MNIOTILTIDJE. 481 



d}. Inner webs of tail-feathers chiefly white ; prevaiHng color yellow, 

 the wings and tail bluish gray, back olive-green, and under tail- 

 coverts white Protonotaria. (Page 484.) 



d?. Inner webs of tail-feathers without white ; color plain brownish 

 or olive above (the head sometimes striped), whitish or buflfy 

 beneath. 

 e\ Bill very much compressed ; culmen straight, with basal por- 

 tion elevated into a distinct narrow ridge ; top of head 

 plain brown (sometimes with an indistinct paler spot in 



middle of crown) Helinaia. (Page 484.) 



e". Bill very shghtly comjDressed ; culmen gently curved, its base 

 not compressed nor elevated ; top of head with two black 

 stripes separated by a broader one of buff. 



Helmitherus. (Page 485.) 

 Middle toe, with claw, decidedly shorter than tarsus in front, or else 

 wing with two white bands.' 

 d}. Gape without obvious bristles ; bill very acute, usually without 

 notch, and with straight outlines, very rarely slightly decurved 

 at tip. 

 e^. Difference between length of wing and tail equal to or greater 

 than length of tarsus in front. 



Helminthophila. (Page 485.) 

 e^. Difference between length of wing and tail decidedly less than 



length of tarsus in front Oreothlypis? 



d^. Gape with distinct bristles ; bill variable, but rarely as above. 



e^. Bill elongate-conical, with straight outlines, and without dis- 

 tinct (if any) notch ; wing not more than 2.30. 



Above bluish or grayish, with triangular patch of olive- 

 green on back ; wings usually with two white bands, 

 and inner webs of outer tail-feathers with white spots; 

 under j)arts with at least anterior half yellow. 



Compsothlypis. (Page 490.) 

 e^ Bill variable, but always with decidedly curved outlines, and 

 usually with distinct notch ; wing not less than 2.30 (usu- 

 ally more than 2.50). 



^ The exception is Dendroica dominica (Linn.). 



' Oreothlypis RiDGW., Auk, i. April, 1884, 169. Type, Compsothlypis gxtttnralis Cab. 



The type of this genus is slate-gray or plumbeous above, with a triangular patch of black on the back ; 

 chin, throat, and breast intense cadmium-orange ; sides and flanks plumbeous, middle line of belly white. A 

 Mexican species, which probably occurs within our borders, in western Texas or New Mexico, is very different 

 from the type in coloration. The head and neck (except beneath) are plumbeous-gray, relieved by a broad 

 white superciliary stripe ; back and rump bright olive-green ; wings and tail plumbeous-gray ; chin, throat, 

 and breast yellow, the chest with a chestnut spot ; posterior lower parts white, the flanks tinged with gray. 

 This is 0. superciliosa {Conirostrwn supercUiosum Hartl., Rev. Zool. 1844, 215), In both species the sexes 

 are essentially alike in coloration. 



61 



