MNIOTILTID^E THE AMERICAN WARBLERS. 135 



Subgenus Dendroica Gray. 



Dendroica GRAY, Genera Birds, Appendix. 1842,8. Type, MotncUla coronata LINN. 



"GEN. CHAK. Bill conical, attenuated, depressed at the base, where it is however 

 scarcely broader than high, compressed from the middle. Oulmen straight for the basal 

 half, then rather rapidly curving, the lower edge of upper mandible also concave. Gonys 

 slightly convex and ascending. A distinct notch near the end of the bill. Bristles, 

 though short, generally quite distinct at the base of the bill. Tar-i long, decidedly, 

 longer than the middle toe, which is longer than the hinder one; the claws rather small 

 and much curved; the hind claw nearly as long as its digit. The wings long and pointed 

 the second quill usually a very little longer than the first. The tail slightly rounded and 

 emarginate." 



"Colors. Tail always with a white or yellow spot; its ground color never clear olive- 

 green; in D. (estiva edg^d internally with yellow. 



"Eggs usually with a white or a bluish white ground, marked with purplish brown and 

 obscure lilac; in some, mingled with varying shades of sienna-brown. Nest, so far aa 

 known, in bushes and trees, except D. palmarum, which is on the ground. 



"The genus Dendroica is one of the most extensive as to species 

 of any in North America, and scarcely admits of any subdivision. 

 There is a little variation in the bill, wings, etc., the chief peculiar- 

 ities being in D. castanea and pennsylvanica, in which the bill is 

 broader, and more depressed, with longer bristles; in D. striata, 

 where the bill is narrow with scarcely any bristles ; and in D. pal- 

 marum and kirtlandi, where the wings are very short, scarcely longer 

 than the tail. D. palmarum has the tarsus unusually long. The 

 colors in all are strongly marked, and the species are among the 

 most beautiful of all belonging to our fauna, and are the most con- 

 spicuous for their numbers and in their migrations." (Hist. N. 

 Am. B.) 



The difference in manners between certain members of this genus 

 is remarkable; thus, the D. palmarum is very terrestrial in its 

 habits, walking upon the ground with the ease and grace of a Tit- 

 lark (Anthus), and, like these birds, it has a wagging motion of the 

 tail. On the other hand, the D. dominica and D. vigorsii are "Creep- 

 ers" almost to the same extent as is the Mniotilta varia; creeping not 

 only along the branches of trees, but the cornices and lattices of build- 

 ings, with the facility of a Nuthatch (Sitta). Both these species, how- 

 ever, may often be seen hopping among the foliage of the trees, 

 now and then snapping an insect on the wing, in the manner of 

 others of the family. 



Synopsis of Species. 



A. Inner webs of lateral tail-feathers with a patch or distinet edging of yellow. 



1. D. aestiva. $: Gamboge-yellow, more olive-green above, the breast and sides 

 streaked with chestnut-red. 9: Duller, lacking distinct red streaks below. 

 Young: Dull olive-green above, plain pale yellow, or greenish buffy white, below. 



