58 BIRDS. 



often very difficult. Many of the Warblers are pleasing 

 songsters, but none exhibit any remarkable powers in 

 that line. All are insectivorous and migratory. 



This family consists of more than a hundred species, 

 chiefly North American, and embraces quite a wide 

 variety, so that the group can perhaps be only distin 

 guished negatively. The SylvicolidcB grade perfectly 

 into the Tanagridce and Coerelidce, and probably the 

 three families, and perhaps the FringilHdcK, also, should 

 be merged into one. Our species are divisible into 

 three very distinct sub - families, indicated below. 



I. Bill slender, not hooked, as high as wide at base, with short 

 bristles not reaching much beyond nostrils, or none; wings 

 longer than tail (except Geothlypis) ; length 6| or less. True 

 &quot;Warblers. (SYLVICOLIK&amp;lt;E.) 



* Tail feathers, some or all of them blotched with white. 

 f Rictus with evident bristles. 



i Tarsus shorter than middle toe and claw; entirely black 

 and white, streaked. . . . MNIOTILTA, 1. 

 $ Tarsus not shorter than middle toe and claw. 



a. Hind toe decidedly longer than its claw; bill acute, 

 scarcely notched ; bluish, throat and middle of back 

 with yellow. . . . . . PARULA, 2. 



act. Bill veiy acute, notched, perceptibly decurved, so 



that the gonys is slightly concave ; rump and under 



parts chiefly yellow. . . PERTSSOGLOSSA, 6. 



aaa. Warblers without above characters. DENDRCECA, 7. 



f f Rictus without evident bristles. 



&. Whole head and neck bright yellow; bill notched, half 

 inch or more long. . . . PROTONOTARIA, 3. 



lb. Whole head and neck not yellow; bill acute, not 

 notched nor bristled, less than half inch long. 



HELMINTIIOPnAGA, 5. 



** Tail feathers yellow on inner webs; outer webs dusky; 

 plumage chiefly yellow. . . . DENDRCECA, 7. 



