312 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Tyrannidce in the structure of the bill, etc., and in the habit of capturing 

 insects more or less on the wing, though they are more restless in their 

 movements, seeking their prey among trees or in bushes, rapidly changing 

 their place, instead of occupying a perch and returning to it after pursuing 

 an insect through tlie air. The yellow or orange crown found in many spe- 

 cies also carries out the analogy ; but the strictly Oscine characters of the 

 tarsal scutellse and the nine primaries will serve to distinguish them. 



The Setophagincc have their greatest development in Middle and South 

 America, no less than nine genera and subgenera being on record, of which 

 only two extend into the United States. Of one of these, Setophaga, we 

 have only a single species of the many described ; the other, Myiodioctc>i, 

 lias no members other than those found in the United States. 



The following diagnosis is prepared to distinguish our genera from the 

 South American : — 



A. Wings pointed ; the first quill longer than the fifth; the third as long as or 

 longer than the fourth. Tail nearly even, or slightly rounded (the diflerence of the 

 feathers less than .20) ; the feathers broad and firm ; the outer webs of exterior 

 feathers narrow at base, but widening to nearly double the width near the end. 



1. Bill from gape nearly as long as skull, broad at base and much depressed ; 

 rictal bristles reaching half-way from nostrils to tip. Culmen and commis- 

 sure nearly straight. Wings equal to the tail. Tarsi long ; toes short ; mid- 

 dle toe without claw, about half the tarsus . . . ' . . . Setophaga. 



2. Bill from gape nearly as long as skull, broad at base, but deep and more 

 sylvicoline ; rictal bristles reaching but little beyond nostrils. Culmen and 

 commissure straight to the tip. Wings longer than the almost even tail. 

 Middle toe without claw, three fifths the tarsus .... Myiodioctes. 



3. Bill from gape much shorter than head, wide at base, but compressed 

 and high ; the culmen and commissure much curved from base, scarcely 

 notched at tip ; rictal bristles reaching nearly half-way from nostrils to tip. 

 Wings about equal to the almost even tail. Middle toe Avithout claw, about 



three fifths the rather short tai'sus CardeUina. 



B> Wings rounded ; the first quill shorter than in the preceding section ; always 

 less than the fifth. South American genera.' 



Several species of Setojjhafjince have, on not very well established grounds, 

 been assigned to the southern borders of the United States. They are as 

 fellows : — 



Cardellina rubra, Baird, Rev. Am. Birds, 1865, 264. {Setophaga rubra, Swainsox.) 

 Parus leucofis, Giraud, Birds Texas. Ilab. Mexico. Rich carmine-red. Wing and 

 tail-feathers brown. Ear-coverts silvery white. Length, 4.70 ; wing, 2.40 ; tail, 2.55. 



Basileuterus culicivorus, Baird, Rev. Am. Birds, 1865, 246. (Sylvia culicivora, 

 Light.) Muscicapa hrasieri, Giraud, Texas Birds. Hah. Southern Mexico ; Guatemala 

 and Costa Rica. Top of head with two black stripes enclosing a median of yellow. 

 Back olivaceous- ash. Beneath entirely yellow. No rufous on side of head. Length, 

 4.90; wing, 2.40; tail, 2.25. 



1 Genera Myiohorus, Eidhhj2yis, Myiotlilypis, Basileuterits, Idiotes, and Ergaticus. All Middle 

 and Soutli America. 



