5 I 4 PASSERIFORMES 



short and broad. The tail, which in some twenty genera contains 

 but ten feathers, varies from square to rounded, being rarely 

 emarginated, but not uncommonly graduated, as in Locustella, 

 Cisticola, and elsewhere ; it is much lengthened and widened 

 in Latieilla, broad and soft in Brady pterus, and so forth. In 

 Sijhenoeacus, Dromaeocercus, and the still longer -tailed Stipit- 

 urus the rectrices are spiny with curiously decomposed webs ; in 

 Orthotomus the median pair are elongated during summer in the 

 male ; in Sylviella the rump-feathers nearly hide the tail itself. 



The usual coloration in both sexes is plain greyish or brown, 

 with rufous, buff, white, or yellowish lower parts, and frequently 

 spots, stripes, and streaks. Many forms, however, shew more 

 or less black or red hues, often in the form of a cap ; others, as 

 Cryptolop)]ia, Habrornis, Tickellia, and FhyUergates exhibit brilliant 

 yellows and greens, relieved by grey, black, chestnut, and white ; 

 Orthotomus and some species of Prinia, Hapalis, and Uuprinodes 

 are hardly duller ; while Phylloscop)us, Acanthopncustc, Begidus, 

 Hypolais, Neornis, and Acanthiza vary from yellow -green to 

 brown and buff above. Begulus, FhyUergates, and certain members 

 of Cisticola, have red, orange, or yellow crowns ; Acanthiza has 

 scaly frontal feathers ; the male of Stipiturus a blue throat ; 

 Myiomoira is black and white, with a yellow and orange breast in 

 one case ; Stiphrornis has an orange throat in two ; Leptopoecile 

 shews a blue wash on the rump and lower surface. 



Sub-fam. 4. Poliop)tilinae. — The Gnatcatchers, with the sole 

 genus Polioptila, have very slender bills, moderate rictal bristles, 

 metatarsi scutellated anteriorly, shortish wings, and graduated 

 tails. They are blue-grey above, with black rectrices, externally 

 marked with white ; and are greyish or white below. White shews 

 occasionally on the wing, and some males have black heads. ■ 



Sub-fam. 5. Miniinac. — The American Mocking-birds have fairly 

 long bills, which are little decurved except in Harporhynchus, but 

 are frequently notched, and bristly at the gape. The metatarsi are 

 usually strong and distinctly scutellated in front, though more 

 slender in Oreoscoptes and Melanoptila, and sometimes quite smooth 

 in the latter and Galeoscoptes ; the wings are shortish and rounded, 

 with well-developed outer primary ; the tail is rather long and is 

 generally broad and much graduated, but is narrower and squarer 

 in Oreoscoptes. The usual coloration is dull brown, rufous, and grey, 

 varied by white on the remiges and rectrices, and by an occasional 



