BIKDS OP NOETH AND MIDDLE AMEKICA. 593 



rather narrowly wedge-shaped in vertical profile, with lateral outlines 

 straight and tip not constricted; exposed culmen longer than middle 

 toe without, hut shorter than middle toe with claw, rather indistinctly 

 ridged, straight to near tip where abruptly decurved, the tip of 

 maxilla moderately uncinate; gonys much longer than mandibular 

 rami, very faintly convex; maxillary tomium straight, distinctly 

 notched subterminally. Nostril at least partly exposed, rather 

 small, longitudinally oval, without distinct, if any, superior membrane. 

 Rictal bristles moderately developed, the feathers of chin and frontal 

 antise with distinct bristly points, the former recurved, the latter 

 decurved, arching over nostrils; malar apex with distinct antrorse 

 or semierect bristles. Wing rather long and pointed, the longest 

 primaries exceeding distal secondaries by decidedly more than length 

 of tarsus; seventh, eighth, and ninth primaries longest and nearly 

 equal, the tenth (outermost) intermediate between fourth and fifth 

 or fifth and sixth. Tail more than tlu-ee-fourths to nearly nine-tenths 

 as long as wing (decidedly longer than distance from bend of wing 

 to end of distal secondaries), even, slightly emarginated or slightly 

 double-rounded, very slightly divaricate terminally (except in S. saya), 

 the rectrices widening terminally (except in 8. saya). Tarsus less 

 than one-fifth (S. saya) to decidedly more than one-fifth (S. pliophe, 

 S. nigricans) as long as wing, much longer than middle toe with 

 claw, its scuteliation typically exaspidean but with a distinct series 

 of longitudinal scutella along upper posterior edge of outer side of 

 tarsus; middle toe, without claw, decidedly more than half as long 

 as tarsus, its liasal phalanx united to outer toe for more than half 

 its length, to inner toe for half its length, or less; outer toe, without 

 claw, reaching to about middle of subterminal phalanx of middle toe, 

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

 conspicuously stouter, its claw nearly as long as the digit; all the claws 

 rather large, moderately curved, sharp, compressed. 



Coloration. — Above plain brownish gray, with tail black, or grayish 

 olive or dusky, with pileum blackish, the wings with paler (sometimes 

 white and conspicuous) edgings; beneath pale grayish brown passing 

 into cinnamon-buff posteriorly, whitish with grayish olive on sides 

 of breast, or blackish with white on abdomen. 



Nidijication. — Nest open above, bulky, composed of various vege- 

 table materials, usually covered outside with green moss, placed in 

 crevices or on shelves of rocky banks or cliffs, in culverts, on beams 

 or braces underneath bridges, porches, in outbuildings, etc., sometimes 

 among roots of uprooted trees, and other similar places. Eggs white, 

 immaculate or sparingly speckled with brown. 



Range. — Northern North America to Peru and Bolivia. (About 

 eight species and subspecies.) 



11422— VOL 4—07 38 



