3o8 



Eames on Helmtnthofliila finus and its Allies. 



[October 



In this, as in many otlier species of our smaller birds, such an 

 affection is shown for the haunts occupied during the nesting 

 period that they rarely leave them until after moulting, or even 

 till the commencement of the fall migration. In the above case 

 I never failed to find the birds within the bounds of a two-acre 

 tract of land. 



Some of the characteristics of these species and varieties may 

 be of interest, and I will confine myself to the past two years' ob- 

 servations in Bridgeport and Seymour. 



On their arrival, which occurs in the second week of May, 

 they ijauorencei?) show a great fondness for orchards, chiefly 

 apple, feeding among the blossoms in a manner so leisurely as to 

 be very unlike that of other Warblers, being expressive of a 

 serene content. In numberless instances I have known single 

 birds to remain in one tree upwards of an hour, and then seem 

 to regret leaving it for another. 



From the 15th to the 20th of May they become settled for the 

 season in well-defined haunts, which may be broadly said to be ad- 

 joining woods in a clearing on which is much 'scrub,' or perhaps 

 a three to five years' growth of 'sprouts,' with some grass, briers, 

 etc. This frequently, but not always, adjoins swampy ground. 

 They are rarely to be found in deep woods, except on the edge, 

 where they spend much time among the higher branches. 



When the nest of H. finus contains eggs, it is difficult to find, 

 as the male ranges over quite an area. The nest is as conspicuous 

 and bulky as a Maryland Yellow-throat's. It is variously situated 

 — in the edge of a thicket, at tiie foot of a brier, etc., or quite as 

 often in a clump of golden-rod {Solidago). I have seen one nest, 

 with young, placed on a bog in the edge of swampy woods. 

 This bog was surrounded by eight inches of water. 



Normally the nest rests but lightly on the ground, and meas- 

 uring about four and a half inches deep externally, depends largely 

 on surrounding grasses for concealment, fallen leaves being in- 

 conspicuous about it. The full complement of four or five eggs 

 has generally been completed by June i, and I have seen young 

 ready to leave the nest by June 10. 



I have been strongly impressed with the necessity of learning 

 the songs of these birds, inasmuch as a large share of my success 

 hangs on this very point. In all, the z sound is a strong feature 

 and very characteristic. 



1889.3 Eames on Helminthofhila finus and its Allies. 309 



The song of H. chrysoftera consists normally of four notes — 

 skree-e-e, zwee, zwee, zwee., — the first, about two notes higher 

 than the following three, being slightly prolonged. It is varied 

 somewhat at times, with the second note like the first ; again it is 

 reduced to three, two, or even a single note. The song will im- 

 mediately attract attention from its very oddity. By some it is 

 considered harsh, but to me it has a soft jsenetrating quality un- 

 excelled, this efl^ect being heightened by the uncertain source of 

 the song. 



Seven birds, typical of H. leucobronckialis, expressed their 

 good spirits by precisely the song of the preceding {H. chrysop- 

 tera) except in one trifling point. Another, with a bright yellow 

 breast-patch, had, in addition, a few original variations of its own. 

 Still another, with a close resemblance to H. finus^ repeated 

 songs of H. chrysoftera only, but they were all harsh and dis- 

 agreeable in comparison. This bird was shot almost within a 

 stone's throw of the supposed nesting site of H. leucobronckialis 

 spoken of in 'The Auk' (Vol. V, pp. 427-428) . A perfectly typical 

 bird repeated but one style of song. This sui'prised me greatly, 

 it being precisely the same as the common song of H. finus. I 

 heard this many times on two diflerent occasions before shooting 

 the bird, and it was always the same. But one more bird, with 

 a faint greenish yellow color on the ba<;k, a strong patch of yellow 

 on the breast, and a wash elsewhere on the under parts, used the 

 latter song exclusively. 



The only H. lawrencei I ever knowingly listened to, as before 

 mentioned, favored me with its song for nearly two hours, and 

 during the several hundred i-epetitions, it never varied in the 

 least particular from the characteristic song of H. f inus, its song 

 consisting of two drawling notes, see-e-e-e, zwee-e-e-e-e, with a 

 very decided 2 sound. The first series is somewhat higher pitched 

 'than the last and hardly as long continued. To this, in H. pinus 

 only, is sometimes added a third note of about the same length as 

 the first, and very similar. Occasionally the first note only is ut- 

 tered. When there are three, the second is sharply and quickly 

 given. Another song quite often heard is strikingly similar to 

 that of the Nashville Warbler, but still retains enough of its own 

 peculiar sound to make identification positive in every case. Of 

 several other songs, none of which are commonly heard, one is 

 best represented by swee-e-e, kik, kik, kik, kik. 



