166 REVIEW OF AMERICAN BIHDS. [PART I. 



which one unacquainted with the subject can readily determine the 

 group to which a species or genus may belong. 



Bill conical ; its bristles very short, or u-aniiiir;, 



Sylvicolinae. Bill conical, or about as higli as wide, or even 

 higher, opposite the nostrils. Gape with short bristles, not 

 reaching beyond the nostrils or none. Tip of bill not hooked ; 

 with or without a faint notch ; commissure nearly straight. 

 Wings long and pointed ; considerably longer than the 

 narrow, nearly even tail. Legs short and weak ; tarsi not 

 as long as the head (except in Mniotilta). 



Uas^l joint of inner toe adherent for its basal half; basal 

 Joint of outer toe, and part of the next, adherent (in all 

 other SyhicoUdce the inner toe cleft nearly to the base, 

 and second joint of outer toe free). Hind toe lengthened, 

 nearly equal to the middle ; the digit considerably longer 

 than the claw. Creeping Warblers. Genera : Mniotilta, 

 Panda ......... JIniotiltece. 



Hind toe but little, if any, longer than the lateral ; tJie 

 digit about equal to the claw. 



Bill entirely without notch, except Proton otarius ; 

 no rictal bristles. Swamp Warblers. Genera : Pro- 

 tonotarius, Helminthophaga, Helmitherus . . Vennivorece. 



Bill notched. Rictus with distinct bristles, reaching 

 nearly to the nostrils. Wood Warblers. Genera : 

 Perissoglossa, Dendroica ..... Sylvicolecc. 



Geothl3rpinae. Bill much as in Sylvicolince ; with distinct notch ; 

 slender, or stout, the culmen gently curved ; the commis- 

 sure nearly straight. Legs much developed ; tarsi longer 

 than the skull. Bristles of rictus short, but appreciable. 

 Ground Warblers. 

 Wings pointed ; longer than the nearly even tail. Genera : 



Seiurus, Oporornis ....... Seuirece. 



Wings much rounded ; shorter than the graduated tail. 



Genus : Geothlypis ....... Geothlypece. 



Icterianae. Bill without notch, or rictal bristles. Culmen and 

 commissure much curved. Wings much rounded ; shorter 

 than the tail. 



Bill very high. Tail graduated. Outer toe deeply cleft. 



Genera : Icteria, Granatellus ...... Icteriece. 



Bill slender. Tail nearly even. Outer toe adherent for 



basal half. Genus : Teretristis ..... Teretristece. 



