CHAPTER III. 

 Family Sylvicolidae. American Warblers. 



All the Sylvicolas are small birds not one being- 

 over six inches in length, if we except Icteria and 

 probably a species of Seiurus. They are mostly 

 clad in variegated colors. The sexes are gener- 

 ally unlike, and the variations of plumage so 

 striking with respect to age and season of the 

 year, that most careful discrimination is absolutely 

 essential. Some of the Warblers possess the 

 habits of Titmice or Wrens; others, imitate the 

 Creepers or Nuthatches; the Seiuri.m many par- 

 ticulars, resemble the Titlarks ; while the Redstarts 

 simulate so completely the true Flycatchers, that 

 they were formerly classified with the Tyranni-da . 



The Warblers graduate so completely into the 

 Tanagers, that they have been constituted a sub- 

 family of Tanagridce', their affinity with the 

 Ccerebidcz is so intimate, that a clear line of de- 

 marcation is not possible. 



The Sylvic&lida as now constituted, comprehend 

 more than a hundred genuine species, and in 

 America to which they are restricted, may be con- 

 sidered as representative of the Sylviida of the 

 Old World. Dr. Coues separates them into three 

 subfamilies: Sylvicolincz, Icteriincz, and Setopha- 

 gince which are distinguished from each other by 

 certain structural peculiarities. 



