103G Report of State Geologist. 



155. Gbnds HELMITHERUS Rafinesquk. 



*256. («39). Helmitherus vermivorus (Gmbl). 



Worm-eating Warbler. 



Head of Worm-eating Warbler. Natural size. 



Adult. — Head, black; a broad stripe through the middle of the 

 crown, and one stripe over the eye, buff; a black stripe from eye back- 

 ward; other upper parts, olive-green; wings, sometimes brownish; be- 

 low, buii, lighter on the throat, belly and crissum. Immature. — 

 More bufEy below; head, with black more or less replaced with brown. 



Length, 5.00-5.75; wing, 2.65-2.90; tail, 1.90-2.20; bill, .60-.65; tar- 

 sus, .70. 



Eange. — Eastern North America, from Yucatan and West Indies 

 to Connecticut, Indiana and Nebraska; casually to Maine and Mich- 

 igan. Breeds throughout its United States range. Winters south of 

 United States. 



Nest, in woods, dense grown with underbrush, at foot of tree or 

 bush under overhanging bank, stone or root; made of dried leaves, 

 lined with (hair moss. Pa. and N. C.) grass, horsehair. Eggs, 4, 5, 6, 

 rarely 3; white or creamy- white, speckled and spotted, generally thick- 

 est at larger end, but not always, with chestnut, hazel, lavender-gray; 

 .68 by .55. 



The Worm-eating Warbler not many years ago was considered a 

 rare bird in Indiana, but since its habits are better known it is found 

 to be over the southern portion of the State, at least in suitable places, 

 a common summer resident. Its home is among the denser wood- 

 lands, especially in roiigh country, on hillsides and in ravines, where 

 "down timber" and underbrush is plentiful. In the Whitewater Val- 

 ley in such localities it is one of the most abundant woodland species. 

 No bird in its haunts exceeds it in numbers, unless it be the Oven 

 Bird {Seiurus aurocapillus). In the lower Wabash Valley it is com- 

 mon. Prof. B. W. Bvermann notes it as not common in Montoe 

 County; rare in Vigo County, and does not give it in his list of Birds 

 of Cflrroll County. He took a nest and three eggs at "Pine Hills," 

 in Montgomery County, May 30, 1887. It is not common in Brown 



