204 SYLVICOLIN^ MNIOTILTA VARIA 



largest genus, Dendrceca. All the genera and most of the spe- 

 cies of Sylvicolinw are found in this country, mainly as migrants, 

 which appear in the spring, pass the summer, and retire for the 

 winter to Mexico, the West Indies, and Central or even South 

 America 5 though some pass the inclement season within our 

 limits, and one at least is found in winter in Northern States. 



The Sylvicolinw are not very well represented in the Colorado 

 Basin, where various genera are wanting, and the Dendrcecw 

 are comparatively few; the Helminthophagce, however, are pro- 

 portionally numerous. 



We may rapidly note some of the characteristics according to 

 which the genera may be thrown into recognizable groups. The 

 genus Geothlypis, in the first place, stands quite alone, in the rel- 

 ative length of the wings and tail, the former being shorter than 

 the latter: it is one of the "Ground Warblers". Intimately 

 related is the genus Oporornis — so intimately, that species of the 

 two are sometimes confounded. These genera, ^eith Siurus, are 

 somewhat terrestrial and aquatic ; they have lengthened, pale- 

 colored legs, and some of the species step very prettily over the 

 ground, instead of hopping, or advancing both feet together, 

 like most Passeres. There is another grouj), known as " Swamp 

 Warblers" or " Worm-eating Warblers", consisting of the gen- 

 era Hehnintlierus, Helmintliopliaga^ and Protonotaria : in these, 

 the bill is extremely acute, and usually unnotched, and has no 

 rictal bristles. Two genera, Mniotilta* and Parula, the first of 



* Mniotilta varia.— Black-and-wbite Warbler. 



MotaciHa varia, L. SN. i. 1766, 333, n. 23 (Briss. iii. 529, pi. 27, f. 5 ; Sloane, ii, 309, pi. 265, f. 

 D.—Om. SN. i. 1788, 979, n. 23.—Turt. SN. i. 1806, 603. 



Sylvia varia, Lath. 10. ii. 1790, 539, n. 118.— Bp. Ann. Lye. K. Y. ii. 1826, 81.— Nutt. Man. i. 

 1832, 38i.—Thomps. Vermont, 1853, 83. 



Certhia varia, T. OAS. ii. 1807, 69.—Aud. OB. i. 1832, 452, pi. 90.—Feab. Eep. Orn. Mass. 

 1839, ■SiO.-Haym. Pr. Phila. Acad. viii. 1856, iSS.— WUlis, Smiths. Kep. for 1858, 1859, 

 282 (Nova Scotia). 



MniotiSta varia, Y. ^'Anal. 1816, 45".— Bp. PZS. 18.'i7, 118 (Guatemala).— i?p. List, 1838, 11.— 

 And. Syn. 1839, ll.—Nutt. Man. i. 2d ed. 1840, "iOi.—Aud. B A. ii. 1841, 105, pi. 114.— 

 Gimwd, BLL 1844, 70.— Gosse, B. Jam. 1847, 134.— ^i?. CA. i. 1850, 311. -i«7n6ei/e, Av. 

 Cuba, 1850, 68, pi. 10, f. l.—BurneU,'PT. Best. Soc. iv. 1851, 116.— i2ead, Pr. Phila. Acad, 

 vi. 1853, 401.— JTo2/, ibid. 312.— TFoodA.Sitgr. Kep. Znni R. 1853, 69.— &Z. PZS. 1835,143 

 (Bogotd).— OwndJ. J. f. 0. 1855, 475 (Cuba).— PraHm, Tr. 111. Agr. Soc. i. 1855, 603.— 

 Putn. Pr. Ess. Inst. i. 1856, •■i08.—Brew. Pr. Bost. Soc. vi. 1856, 6.—Scl. PZS. 1856, 140 

 (Chiriqni) ; 291 (Mexico).— Br;/. Pr. Bost. Soc. vi. 18.')7, 116 (Nova ^coXm).— Maxim. J. f. 

 O. vi. 1858, 108.— i?d. BNA. 1858, 235.-4. <£ E. Newt. Ibis, i. 1859, 143 (St Croix).— Srf. 

 PZS. 1859, 363 (Xal»pa); 373 (Oaxaca).— ilTarten*, J. f. 0. 1859, 213 (Bermudas).— JJiand, 

 Smiths. Kep. for 1858, 1659, 287 (Bermudas) —Brj/. Pr. Bost. Soc. vii. 1859, 110 (Baha- 

 mas).— Cab. J. f. 0. 1860, 328 (Costa Kica).— Brew. Pr. Bost. Soc. vii. 1860, 306 (Cuba).— 

 Barn. Smiths. Kep. for 1860, 1861 , 435.— iawr. Ann. Lye. N. T. vii. 1861, 322 (New Gre- 

 nada).— -ScJ. PZS. 1861, 70 (Jamaica).- GwndJ. J. f. 0. 1861, 326 (Cnha) .—Albrecht, J. f. 

 0. 1861, 52 (Bahamas).— AZfir. J. f. 0. 1862, 193 (Jamaica).— Boardw. Pr. Bost. Soc. ix. 

 1862, 124.— ffaj/d. Tr, Amer. Philos. Soc. xii. 1802, 159 (Dakota).— Ferr. Pr. Ess. Inst. Kl. 



