SYLVirOLin.K — TIlK WAKMLKKS. 177 



F.^.M^.Y SYLVICOLIDiE. — Till.; Wakhi-kks. 



The Si/Iri(v/i(/w are essentially cluiractorized among tlie Oseines with niii(> 

 primaries, by their small size, Ihe usually sleiuler and conical insectivorous 

 l)ill, shorter than the head, without anj^le in the yape near the hasc ; the toes 

 deeply cleft so as to leave tiie inner one tree ah -ost to its very liasc (excejjt 

 in Mniotilticc), etc. The siiaUow notch at the end of the tongue, instead of 

 a deeply fissured tip, distinguislies the family from the dnrhidir, to siune of 

 which tliere is otherwise so great a resend)lance. The abseiu'e of ahrujit 

 hook and notch in both mandibles separates it from such of the rircuitidcv 

 as have nine ]trimaries. 



Tiie American Mofdrilliilw are distinguished from the Si//rico/i(f(r by 

 the emargination of the outer and the great eh)ngation of the inner sec- 

 ondaries, as well as by other features referred to undt'r tliat family. 

 Anthiis, in particular, difl'crs in the lengtliened and slightly curved Iiind 

 claw. There is little dilHculty in distinguislung the SiilrimUihr, however, 

 from any families excepting the slender-liilled forms of the Tinuii/ridcr, as 

 Chlorospimjus, Noiionia, Vhlovoihriisn, etc., anil the conirostral Carchida: 

 In fact, some ornitludogists are inclined to include all three of the families 

 thus mentioned in one, from the dilliculty of marking their boundaries 

 respectively. 



In fact, we are of the opinion that no \ icdeuce would be dniu> by adopt- 

 ing this view, and would even include witii the above-mentioned families 

 the FriiKjillida- also. The order of their relation to one anotlier would be 

 thus: Friiif/i/lida; Tuiniijrida', SjilvlcoUilw, ('(rnbida ; there being scarcely 

 any break in the transition bi'tween the two extremes, unless there are 

 many genera referred to the wrong family, as seems very likely to lie the case 

 with many included in the Tamii/n'da: Tim /riji;/i//iif forms of the latter 

 family are such genera as B."nvrciiuiii and J /•/(•;/((*«, they being so closely 

 related to Himie/riiii/il/iitc genera by so many features — as rounded conca\e 

 wing, lax plumage, and siiizine cohiration — as to be scarcely .seiiarable. 

 Either tlie.se two families are connected so perfectly by intermediate forms 

 as to be inseparable, or the term T(niii(fn'd(r covers too great a diversity of 

 forms. With the same regularity that we jirod'cd from the Frimjillidtr to 

 the typical forms of the Tdiiin/riihr {/'i/ntiu/a, Tdiiin/ni, CidUsh, etc.), wo 

 pass down the scale from these to the Si//ri<vlid(r ; while between many 

 genera of the latter family, and others referred to the Cinrhidir, no differ- 

 ence in external anatomy can lie discovered, nuicii less expressed in a 

 description. 



In the foHowing synopsis we attempt to define the higher grou])s of tlio 

 Si/lvii-olidn; although in the large number of sjietues aim their close ndation- 

 siiips it is very dilticult to express clearly their distinctive features. 

 23 



