 

 Yukon .southward into Me.vico ; westwiird, its range meets that of tlie var. 

 iHtciicem at about the meridian of 110°, while eastward it extends beyond the 

 Mississi])])i, though rare east of the latter region. Specimens i'rom Soiitliern 

 Illinois (where it is al)undant in its migrations) and from Wisconsin are pre- 

 cisely like Hooky Mountain exi»mi)les; but severid in the collection before us 

 from tlie South Atlantic States (Florida, (Jeorgia, etc.) arc ,so dilferent as almost 

 to warrant their sepaitition as a diH'erent variety. Tlie.se indiviibiids are most 

 like the style of the interior, — var. cchtta, — but tire even less yellowish, aiiti 

 the whole plumagt! is very dark and dingy ; all of them, too, lack any trace 

 whatever of orange on the crown. Should all specimens fntm this region 

 agree in tiie latter resjicct, the .series I'rom tlie Sonllieastern States is certainly 

 entitled to recognition as w variety, for which we propose the name vlm'uru. 



