The eggs vary in shape from a rounded to an oblong oval, and in size from .69 to .75 of an inch in length, and from .51 to .53 of an inch in breadth. Their ground-color is a creamy-white, to which the deep red markings impart an apparently pinkish tinge. They are marked more or less profusely with bright red dots, points, and blotches. These vary in number and in distribution. In some they are very fine, and are chiefly confined to the larger end. In others they are larger, more diffused, and occasionally there are intermingled marks and blotches of slate-color. The effect of these variations is, at times, to give the appearance of greater differences to these eggs than really exists, the ground-color and the shade of the red markings really presenting but little modifications. The color of the young nestlings is closely assimilated to that of the objects that usually surround the nest, and helps to conceal them. Mr. Burroughs once came accidentally upon a nest with young of this species. He says: “A Black and White Creeping Warbler suddenly became much alarmed as I approached a crumbling old stump in a dense part of the forest. He alighted upon it, chirped sharply, ran up and down its sides, and finally left it with much reluctance. The nest, which contained three young birds nearly fledged, was placed upon the ground at the foot of the stump, and in such a position that the color of the young harmonized perfectly with the bits of bark, sticks, etc., lying about. My eye rested upon them for the second time before I made them out. They hugged the nest very closely, but as I put down my hand they all scampered off with loud cries for help, which caused the parent birds to place themselves almost within my reach.” SECTION VERMIVOREÆ. GENUS PROTONOTARIA, BAIRD. _Protonotaria_, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 239. (Type, _Motacilla citrea_, BODD.) [Line drawing: _Protonotaria citrea_, Baird.] GEN. CHAR. Characterized by its long, distinctly notched bill, and long wings, which are an inch longer than the slightly graduated tail (the lateral feathers about .12 of an inch shorter). The under tail-coverts are very long, reaching within half an inch of the tip of the tail. The tarsi and hind toe are proportionally longer than in the true Warblers. The notch and great size of the bill distinguish it from the Swamp Warblers. Nest in holes; eggs much blotched with reddish. The only North American species belonging to the group appears to be the old _Sylvia protonotaria_ of Gmelin. Protonotaria citrea, BAIRD. PROTHONOTARY WARBLER; GOLDEN SWAMP WARBLER.