RELATIONSHIPS OF SYLVICOLID^ 197 



America, the Sylvicolidce are not distinguished by any known 

 character ; and the same is the case in the relations both with 

 the Fringillidce and the Tanagridce. For, though extreme forms 

 of Sylvicolidce, Tanagridce, and Fringillidce are sufficiently 



In his previous critical studies of this group, Prof. Baird had been as 

 much perplexed. I quote some passages from Rev. A. B., pp. 160, 161 : — " The 

 Sylvicolidce are essentially characterized among the Oscines with nine pri- 

 maries, by their small size, the usually slender and conical insectivorous bill, 

 shorter than the head, without angle in the gape near the base ; the toes 

 deeply cleft so as to leave the inner one free almost to its very base (except 

 in Mniotiltece), etc. The shallow notch at the end of the tongue, instead of 

 a deeply fissured tip, distinguishes the family from the CcBreMdw, to some of 

 which there is otherwise so great a resemblance. The absence of abrupt 

 hook and notch in both mandibles separates it from such of the Vireonidce 

 as have nine primaries. To the Tanagridce, through the slender-billed forms, 

 as Chlorospingus, Nemosia, Chlorochrysa, etc., the relationship is very close ; 

 so much so that, by many, both families are included in one. . . . 



"There is, perhaps, no family to which the relationship is closer than to the 

 CwreiidcB. Of equally small size, and, to some extent, of a somewhat simi- 

 lar style of coloration, it is not to be wondered at that many species in each 

 family have been indifferently assigned to either. The genus Helmintho- 

 phaga, for instance, can scarcely be so defined as to distinguish it from Coni- 

 roatrnm, excepting by the characters of the tongue, so rarely preserved in a 

 skin, ... I am by no means sure that some of the species even now re- 

 tained among the Sylvicolidce would not be more appropriately placed in 

 CcerebidcB, as Helminthophaga haclimani, Parula gutturalis, etc. ... To the 

 general character of the tongue in the Sylvicolidce, however, that of ' Den- 

 droica tigrina' forms a striking exception in its approximation to the Ccere- 

 bine character, especia>lly that of Certhiola." And it remains to be seen 

 whether various other reputed Sylvicolines do not show similar structure of 

 the tongue, as comparatively few of the species have been examined with 

 reference to this point. 



One species of the CcereMda; is found in the United States, and has been 

 attributed, but erroneously, to the Colorado Valley : it is the following : — 



Certhiola babamensis.— Bahaman Honey-creeper. 



Certhia flareola, 0, L. SN. i. 176G, 187, n. 18 /S (from Cates. Car. pi. 59, and Briss. Orn. iii. 



(1-20, pi. 34, f. 5— this fig. however, ia of the Martinique bird). 

 Certhia fiaveola, v. <?»«'• SN. i. 1788, 479, n. 18 y {Gates. 1. c. and Fenn. AZ. ii. 285, n. 175).— 



Lath. 10. i. 1790, 297, n. 53. 

 Certhiola flaveola, Bp. CA. i. 1850, 402 (partly).— .Baird, BNA. 1858, 924; atlas to ed. of 



1860, pi. 83, f. 3 (Florida).— JJry. Pr. Bost. Soc. vii. 1859, 117 (Bahamas).- J.i&r. J. f. 0. 



1361,54 (the same).— Cowes, Pr. Phila. Acad, sviii. 1866, 67 ("Arizona"— a blunder).— 



Coues, Key, 1872, 110 (Indian Key, Fla.). 

 Certhiola bahamcnsis, lieich. "Handb. 1. 1853, 253" (from Catesby). —Ca*stn, Pr. Phila. 



Acad. 1864, ill.— Baird, Am. Nat. vii. 1873, 612 (critical).— U. B. d- R. NAB. i. Ie74, 



428, pi. 19, f. 5 (Florida).- iren«A. List. B. Ariz. 1875, 157 (error). 

 Certhiola bairdi, Cab. J. f. O. 1865, 412 (= O. flaveola of Baird, 1858). 

 Grimpercau de Bahama, Certhia bahamcnsis, BHgg. Om. iii. 1760, 620. 

 Parus bahamicnsis, Bahama Titmonse, Gates. Car. i. 1771, 59, pi. 59 (descr. orig.). 

 Bahama Creeper, Fenn. AZ. ii. 1785, 285, n. 175. 

 Honey Creeper, Goues, 1. c. (1872). 

 Hab. — Bahama Islands and coast of Florida. 



