Helminthophila leucobronchlalis . 



Brewster's Warbler.— In 'The Auk' for October, 1910 (XXVII, 

 pp. 443-447), there appeared an article by JuKa Wingate Sherman on 

 Brewster's Warbler. As there are numerous inaccuracies in the account 

 it seems best to point them out and correct them as far as possible. 



The history of the Brewster's Warbler about Boston dates from 1907. 

 In that year a male was seen in the Arnold Arboretum by Miss Helen 

 Granger on May 19 (Granger, Auk, XXIV, 1907, p. 343), and was sub- 

 sequently found breeding (Faxon, Auk, XXIV, 1907, p. 444) with a female 

 Goldenwing. Mrs. Sherman, referring to this pair, writes: " Mr. [C. J.] 

 Maynard sent me a water-color drawing of the female and young, which 

 he made at the time. This female showed an extensive, nearly black 

 throat patch, also a large yellow patch in the wing." 



The next year the male Brewster's was seen on May 13 (Peters, Auk, 

 XXV, p. 320), near the same place as the year before. On June 8 I found 

 the nest within a few yards of the spot where the pair was located in 1907. 

 At the time the nest contained five naked young. About the same time 

 the nest was discovered by Mr. George Nelson of the Agassiz Museum 

 and was later taken by him for the Museum. There can be no doubt that 

 the owners of the nest were a male Helminthophila leucobronchiahs and a 

 female H chrysoptera, as both birds were seen about the nest. About 

 five days after I found the nest the young disappeared, just how will never 

 be known. c a 



A few days after the disappearance of the young birds a nest was found 

 across the road and was believed by Mrs. Sherman and others who did 

 not know of the first to be that of Uucohronchialis. So far as I am aware 

 the determination of the ownership of the nest was based entirely upon the 

 identification of the female, which was described in ' The Auk by Mrs. 

 Sherman as having " a dark dusky throat-patch, not clearly defined at 

 its base, but blended into the pale gray of the upper breast. . . .The black 

 fine through the eye was broader and extended back farther than did that on 

 the Brewster of the preceding year. She differed also in showing two 

 yellow wing-bands." This description applies perfectly to the female 

 oi chrysoptera and as there was a male of this species singing not far from 

 the nest in question it is not at all unlikely that he was the owner and not 

 the leucobronchialis, as one might be led to believe. 



In 1909 and 1910 the straight male chrysoplera was the only bird to be 

 seen- in the Arboretum no female was seen or nest found m either year. 



Mrs. Sherman describes (Z. c, pp. 444, 446) a pair of Goldenwmgs which 

 bred in Roshndale in 1910. The male was a typical chrysoptera; the female, 

 which had been identified as Uucohronchialis, had much the same plumage 

 as the one she had just described (see above), but differed m having the 

 dusky throat patch fighter in color. It bore the same character m being 

 darker towards its center and directly under the bill. The one m l 908 

 had a nearly black throat patch, mottled slightly in appearance. The black 

 fine through the eye was narrower and paled on a pale gray cheek. The 

 white fine above the eye was uniform in width ... .The white fine below the 

 eye was shorter. The whole tone of the back was more olivaceous. Two 

 bright yellow wing-bars divided by an ofive or dark band on the wing. 

 The entire underparts were washed with yellow which showed quite bright 

 on the middle of the breast in a good fight. The crown was bright dande- 

 lion yellow running into bronzy yellow on the back of the head." 



This description seems to be a rather good one of a female Helmtnthophtla 

 chrysoplera in very high plumage. ^ 



It has always been befieved that the females in the Arboretum in 1907 

 and 1908 were chrysoptera, and I see no reason why either of these birds 

 or the one in Roshndale should ever be regarded a^anytMngelse^— Jambs 

 L. Peters, Jamaica Plain, Mass. ^ ^^^ni-^ ff/r. /. ■:i70 -371. 



