ke 
582 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 
Vireo were singing at the same time, but the Prothonotary’s song was 
louder than any of these. It reminded me more of the Louisiana Water- 
thrush than any other song and was of a very sweet quality.” Mrs. Camp- 
bell also noted that the female gathered some sort of food from the surface 
of the water or the bog, going only a short distance from the nest for it, 
but she was unable to tell just what the food was. 
The northernmost of these records (Grand Rapids) is approximately in 
latitude 43 degrees, and we have but one report of the occurrence of this 
warbler at any more northerly point in the state. A specimen was picked 
up dead on the morning of May 26, 1907, at Saginaw, by Miss Harriet H. 
Wright, who states that it was after a night of sleet and snow, and several 
days of bad weather, which proved fatal to many other warblers. 
As already indicated this bird is remarkable for the regions which it 
frequents and particularly for the manner of its nesting. It seems to 
select invariably the wettest swamps, being partial to regions of overflow, 
where the water stands for weeks or perhaps months among the trees 
alongside the river. In such situations it selects a decayed stump in 
which a deserted woodpecker’s hole or some natural cavity exists, and 
in this, usually not more than five or six feet above the surface of the 
water, the nest is built. This is made of various soft substances, but 
according to Brewster ‘‘fresh green moss enters largely into its composition, 
and although this substance is readily obtained, a week is sometimes 
consumed in building the simple little affair. * * * The shape and 
size vary with that of the cavity in which it is placed. When the hole 
is deep it is usually built up to within four or five inches of the entrance. 
* * * When the cavity is shallow it is often only scantily lined with 
moss and a few fine roots.’ Dry leaves, fine twigs and a few feathers 
are often added to the nest materials. 
The eggs vary in number from four to seven, although occasionally the 
female appears to sit on only one or two eggs. These are clear white, 
highly polished, and spotted with pale lavender and reddish-brown. They 
average .68 by .55 inches. 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
Adult male: Head, neck and entire under parts, with the exception of the under tail- 
coverts, rich bright yellow; under tail-coverts white; interscapular region greenish-yellow, 
usually in rather marked contrast with the head; lower back, rump and upper tail-coverts 
bluish ash; wings and tail slate-color margined with ash, the wings unmarked, the tail- 
feathers, except the middle pair, with large white blotches on the inner web; bill black. 
Female similar but duller, the top of the head usually olive-green and the ash of the wings 
and back less pure. 
Length 5 to 5.50 inches; wing 2.90 to 3; tail about 2.25. Sexes alike in size. 
263. Worm-eating Warbler. Helmitheros vermivorus (G'mc/.). (639) 
Synonyms: Worm-eating Swamp Warbler, Worm-eater.—Motacilla vermivora, 
Gmelin, 1789.—Sylvia vermivora, Wils., Nutt., Aud.—Helinaia vermivora, Aud., 1839. 
—Helmitheros vermivorus, Baird, 1858, A. O. U. Check-list, 1886, and most subsequent 
authors.—Vermivora pennsylvanica, Swains., Jard., and a few others. 
Top of the head striped with three buff and four black lines; under parts 
buffy, without streaks or spots; no wing-bars; tail without spots. 
Distribution.—Eastern United States, north to southern New York 
and southern New Ingland, west to eastern Nebraska and Texas; south 
