120 NEW- YORK FAUNA — BIRDS. 



FAMILY VIREONIDM. 



Bill moderate, robust, broader than high at the base, which is furnished with bristles. 

 Dorsal outline of the upper mandible convex {in one genus much arched), notched ; tip 

 bent. Tarsus moderate, compressed, with seven or eight scutellce. Tail various. 



Obs. This family now includes three American genera, or two according to the ideas of 

 some systematists. 



GENUS VIREO. Vieillot. 



Upper mandible strongly notched ; lower mandible shorter, recurved at the tip, with small 

 bristles at the base. Nostrils basal, rounded. Tongue cartilaginous, bifid at the tip. 

 Tarsus longer than the middle toe, compressed, with seven scutelLae. Wings pointed ; 

 second or third quill longest. Tail moderate, nearly even. General color with a tinge of 

 green. Female resembling the male. 



Obs. A genus peculiar to America. 



THE YELLOW-THROATED GREENLET. 



VlREO FLAVIFRONS. 



PLATE XXXV. FIG. 77. 



(STATE COLLECTION.) 



Vireo Jlavifrons. Vieillot, Ois. de l'Amerique, pi. 54. 



Muscicapa sylvicola. Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 1, p. 117, pi. 7, fig. 3. 



V. Jlavifrons. Bonaparte, Annals Lye. Nat. Hist. Vol. 2, p. 70. Audubon, folio, pi. 119 ; Orn. Biog. Vol. 2, 



p. 119, and Vol. 5, p. 428. 

 Yellow-throated Vireo. Nuttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 1, p. 302. Aoddbon, Birds of Am. Vol. 4, p. 141, pL 238. 

 Giraud, Birds of Long island, p. 159. 



Characteristics. Olive green. Frontlet, line round the eye, throat and breast yellow ; 

 belly white. Wings with two white bands, and with the tail dark 

 brown. Length, 5-6 inches. 



Description. Bill with three or four slight bristles at the base. The two exterior toes 

 united to the middle as far as the first joint. Tail emarginate. 



Color. Greenish olive. Throat and breast dull lemon-yellow ; lesser wing-coverts, lower 

 part of the back, the rump and the flanks bluish ash. Primaries edged with pale ash ; 

 secondaries bordered with white. Tail deep brown ; the three exterior feathers edged on 

 each vane with white. Female and young, with duller colors. 



Length, 5-5-6-0. Alar extent, 9-0-9-5. 



