WOEM-EATING WAEBLEB. 
45 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of twenty-nine specimens.—Length, 6-55; stretch, 10-30; wing, 3-30; tail, 2-45; bill,-48; 
tarsus, -80. Longest specimen, 7-00; greatest extent of wings, 11-00; longest wing, 3-60; tail, 2-75; bill, -50; tarsus, 
•90. Shortest specimen, 6-15; smallest extent of wings, 9-95; shortest wing, 3-15; tail, 2-45; bill, -50; tarsus, -90. 
DESCRIPTION OE NEST AND EGGS. 
The accompanying descriptions were made from a nest and eggs, now in the Smithsonian Institution, by my 
friend Mr. Ridgway, who kindly forwarded them to me. The specimens were taken at Rendezvous Lake, Arctic 
Coast, on the 25th of June, 1864, by Mr. R. McFarland. 
Nest composed entirely of coarse grass, lined with finer material; it is quite compact and deeply saucer-shaped. 
Dimensions : external diameter, 4 inches, internal, 2-50; external depth, 2 inches, internal, 1-50. 
Eggs, five in number, oval in form, dull gray in color, with spots of chocolate-brown thickly sprinkled over the 
whole surface. 
HABITS. 
The Titlarks make their appearance on the coast of New England in September; they 
come pouring in from the North.in large flocks and frequent the barren, wind-swept hills which 
lie along the shore. These birds are very restless, never remaining long in one spot, and will 
seldom alight in masses but scatter along the beaches; sometimes a company of several 
hundred will spread over a quarter of a mile of shore, yet so prone are they to take flight that 
if a single individual becomes frightened enough to rise and sound its clear cry every bird in 
the flock will take alarm and instantly depart. They fly with an undulatiug motion, uttering a 
shrill double note. When once in air they seem to dislike to alight, for although they will 
frequently sweep downward and appear about to stop will often proceed for a mile or more 
without settling. 
The Titlarks appear to subsist mainly upon insects, and I have observed them darting 
upwards from the ground to catch passing flies. They remain in New England until the middle 
of November, when they depart for the South. These birds are exceedingly abundant about 
Jacksonville, in Florida; here they frequent open fields along the river, behaving much as when 
at the North, with the exception of being tamer. I have, while there, approached within a few 
feet of a flock without starting them. They occur in all sections of the state, even at Key 
West, but are not common much south of Jacksonville. In March the Titlarks leave Florida 
for the North, passing Massachusetts in April. They’breed in Labrador and the fur countries. 
FAMILY VIII. SYLVICOLIDiE. THE WOOD WARBLERS. 
Coracoid bones, about equal in length to the top of the keel, sometimes being either but little longer or shorter. 
Marginal indentations, exceeding in depth the height of the keel. Feet, of moderate size. Wings, not long. 
Tliis family embraces several genera and many species. They are all birds of a small size and are generally 
marked with bright colors such as yellow, orange, etc. 
GENUS I. HELMITIIERUS. THE WORM-EATING WARBLERS. 
Gen. Ch. Bill, large and stout, equal in length to the head. Tarsus, not longer than the middle toe and claw. 
Height of keel, exceeding one-half the width of the sternum. Coracoid bones, equal in length to the top of the keel. 
HELMITHERUS VERMIVORUS. 
The Worm-eating Warbler. 
Helmitherus vermivorus Bonap., Conspectus, 1850, 314. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, rather stout. Size, not large. Bill, slightly curved. Feet, rather large. Tail, short, square 
and slightly emarginate. Sternum, stoutly built. Tongue, thick and fleshy, something like those of sparrows; not 
ciliated. 
