CHAKACTERS OF HELMINTHOPHAGA LUCI^ 219 



liucy's 'W.irbler 



Helmlntlioptaaga ladse 



Helmiuthophaga luclie, Ooop. Pr. Cala. Acad. Jaly, 1862, 120 (Fort Mojave, Ariz.).— 5d. 

 Rev. AB. 18615, 178.— Oomcs, Ibis, 2d ser. IL 1866, 260 (Fort Wlilpple, Ariz.).— Comss, Pr. 

 Phila. Acad. 1866, 70 (Fort Wliipple, Kviz.).—EUiot, BJfA. pi. 5.— Ooop. Am. Nat. lii. 

 1869, 476, 479.— Ooop. B. CaL 1. 1870, 84.— Ooijes, Am. Nat. vl. 1872, 493 {mpposed neat 

 and eggs) — Goues, Key, 1872, m.—Brew. Pr. Host. Soo. xvii. 1873, 107 (supposed nest 

 andegg8).—B.JJ.<«iJ.NAB.i. 1874,200, pL 11, f. 9; App. iu. 1875, 50i.—3eruh. List 

 B. Ariz. 1875, 156.— Hmsh. ZooL Expl. W. 100 Merld. 1876, 190 (Arizona). 



Mniotilta luciae, Gieb. NomencL Av. ii. 1875, 603. 



Lucy's Warbler, Authors. 



Hab. — Valley of the Colorado (not yet found outside of Arizona). 



Oh. sp. — (? 2 Cinerea, in/rd, alba; vertice teotricibusque can- 

 dalibus superioribus castanets. 



$ 2 : Clear ashy-gray. Beneath white, with a faint tinge of buff od the 

 breast. A rich chestnut patch on the crown, and upper tail-coverts of the 

 same color. A white eye-ring. Quills and tail-feathers edged with the color 

 of the back or whitish. Lateral tail-feather with an obscure whitish patch. 

 Lining of wing white. Feet dull leaden-olive. Iris dark brown or black. 

 Length, 4J-4f ; extent, 7-7i; wing, 2^-21; tail, l|-2; tarsus, f ; bill, J-J. 



Young: Newly fledged birds lack the chestnut of the crown, though that 

 of the rump is present. The throat and breast are milk-white, without the 

 oohrey tinge of the adults ; the wing-coverts are edged with pale rufous. 



The chestnut upper tail-coverts, and absence of any trace of olivaceous or 

 yellowish coloration, distinguish this interesting species, the general super- 

 ficial aspect of which is quite like that of a PoUoptila. 



LUCY'S Warbler is one of the later additions to this genus, 

 the known species of which have still more recently been 

 increased in number by the discovery of H. virginicB in the 

 West, and of S. leucobronchialis and H. lawrencii iu the East- 

 ern States. It illustrates the extreme of the gradation iu color 

 which the olivaceous Helminthojphagcs present, from such green- 

 ish species as the Nashville and the Orange-crowned, through 

 the partly cinereous Virginia's and Tennessee Warblers, to the 

 entirely ashy and white H. luciae, in which the upper tail-coverts 

 as well as the crown are, moreover, differently colored from the 

 rest of tlie body. 



The interesting bird is one of Dr. Cooper's discoveries, having 

 been first observed by this gentleman at Fort Mojave, Arizona, 

 where it arrived one year during the latter part of March, the 

 first specimen having been secured on the 25th of that month. 

 The males appeared to have preceded the females, as no indi- 

 viduals of the latter sex were noted until about ten days after- 

 ward. The birds soon became quite numerous in the mezquite 



