MNIOTILTID&. 481 



d 1 . Inner webs of tail-feathers chiefly white ; prevailing color yellow, 

 the wings and tail bluish gray, back olive-green, and under tail- 

 coverts white Protonotaria. (Page 484.) 



d 2 . Inner webs of tail-feathers without white ; color plain brownish 

 or olive above (the head sometimes striped), whitish or buffy 

 beneath. 



e 1 . Bill very much compressed ; culmen straight, with basal por- 

 tion elevated into a distinct narrow ridge ; top of head 

 plain brown (sometimes with an indistinct paler spot in 



middle of crown) Helinaia. (Page 484.) 



e 2 . Bill very slightly compressed ; culmen gently curved, its base 

 not compressed nor elevated ; top of head with two black 

 stripes separated by a broader one of buff. 



Helmitherus. (Page 485.) 

 c\ Middle toe, with claw, decidedly shorter than tarsus in front, or else 



wing with two white bands. 1 



d 1 . Gape without obvious bristles; bill very acute, usually without 

 notch, and with straight outlines, very rarely slightly decurved 

 at tip. 



e l . Difference between length of wing and tail equal to or greater 

 than length of tarsus in front. 



Helminthophila. (Page 485.) 

 e 1 . Difference between length of wing and tail decidedly less than 



length of tarsus in front Oreothlypis? 



d*. Gape with distinct bristles ; bill variable, but rarely as above. 



e 1 . Bill elongate-conical, with straight outlines, and without dis- 

 tinct (if any) notch ; wing not more than 2.30. 



Above bluish or grayish, with triangular patch of olive- 

 green on back ; wings usually with two white bands, 

 and inner webs of outer tail-feathers with white spots; 

 under parts with at least anterior half yellow. 



Compsothlypis. (Page 490.) 



e 3 . Bill variable, but always with decidedly curved outlines, and 

 usually with distinct notch ; wing not less than 2.30 (usu- 

 ally more than 2.50). 



1 The exception is Dendroiea dominica (LiNN.). 



2 Oreothlypis RIDGW., Auk, i. April, 1884, 169. Type, Compsothlypis guttvralis CAB. 



The type of this genus is slate-gray or plumbeous above, with a triangular patch of black on the back ; 

 chin, throat, and breast intense cadmium-orange ; sides and flanks plumbeous, middle line of belly white. A 

 Mexican species, which probably occurs within our borders, in western Texas or New Mexico, is very different 

 from the type in coloration. The head and neck (except beneath) are plumbeous-gray, relieved by a broad 

 white superciliary stripe ; back and rump bright olive-green ; wings and tail plumbeous-gray ; chin, throat, 

 and breast yellow, the chest with a chestnut spot ; posterior lower parts white, the flanks tinged with gray. 

 This is 0. superciliosa (Conirostrum supercilioswn HARTL., Rev. Zool. 1844, 215). In both species the sexes 

 are essentially alike in coloration. 



61 



