154 SYLVIIN^. CALAMOHERPE. 



GENUS XLIX. CALAMOHERPE. REEDLING. 



Bill of moderate length, straight, slender, broader than 

 high at the base, compressed toward the end ; upper man- 

 dible with its dorsal line slightly declinate, towards the end 

 a little convex, the ridge narrow at the base, the edges direct, 

 the notches obscure, the tip narrow ; lower mandible with 

 the edges inflected, the tip acute ; gape-line straight. Mouth 

 of moderate width ; tongue of ordinary length, very narrow, 

 sagittate and papillate at the base, concave above, horny 

 toward the end, bristly on the edges at the tip, which is slit ; 

 oesophagus of moderate width, nearly uniform ; proventri- 

 culus oblong ; stomach of moderate size, elliptical, compress- 

 ed, its lateral muscles moderately thick, the tendons rather 

 large, the cuticular lining dense and longitudinally rugous ; 

 intestine of moderate length and width ; coeca very small. 

 Nostrils elliptical, pervious. Eyes of moderate size. Aper- 

 ture of ear large, roundish. Head ovate, flattened above, nar- 

 row before ; neck short ; body slender. Feet of moderate 

 length ; tarsus much compressed, with eight anterior scutella; 

 toes much compressed, the second and fourth about equal, the 

 first strongest, the third and fourth united at the base ; claws 

 long, moderately arched, extremely compressed, laterally 

 grooved, very acute. Plumage generally blended ; bristles 

 rather strong ; wings of moderate length, a little curved, 

 broad ; the first quill extremely small, the second and third 

 longer ; tail rather long, straight, rounded. 



The species of this genus are remarkable for their habit 

 of frequenting marshy places, and the banks of rivers and 

 lakes, among the willows, reeds, and sedges of which they 

 seek their food, creeping along the stalks and foliage. Un- 

 less in having the tarsi more elongated, the claws larger, and 

 the wings shorter and more concave, they differ little from 

 some of the Sylvias. 



90. CALAMOHERPE PHRAGMITIS. SEDGE REEDLING. 

 Tail rather long, slightly rounded ; upper part of the head 

 brownish-black, the feathers edged with light brown ; back 

 and wing-coverts light olive-brown tinged with yellow, the 

 central part of each feather dark brown ; rump light reddish- 

 brown ; a yellowish- white streak over the eye ; lower parts 



