POLIOPTILA P. C^ERULEA 101 



of wbich widen toward their rounded ends. Bill shorter than 

 heatl, straight, broad and depressed at base, rapidly uarrow^- 

 ingto the very slender terminal portion, distinctly notched and 

 hooked at the end — tlius nmscicapiiie in character. Kictus 

 with well developed bristles. Xostrils entirely exposed. 



This is a small group of one genus and about a dozen species, 

 confined to Auierica, chiefly developed in Central and South 

 America. It may not be well placed in the Sylviidcv, but is 

 better off here than among the Parid'ce, where it is put by some. 

 I should not be surprised if its closest relationships were with 

 the true Muscicapida' of the Old World. 



Genus POLIOPTILA Sclater 



Chars. — To the foregoing add: Coloration grayish-blue, 

 white below, without red or yellow on head ; tail black, bor- 

 dered with white. 



The three North American species occur in the Colorado 

 region, two of them, iu fact, being ciiaracteristic of this part of 

 the country. They are dimiuutive birds, of great energy and 

 activity, expert in flycatching, inhabiting woodland, migrator}^, 

 and musical — though the ordinary call note is a sharp squeak. 



BUie-^ray ^luafcatchcr 



Polioptila ea;rulca 



Motacilla cjenilea, L. SX. i. 176fi, 3)7 ^Edw. Glean, pi. 302). 



Sylvia cicrulea, Utk. lo. ii. 1790, 540, no. 1-.3I. 



CuliCiVorac;erulea, /DOrft. Ois Cuba, 18.39,90.— ZJrcw). Pr. Bost. Soe.vii. 1860, 306 (Cuba).— 



Hoy, Smiths. Rep. for 1864, 1865, 437. 

 Sylvaiiia cicrulea, iv««e. Man. ad ed. i. 1840, 337. 

 PoMoptilaCierulea, (Sci. PZS. 1855, [l. — Xant. Pr. Phlla Acad, xi 18.59, 191 (California). —Barn. 



Smiths. Rep. for 1860, 1861,437. — Brf. Rev. AB. 1861, H. — Dress. Ibis, 1865, 485 (reXK«).— 



Coucs, Ibil, 1865, 538 (Arizona). — Coucs, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 66 (Arizona). — Cones, 



Pr. Essex Inst. v. 1868, 268 -Crues, Pr. Bost. Soc. xii. 1868, 101.— Butrh. Pr. Phila. 



Acad. XX. 1868, 149 (Texas).— Mai/ra. B. Fla. 1872, iS.ScoU, Pr. Bost. Soc. xv. 1872. 



221 (ViTgim&).— Allen, Am. Nat. vi. 1872, 269.— Brcjocr, Am. Nat. vi. 1872, 483. — /? (Via-. 



Bull. Ess. Inst. V. 1873, 179.— iVcrr. Am. Nat. viii. 1874, 8.— B. B. S,- R. NAB. i. 1874. 78. 



pi. 6, f r^. — Iirew. Pr. Bost. Soc. xvli. 187.'>, 451.— //chsA. Li-^t B. Ariz. 1875, 155.— /itnsA. 



Zu>l. Expl. W. lOOMerid. lS-76, 166 (Arizona). 

 MotacUla facnilca, Gm. SS. i. 1768, 992, no. 43. 



CuMcMora caenilea, Bp. CA. i. 1850, :ilfi.— Gun dl. J. f. 0. 1861, 407 (Cuba). 

 Polioplilacacrulea, .S'd. PZS. 1859, .363 (Xalapa).—Gu«d<. J. f. O. 1861, 324 (Cuba) ; 1872, 



4(19 (Cuba). 

 Huscirapa C«prulca, Bp. Journ. Phila. Acad. iv. 1824, 172.— GawJ. Journ. PUila. Acad. i. 



1847, 38. 

 Cnlicivora CttTUlea, And. BA. i. 1840, 244. pi. m.— Wmulh. .Sitgreave's Rep. 1853, fil.—Ilt.nry, 



Pr. Phila. Acad. vii. 1855, 3U9 (New Mexico).- /'mOi. Pr. Essex Inst. i. 1856, 206. 



