SYLVIID.E — THE SYLVIAS. /jg 



Family SYLVIID^. - Thk Sylvias. 



C„AR Bill much shorter than hca.l, sI.M.lor, broad, and d.pro.sed at the hase, di.tinrtly 

 no..l,.d and deenryed at the tip. C„l,„en .sharp-rid^ed at b.se. Frontal feathers reaehin! 

 o the no.str>!.s wlneh are oval, with nienihrane above, and overhung- not concealed - 

 by a few bnstles or by a feather. Ui.tal bri..,les e.xtendin,. beyon.l nost. ils. Tarsi booted 

 or seutellate Basal ,onU of middle toe attached its whole length externally, half-way 

 ternally 1 nn.ar.es ten ; spnrious prin.ary about half the second, which is shorter than 

 the .seventh. Lateral toes equal. 



The birds of this family are readily distinguished from the ParUla' hy the 

 slender hill, notched and dec,n-ved at tip; much bristled gape, sharp-ridded 

 cuhnen, exposed oval , .strils, less adherent toes, etc. They are much smaHer 

 hau the lurduhv anAS;,,n,olido; «-ith much more slender, depres.sed bill 

 longer rictal bristles, etc. The short outer primary, with the primaries ten 

 m number, distinguish them from the Sf/hiro/ida: 



The following .ynopsi.s will serve to characterize tho American forms of 

 their res,,ect.ye sul>families. The species are all among the most diminutive 

 in size witli the exception of the Humming-Birds : — 



A. AVin,.s lon,.er than the nearly even and emarjrinate tail. Scutell.-c of tarsus 

 ^arcely or not at all appreciable. General color olivaceous above. Xo white on 



Nostrils naked. Scntelkc di.stinct on inner face of tarsns only. Head plain. 



Nostrils overhnng by bristly leathers. Scutell. of tarsns not appreciate'" "" "" 

 Head with a colored centra: erest I'lcciaoic. 



B.Wi,,,s about equal to the graduated taih Tai^al seuteliu, distinct! Alf^"''""' 

 bldish ; tad with white spots or patches ^»-"o\l 



Nostrils uncovered. Head plain; either bluish or black above. Polloj, i; li no.. 



SriiFAMibv SYLVIINiE. 



Feathers of 'hontal re^io, w b ' , 'S:/':'"' '"^ T'^ ';-" ^ '■-•^i""t'- '-L 



scutcllate anteriorly, b,^ i^Uisth't e^:!! 7'V' ".^ X:::^!^ T"''' '"' 

 Aineriemi form.) (.'n.nacicis ....nvn with relereiice to the 



The intrcluction of this subfamily into the j.resont M-ork is renuired to 



accomnu>date a spec.es of P,,,,,, ,.,„ e,!,,,,...! on the Yukon bvT ,1 



s an Telegmph Kxped.tion, the first known instance of the existen;-! in n' Ui 

 . niencaot a group of birds characteri.stic of the northern par c^T ,0 O 

 JVorld. Among the smallest of the class, they are eniinen 'y soc a •„ 

 feed entirely on insects, which they capture mostly on tl. wing k^^' 



