HYLYICOLWA'] — THE WAKBfiKRS. 



211 



Tlie eggs, four or fivo in iniinhoi', have a clear wliito ground, and uro s])ar- 

 ingly .spotted witli markings of rwldisii-la'own, slate, jturplc, and lilac. Jn 

 some the first predominate, in otho'-s the last three shades are more ahnn.lant, 

 and usually form a eontiuent ring arcuid the larger end. They measure from 

 .62 to .6.") of au iuch in length, and from .-ill to .50 in breadth. 



Section SYLVIC0LE>E. 



This section has been already characterized as having a distinctly notched 

 bill, well provided with bristles. Of tlie two genera one, FrrLs.so<//o.sx,i, has 

 the bill slender, acute, something like Hdmintlwphiuja, and with the tongue 

 lengthened and much lacerated at end ; the other, Umdroiva, with less acute 

 bill and tongue shorter, merely notched at tip, and a little fringed only. 



Genus FERISSOQLOSSA, Uaird. 

 Perismjlnssa, Baiki., Rev. Am. Birds, 1864, 181. (Type, Motacilla tigrhw, Gm.) 



Gkn. Ciiai!. Form of Deiidroira, but liill .slender, acute, with very obsolete notdi ; the 

 coniiiiis.siiro gently nrelied or curved from the base ; 

 the gony.s .-.Iso .straight, or even .slightly concave. 

 Tongue lengthen.-d, narrow, deeply bilid (for one 

 third), and deeply lacerated or fringed externally 

 at the end ; the edge along tlie median ])ortion folded 

 over on the upper surface, but n-.t adherent. 



The curvature of the bill in Pcrii^sm/lonsa 

 tigrina is quite peculiar among the ^i/hi- 

 eoHifw with notched bills. Some Helniin- 



thophagas (without notch) approximate this PrrhsonhM, nt-rina, iiaira. 



character, though in none, excepting H. hnchmmu, is it in e(iual amount,— 

 all the others having the gonys very slightly convex, instead of straigh ' oi 

 even slightly concave. 



It is most probable tliat the Hclinnia mrhonntn of Aiululion belongs litre, 

 as it appears very closely allied to the type of this genus. The two"species 

 may be distinguished as follows : — 



Common CnARACTERS. Mnh. Top of head black. Above olive, becoming yel- 

 lowi.sh on rump. Head, neck, and lower parts bright yellow, becominsr whi'tish 

 posteriorly. Dorsal feathers with black centres ; breast and sides sti-eaked with 

 black. ,\. black streak through the eye. 



P. tigrina. Large white patches on inner webs of tail-feathers. 



Sides of head and middle of throat tinged with chestnut. One large 

 white patch on wing, covering both rows of coverts. Outer web of 

 lateral tail-feather blackish. 



