PASSERES— SYLVICOL1DAE— HELM1NTHOPHAGA VIRGLNIAE. 189 



HELMINTHOPHAGA VIRGINIAE, Bd. 



Virginia's Warbler. 



Relminthophaga virginice, Bd., Birds N. A., 1860, p. xi,pl. 79, f. 1 (near Taos, IT. M.). — 

 III., Rev. Am. Birds, i, 1804, 177.— Coues, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1866, 70 

 (Fort Whipple, Ariz.).— Cooper, Birds Cal., i, 1S70, S3. — Coues, Key N. A. 

 Birds, 1872, 91.— Aiken, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., 1872, 190.— Coues, 

 Birds Northwest, 1871, 51. — Henshaw, An. Lye. Nat. Hist. N. Y., xi, 1871, 

 3.— Id,, An. List Birds Utah, 1872, Wheeler's Exped., 1871, 41. 



Mr. Ridgway appears to be the only one who has found this bird at 

 all common. He found it so in the East Humboldt and Wahsatch Mount- 

 ains, in both localities as a summer resident. In Arizona, I have met 

 with it but once, and if it occurs in summer it must, I think, be quite rare, 

 and only in the northern portion. Two specimens were secured in the 

 White Mountains, August 11. The following interesting account is furnished 

 by Mr. C. E. Aiken : 



"Hdminthophaga virginice, Bd.— Mountain Warbler.— This warbler is 

 found very commonly in some parts of Colorado, both as a migrant and as 

 a regular summer resident. At Pagosa I saw it several times in September, 

 and once at Fort Garland in August ; but it is most common along the eastern 

 base of the Rocky Mountains. It is strictly a bird of the mountains, though 

 rarely found at a greater altitude than 7,500 feet, preferring rather the lowest 

 foothills; and, although sometimes so abundant in its favorite haunts as to 

 outnumber all other warblers, it is "frequently wholly overlooked by natur- 

 alists because of its restricted range. During its migrations, this interesting 

 little bird may be found among the cottonwoods and willows bordering the 

 streams, and often also among the pines ; but in summer it frequents only 

 the low scrub oak brush on the hill sides. It exhibits at all times a good deal 

 of shyness, hiding instantly on the approach of an intruder, or keeping at 

 a very respectful distance while uttering its sharp alarm note. 



"The male is very musical during the nesting season, uttering- his sweet 

 little ditty continually, as he skips through the bushes in search of his morning 

 repast; or, having satisfied his appetite, he mounts to the top of some tree in 

 the neighborhood of his nest, and repeats at regular intervals a song of 

 remarkable fullness for a bird of such minute proportions. The Lazuli 



