VIREONID A. 323 
scutellate anteriorly. The young are never spotted, nor streaked as 
in the Thrushes; nor indeed do the adults exhibit such markings. 
In the adhesion of the toes at their bases there is some resemblance 
to the Zroglodytidz, but their structure is different. In the latter 
family the joints are lengthened, the basal of the middle, about as 
long as the Ist and 2d of the outer, and equal to or a little longer 
than the basal inner. In Vireonide& the basal joints are abbreviated ; 
the basal of the middle equal to about one ard a half joints of the 
outer, and not quite as long as the basal inner. This difference is, 
perhaps, related to the more or less terrestrial habitat of the one, and 
the strictly arboreal of the other. In Vireonide, too, there is a 
greater tendency to having three rows of scales on the upper part 
of the palm, on the three toes respectively, instead of having the 
outer two rows united more into a single series. 
The young of Vireenide, before the first full moult—at least 
those of Vireo, Vireosylvia, and Hylophilus—are not spotted as in 
Turdide and Myiadestes, but closely resemble the adult. 
The Vireonide are peculiar to the New World, and are generally 
distributed. Laletes and some species of Vireo and Vireosylvia 
are peculiar to the islands; Hylophilus extends to Trinidad and 
Tobago; the other genera are confined to the Continent. 
The following synopsis of the genera may serve to facilitate their 
determination—the primary division being based on the character 
of the toes :— 
Legs slender; claws weak; lateral toes unequal; the inner claw 
reaching about to the base of middle one, the outer nearly 
half way towards its tip. 
Bill slender; culmen straight, at least for basal half; quite 
abruptly and considerably decurved at the end. 
Wings pointed, considerably longer than the nearly 
even tail; spurious quill either wanting or very 
short, not one-third the second . : . Vireosylvia. 
Wings rounded, rather longer than the more or 
less rounded tail; spurious quill lengthened, 
one-third or more the second; second gener- 
ally, and third almost always longer than 
secondaries; third or fourth quill usually 
longest. ill rather compressed . - - Vireo. 
Wings much graduated, shorter than the consider- 
ably rounded tail; the sixth quill longest; 
second quill much shorter than secondaries ; 
third scarcely longer. Bill short, more de- 
pressed, and broader between angles of mouth 
than in Vireo. 3 : 4 “ : - Neochloe. 
