48 HELMITHERUS VERMIVOEUS, WOEM-EATING WARBLEE. 

 HELMITHEEFS VEEMIVOEUS, (Gm.) Bp, 



Worm-eating Warbler. 



Motaeilla vermivora, Gm.. Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 951. 



Sylvia va-mivora, Lath., Ind. Orn. ii, 1790, 499.— WiLS., Am. Orn. iii, 1811, 74, pi. 24, fig. 

 4.— Bp., Syn. 1828, 86.— Ndtt., Man. i, 1832, 409.— Auc, Orn. Biog. i, 1832, 177 ; 

 V, 1839,460; pi. 34. 



Sylricola lermivora, Rich., List In Rep. Brit. Assoc. 1837. 



Selinaia vermivora, AuD., Syn. 1839, 66. — AuD., B. Am. ii, 1841, 86, pi. 105. — Lembeye, 

 Aves Cnbse, 1850, 35, pi. 6, f. 4.— Pdtn., Pr. Ess. Inst, i, 1856, 277. 



Sclmitherns vermivorus, Bp., Consp. Av. i, 1850, 314. — Cab., Mus. Hein. 1850, 20. — Bd., B. 

 N. A. 1858. 252.— ScL., P. Z. S. 1859, 363 (Xalapa).— ScL., Cat. 1862, 28.— ScL. & 

 Salv., Ibis, 18.59, 11 (Guatemala).— Cab., J. f. O. 1860, 329 (Costa Eica).— 

 GUNDL., J. f. O. 1861, .326 (Cuba).— Wheat., Ohio Agrio. Rep. 1860, No. 71.— 

 Codes & Prest., Smiths. Rep. 1801, 406 (Washington, D. C, May to Sept.).— 

 Verr., Pr. Ess. Inst, iii, 1862, 157 (Mainey— Allen, Pr. Ess. Inst, iv, 1864, 82 

 (Massachusetts, nesting, fide Peab., Kep. 1839, 312).— CouES, ibid, v, 1868, 270 

 (New England to Maine in summer, rare). — Cooes, Pr. Bost. Soc. xii, 1868, 109 

 (South Carolina, April to Oct.).— Bd., Rev. 1864, 179.— ScL. & Salv., P. Z. S. 

 1867, 135 (Veragua).— Lawr., Ann. Lyo. N. Y. ix, 1868, 94 (Costa Rica) ; 1869, 

 200 (Yucatan).— TURNB., B. E. Pa. 1869, 16 (May to Sept., rather rare).- 

 SuMiCH., Mem. Bost. Soc i, 1869, 546 (mountains of Orizaba, migratory). — 

 Scott, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1872 (breeding in West Virginia). — CouES, Key, 1872, 9.3, 

 fig. 37.— Mayn., B. Fla. 1872, 46.(Florida, wintering). 



Melmitlierus migratorius. Rap., Journ. Phys. 1819, 417.— Hartl., E. Z. 1845, 342. 



Vermivora pennsylvanioa, Bp., List, 1838, 20. — GossE, B. Jam. 1847, 150. — Hoy, Smiths. 

 Rep. 1864, 438 (Western Missouri). 



(?) Vermivora fulvicapilla, Sw., Birds, ii, 1837, 245. 



Hab. — Eastern United States, regularly north to the Middle States, rarely to Soutb- 

 ern New England, casually to Maine ; no record beyond. West to Missouri, Kansas, 

 and Indian Territory. In winter, Florida, West Indies, Central America, and South- 

 eastern Mexico. 



Like the last, this species only reaches the lowest Missouri, and was not noticed by 

 either Expedition. / 



The Worm-eatiug Warbler is not one of our most abundant species, 

 and is of southerly distribution, rarely entering New England, and not 

 being common north ot Virginia. I used to find it sparingly about 

 Washington, where it arrives early in May, and remains through most 

 of September. I noticed it most frequently in the thickets and under- 

 growth along Eock Creek, where it may be observed at any time during 

 the summer. It is a sedate — rather a demure — ^little bird, without the 

 vivacity of most warblers. When startled from the dead leaves on the 

 ground, where it spends most of its time rambling, like the Golden- 

 crowned Thrush, it flies to a near low limb, and' there often sits motion- 

 less, or hops listlessly about. The nest and eggs I have never seen. 

 Mr. Maynard describes the former as being built on the ground (large 

 for the size of the bird), and composed of grasses, rootlets, and a few 

 dried leaves. The eggs, he says, are four in number, spotted and dotted, 

 most thickly at the large end, with reddish-brown, and measuring 0.73 

 by 0.56. They were discovered by Mr. J. H. Batty " on the eastern slope 

 of the Orange Mountains, in New Jersey. He was collecting in the 

 woods, and had wandered into a small open space, when he observed 

 the bird sitting on the nest. At the first glance he mistook her for a 

 Golden-crowned Thrush, but upon approaching saw at once what she 

 was, and knew that he had secured a prize. The bird remained quiet 

 until he was^ quite near, and then ran rapidly away for some distance be- 

 fore she took flight. The nest was placed in a little depression on the 

 ground, and partly covered with dead leaves. Both birds came about 

 the place uttering a sharp chirp." 



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