SYLVICULID.K — THE WARBLERS. 



215 



Dendroica coronata. 



Gem.s dendroica, Cray. 



Si/lvkula, Gr-AY, Gunora Birds, 2d ed. 1841, 32. (Not of Humplucys nor Swaiuson.) 

 Dcndroim, Gray, Genera Birds, Appendi.x, 1842, 8. 



Rhimaviphus, Haktlauii, Rev. Zool. 1845, 342. (Not of Kalincsque, Am. Monthly Mag. 

 1818, and Jour, de Phys. 1819.) 



Gen. Char. Bill conical, attenuated, dopre.9sefl at the base, where it is, however, scarcely 

 broader than high, compressed from the mid- 

 dle. Culmen straight for the basal half, then 

 rather rapidly cnrving, the lower edge of up- 

 per mandible also concave. Gonys slightly 

 convex and ascending. A distinct notch near 

 the end of the bill. Bristles, though short, 

 generally quite distinct at the base of the bill. 

 Tarsi long ; decidedly longer than middle 

 toe, which is longer than the hinder one ; 

 the claws rather small and much curved ; 

 the hind claw nearly as long as its digit. 

 The wings long and pointed ; the second quill 

 usually a very little longer than the first. The tail slightly rounded and eraarginate. 



Colors. Tail always with a white or yellow spot; its ground-color never clear olive- 

 green. In D. (estiva edged internally with yellow. 



Eggs usually with a white or a bluish-white ground, marked with purplish-brown and 

 obscure lilac ; in some, mingled with varying shades of sienna-brown. Nest, so far as 

 known, in bushes and trees, except D. pahnamm, which is on tlie ground. 



The genvis Dcndroim is one of the mo.st extensive as to species of any in 

 North America, and scarcely admits of any subdivision. There is a little vari- 

 ation in the bill, wings, etc., tlie chief peculiarities being in D. casta nca and 

 pennsylvanica, in wliich the liill is broader, and more depressed, with longer 

 bristles ; in D. striata, where tlie bill is narrow witli scarcely any bristles ; and 

 in D. palmamm and kirtlandi, where the wings are very short, scarcely 

 ^ longer than the tail. D. palmarum has 



the tarsus unusually long. The colors 

 in all are strongly marked, and the spe- 

 cies are among the most beautiful of 

 all belonging to our fauna, and are the 

 most conspicuous for their numbers and 

 in their migrations. 



The difference in manners between 

 certain members of this genus is re- 

 markable ; thus, the D. palmarum is 

 very terrestrial in its habits, walking 

 upon the ground ■with tlie ease and 

 grace of a Titlark {Anthus), and, like 

 these birds, it has a wagging motion 

 of the tail. (_)n the other hand, the Dendroica dominica is as much a 



Dfndratra auduboni. 



