SYLVICOLID^E. XXVII. 57 



A group of about one hundred species, mostly of the 

 Old World, connecting the Alaudidve, with the Sylci- 

 colidce. Most of them are terrestrial. They have a 

 habit (shared by various others) of moving the tail up 

 and down, as if "balancing themselves on unsteady 

 footing;" hence the name "Wagtail." 

 * Tarsus longer than middle toe and claw; outstretched feet 

 falling much short of end of tail. . . . AXTHUS, 1. 



/. A/I/THUS, Bechstein. TITLARKS. 



1. A. pennsylvanicits, (Lath.) BRO\VN LARK. TIT- 

 LARK. PIPIT. Dark brown, slightly streaked; superciliary 

 line and under parts buffy; breast and sides streaked; 

 outer tail feathers more or less white; L. 6^; W. 3^; T. 

 3. N. Am.; generally abundant. (The Missouri Sky- 

 lark, Neocorys spraguei, is a near relative.) . 



FAMILY XXVII. SYLVICOLID^E 



(T7ie Warblers.) 



Primaries 9; inner secondaries not enlarged, nor the 

 hind toe long and straight, as in Alandidce and Moto<:il- 

 lidce. Bill usually rather slender, notched or not; the 

 commissure not angulated at base, as in FringillidfR, 

 nor toothed in the middle, as in our Tanagridce; the 

 end not notched and abruptly hooked, as in Vireonidce 

 and Laniidce; the gape not broad and reaching to the 

 eyes, as in HirundinidcB. 



Our warblers are small birds; all (except Icteria which 

 may not belong here) are less than six and a half inches 

 in length, and very many are less than five. The rictus 

 is generally bristled, but in several of our genera it is 

 not. The colors are usually brilliant and variegated, but 

 the sexes are unlike, and the variations due to age and 

 season are great, so that the study of the species is 



