INSESSORES : PRONITID^. l6l 



The Texas Kingfisher, C. americana, Boie, is much 

 smaller, being only eight inches long, and the wing three 

 and a quarter inches ; and the head is only slightly crested. 

 The upper parts and a pectoral and abdominal band of 

 blotches, and a line on each side of the thorax, are glossy 

 green ; the under parts generally, a collar on the back of 

 the neck, and a double series of spots on the quills, white. 



PRONITID.E, OR SAW-BILL FAMILY. This Family com- 

 prises birds with the bill as long as the head, gently de- 

 curved near the tip, but not hooked, and the cutting edges 

 dentated ; the tarsi rather long, feet large, the middle and 

 outer toes connected for more than half their length. 

 Three genera are known, only one of which is repre- 

 sented in North America. 



The Genus Momotus has the bill as long as the head, 

 both mandibles dentated, and the tail long. 



The Saw-Bill, M. cceruliceps, Gould, of Mexico, is fifteen 

 inches long, the wing five and a half, the general color 

 yellowish-green, the top of the head and occipital crest 

 bright blue encircled with black. 



COLOPTERID.E, OR FLYCATCHER FAMILY. This Family 

 comprises small birds which connect the non-melodi- 

 ous birds with the Oscines, to be noticed hereafter. The 

 bill in most cases is bent abruptly down at the tip, before 

 which is a slight notch ; the sides of the mouth are pro- 

 vided with stiff bristles ; the wings of moderate length, 

 the first primary always more than half the length of the 

 second, usually nearly as long as the latter. This large 

 family is represented in North America by about thirty 

 species. 



The Genus Pachyrhamphus has the Rose-throated Fly- 

 catcher, P. aglaice, Lafresn., of Mexico to the Rio Grande, 

 as its only representative in North America. It is seven 

 and a half inches long, and the wing three and three 

 fourths inches. 



