Observations on three British Species of Warblers. 251 
them as constituting several separate genera. Under the general 
description of a small head,a slender bill beset with bristles, small 
and depressed nostrils ; and an outer toe joined to the middle one 
by a membrane, &c. naturalists have imperfectly depicted the 
character, and have overlooked the less obvious but not less es- 
sential differences to be found in the forms of the brain, the 
mode of feeding, and other habits and manners of the several 
genera and species of Warblers. I have endeavoured by observa- 
tion to found a division of genera on these differences, and sub- 
mit them in the following pages. 
Genus FICEDULA. 
I have adopted for the division (Muscivore) of some conti- 
nental writers this term from Aldrovandus, and have used it. here 
to designate the three species of Willow Wren known in this 
island, in preference to /rochilus (which | have formerly used), 
as this latter term is already (though I believe erroneously) ap- 
plied to the Humming Bird. 
The great confusion which has prevailed among ornithologists 
with respect to the Willow Wrens, has induced me to be very mi- 
nute in the description of them, in order to convey clear ideas of 
the characteristic marks of distinction which each species may 
possess. Their great resemblance in many particulars has led 
to the abovementioned confusion in the description of them. 
The description of Sylvia Trochilus, or the Willow Wren, by 
Latham, seems to answer to that of the Sylvia Hippolais, or Least 
- Willow Wren, of Montagu’s Ornith. Dict—Temminck has re- 
cently fallen into a similar mistake. Bewick has mistaken the 
names; and, in short, almost all writers have mixed part of the 
description of one species with that of another. The infinity of 
names also used by various writers renders necessary a copious 
table of reference, in order to identify species by their descrip- 
tions. 
Species 1. FickepuLa SyLvicota. 
Synonyms : 
Sylvia Sylvicola, Montagu Ornith. Dict. and Linn, Trans. iv. 35. 
Sylvia Sibilatrix, Temminck Man. Orn, 123. and Beckstein iii. 
561. 
Trochilus major, Synopt. Catal.* 116. 
This is the Yellow Willow Wren of Bewick; the Wood Wren 
of Linn. Trans. ii. 245. tab. 24; the Largest Willow Wren of 
White’s Nat. Hist. Selborne; and the Green Wren of Albin, vol.ii. 
tab. 86.6. 
* Synoptical Catalogue, &c. by T. Forster. Nicholls and Co. Lenya ead 
ome 
