510 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Bill shorter than head, broad and moderately depressed at base, 

 its width at frontal antia? equal to or less than length of gonys (nearly 

 equal to the latter in M. virens, M. hrachy tarsus, and 21. pileatus) and 

 decidedly less to decidedly more than twice its depth at same point, 

 the lateral outlines nearly straight, converging gradually to the 

 attenuate and distinctly (sometimes strongly) uncmate tip of the 

 maxilla; exposed cidmen equal to or longer than middle toe with 

 claw (slightly shorter in M. pileatus, equal to tarsus in M. IracJiy- 

 tai'sus), distinctly to indistinctly ridged, nearly straight to near tip 

 where abruptly decurved ; gonys much longer than mandibular rami, 

 straight or very faintly convex; maxillary tomium straight, distinctly 

 notched subterminally. Nostril at least partly exposed, longitudi- 

 nally broadly oval,'* margmed above by very narrow (rarely distinct) 

 membrane. Rictal bristles moderately developed (about half as long 

 as bill, or less) ; feathers of chin with distinct though small recurved 

 bristly tips, those of latero-frontal antise with larger arched setae; 

 malar apex with distinct antrorse bristles. Wing long and pointed, 

 the longest primaries exceeding distal secondaries by at least length 

 of tarsus and half the middle toe, usually by more than combined 

 length of tarsus and w^hole of middle ^oe with claw; eighth, eighth 

 and nintli, or ninth primaries longest, the tenth (outermost) longer 

 than fifth, sometimes longer than seventh. Tail less than four-fifths 

 to more than seven-eighths as long as wing (eighth-ninths as long 

 only in 21. hrachy tarsus), more or less deeply emarginate, sometimes 

 slightly divaricate. Tarsus less than one-sixth (rarely nearly one- 

 fifth) as long as wing, its scutellation ty]:)ically exaspidean or (usually) 

 with a series of longitudinal scutella on upper posterior portion of 

 outer side of tarsus; middle toe usually more or less distinctly shorter 

 than tarsus, its basal phalanx united to outer toe for nearly its entire 

 length, to inner toe for about half its length; outer toe, without claw, 

 reaching to or beyond middle of subterminal phalanx of middle toe, 

 the inner toe slightly shorter; hallux about as long as inner toe, not 

 conspicuously stouter, its claw shorter than the digit; all the claws 

 strongly curved, sharp, much compressed. 



Coloration. — Above plain olive, ochraceous-olive, sooty, or dark 

 slaty, the pileum darker, the wings dusky with paler edgings; beneath 

 slaty or dusky, paler (sometimes slightly yellowish) on abdomen, or 

 light olive or grayish on chest and sides, passing into whitish or j^el- 

 lowish on throat and yellowish white, pale yellowish, or j^ellow on 

 abdomen, etc.; pileum slightly crested. 



Nidification. — Nest shallowdy cup-shaped, compact, composed of 

 fine grasses and vegetable fibers, sometimes stuccoed externally with 



a In a skin of M. pileatus (the only one of that species examined) the nostril is 

 decidedly oblique. 



