SYLVrCOLID^E — THE WAKBLEUS. 



313 



BasUeuteruB beUi, Baird, Rev. Am. Birds, 1805, 247. Afxxricpa belli, GiiiAun, Texas 

 Birds. IJuh. Mexico tilid Omiteinala. Top of lieml and fact" eliestnut. A yellow .super- 

 ciliary stripe bordered above by dusky. Back olive ; beneath yellow. LeiiKtli '> Ul • 

 wing, 2.28; tail, 2.oO. 



(jfE.Nus M7IODIOCTES, Aud. 



Myindioctcs, Arm-noN, Synopsis, 1839, 48. (Type, Mutucilla mitrata, Gm.) - I5aihi> Birds 



N. Am. 1838, 291. 

 WiUonia, IJoxap. List. 1838 (prcoccupiiMl in botany). 

 Milioctonus, C'AliA.Nis, xMus. Hcin. 1850, 18. (Type, Mntncilla inilmta.) 

 Gen. Char. Bill broad, depressed ; the lateral outlines a little concave ; tlio bristles 

 reaching not quite hall-way from nostrils to tip. 

 Cuhiien and conunissuro nearly straight to near the 

 tip. Nostrils oval, with membrane above. Win"s 

 pointed, rather longer than tlie nearly even but 

 shghtly rounded tail; first quill shorter than the 

 fourth, much longer than the liftli ; the second and 

 third quills longest. Tarsi rather lengthened, the 

 .soutellar divisions rather indistinct; the middle toe 

 without claw, about three fifths the tarsus. 



Mi/iotliortt's mitratits. 



Tliis genus is distingui.slied from Sctojihiu/a 

 mainly by stouter feet and longer toes ; sliort- 

 er and more even tail, narrower bill, etc. The species are decidedly mns- 

 cicajiine in general appearance, as sho\\-n by the depressed bill witli bristly 

 rictus. Tlie type M. mitratus is very similar in character of bill to Dcn- 

 droiai caManca, but the wings are much shorter ; the tail longer and more 

 graduated ; the legs and hind toe longer, and the first primary siiorter than 

 the fourth (.15 of an inch less than the longest), not almost e(pial to tlie 

 longest. The* species ♦aJe plain Oiive or plumbeous above, and yellow be- 

 neath. Tliey may be grouped as follows : — 



A. Tail with white patches on the inner feathers. 



1. M. mitratus. Head and neck black. Front, cheeki?, and under parts 

 yellow. Back olive-green. Ilab. Eastern Province of United States, south 

 to Panama and West Indies. 



2. M. minutus. Olive above ; yellowish beneath. Two white b.ands on 

 the wings, ffab. Eastern United States. 



B. Tail without white patch on the outer feathers. 



3. M. pusiUus. Crown black. Forehcnul, cheeks, and under parts yellow. 

 Back olive. 



Yellow of foreh(>ad without an orange tinge ; upper parts dull olive- 

 green ; pileum with very dull steel-blue lustre. Ilah. Eastern Province 

 and Rocky Mountains of North America, south to Costa Rica. var. p ii s illn s . 



Yellow of forehead with an orange ca,st ; upper i)arts bright yellowish- 

 green ; pilemn with a bright steel-blue lustre. Ifab. Pacilic Province 

 of North America, from Sitka to Costa Rica . . . var. pileolut <i 



4. M. canadensis. Streaks on the crown, strijjes on sides of head and 

 neck, with pectoral collar of streaks, black. Rest of under parts, and line 

 to and around the eye, yellow. Back blui.sh. Hob. Eastern Province of 

 United States, south to Ecuador. 



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