B3[i4PS™r.!Syi-¥JGOLIDAB-^HELMITHEEUS. 



251 



Section Venjjivorea^, 



Bill entirely without notch, and with no riet^l birj&tles. hpgs y^-ri^ble. 



The following genera compose this section : 



Helmitherus. — Bill stout, only moderately acute, nearly as long as the head, and on a line 

 •with the forehead. Middle toe as long as the short tarsus. Colors plain ; no white on the tail. 



Helminthophaqa. — Bill slender, excessively acute, shorter than the head. Tarsus considerahly 

 longer than the middle toe. Tail feathers sometimes with a white patch. 



IIELMITHERUS, Raf. 



Helmithenis, Rafinesque, Journal de Physique, LXXXVIIT, 1819, 417. Type Motacilla vermivora. 

 Vermivora, Swainson, Zool. Jour. IV, 1827, 170, (not of Meter, 1833.) 

 Helinaia, AuD. Synopsis, 1839, 66. Type Sylvia swainsoni. And. 

 Ch. — Bill large and stout, compressed, almost tanagrine ; nearly or quite as long as the head. Culmenvery slightly 



curved ; gonys straight ; no notch in the bill ; rictal bristles wanting. Tarsi short, but little longer, if any, than the middle 

 toe. Tail considerably shorter thaq the wings ; rather rounded. Wings rather long, the first quill a little shorter than the 

 second and third- 



The birds of this division are very plain in their colors, more so than any other American 

 warblers. There are but two species rcferrible to the genus, of which the H. swainsoni differs from 

 the type in having a considerably longer and more compressed bill, the ridge of which is com- 

 pressed, elevated, and appears to extend backwards on the forehead, as well as to be in a straight 

 line with the upper part of the head. The wings are longer ; the tail forked, not rounded ; the 

 feathers narrower and more pointed ; the tarsi shorter than in the type. It is quite possible that 

 systematic writers may hereafter find it necessary to erect this form into a distinct genus or 

 sub-genus to be called Hdinaia. 



Synopsis of tjie species. 



Colors plain. Above olivaceous, beneath nearly white, No spots or bands on wing or t^il. 



Above olive green. Head yellowish, with two black stripes above and one behind the 



' eye. Tail rounded., H. vermivorvs. 



Above dull olive green, tinged with brown. Stripes on the head somewhat as in the last, 

 but reddish browp ; the median light gtripe op the crown scarcely visible. Tail 

 sUgJifcly ferksd ,,...,,,...,.... H, 



