324 REVIEW OF AMERICAN BIRDS. [PART I. 



Bill stout, deep, much compressed, somewhat resembling 

 Cyclorhis. 

 Wings pointed, although first quill is about two- 

 fifths second, which about equals secondaries : 

 the fifth longest ; claws stouter than Vireosylvia, 

 although proportions much the same. Bill 

 with fine longitudinal furrows . . . Laletes. 



Legs stouter ; claws large and strong ; the lateral toes nearly 

 equal ; the claws of both reaching nearly to or beyond the 

 middle of the central claw. Hind toe lengthened. First 

 quill about half the second, which usually equals secon- 

 daries ; fourth generally longest. 



Bill slender, as in Vireo, but more conical, the culmen 

 straighter, not convex at end, and but little decurved. 



Wings about equal to the somewhat rounded tail . Hylophilus. 

 Bill very stout and Shrike-like ..... Cyclorhis. 

 Bill rather more slender than in last .... Vireolanius. 



Having tbus presented the characters of the genera of Vireonidse, 

 l)efore taking them up in detail I propose to present some general 

 views in regard to the typical members of the family, or Vireosylvia 

 and Vireo, the true Yireones. Few groups of American birds, of 

 the same extent, exhibit such diversities of form, there being scarcely 

 any two that agree closely in the shape and proportions of the wings, 

 tail, feet, &c., while the larger number stand isolated and single in 

 their minuter peculiarities of external anatomy. 



The colors, however, are very uniform ; the upper parts being 

 olivaceous or ashy, the under white, varied with yellowish ; the 

 face variously striped ; the wings with or without light bars across 

 the coverts, and light edgings on the secondaries ; the tail feathers 

 unspotted. The iris in many species is red, yellow, or white ; the 

 bill horn color or plumbeous ; the legs always dusky. In one 

 species {atricapillus) the head above is black ; in Josephse it is dark 

 brown. 



In view of the great variations of form in the different species, 

 and their gradual transition from one character to the other, there 

 would be but little violence done by considering all as belonging to 

 the single genus Vireo. Those, however, with long-pointed wings 

 and short even tail, with very small spurious primary or none, may 

 perhaps be conveniently separated, as Vireosylvia from Vireo, the 

 former to include Vireosylvia proper, with its slender body and 

 straight, rather w^eak Inll, and Lanivireo, with its stouter form, 

 thick, curved, and powerful bill and stronger feet, like a miniature 

 Shrike. Tlie gradation from one species to the other of Vireo, as 



