TEEETEISTIS. 



235 



Teretristis fornsii. 



Teretristis fornsii, Gdndlach, Ann. N. Y. Lyo. VI, Feb. 1858 (eastern 

 Cuba). — Ib. Cab. Jour. 1861, 326 (Cuba; very common). 



Sab. Eastern Cuba. 



Entire upper parts light ashy. Beneath, including lores, ocular region, and 

 a narrow line above it, ears, and edge of the wing, yellow, sharply defined ; 

 the sides of body, anal region to crissum and tibise, light dull ash. Inside 

 of wings white. Bill and legs dark plumbeous. 



Length, 4.90 ; wing, 2.25 ; tail, 2.35 ;' bill from gape, .60 ; tarsus, .73. No. 

 23,511 has a much broader bill than usual. 



In proportions this species resembles the fernandinae, but the 

 two are easily distinguished by the color. In the former the head 

 above is olive green, the yellow of under parts confined to throat ; 

 in fornsii the whole upper parts are uniform ashy, the yellow of 

 under part extending over the breast and belly. 



Subfamily SETOPHAGINJE. 



Sylvicoline birds with the characters of Flycatchers ; the bill notched at 

 tip, depressed and broad at the base, though quite deep ; the rictus with well 

 developed bristles reaching beyond the nostrils, sometimes to the end of the 

 bill. First quill rather less than the 4th, or still shorter. Size of the species 

 rarely exceeding six inches. Colors red, yellow, and olive. 



The species of this section resemble the small Flycatchers of the 

 family Tyrannidse in the structure of the bill, etc., and in the habit 

 of capturing insects more or less on the wing, though they are more 

 restless in their movements, seeking their prey among trees, or in 

 bushes, rapidly changing their place, instead of occupying a perch, 

 and returning to it, after pursuing an insect through the air. The 

 yellow or orange crown found in many species also carries out the 

 analogy ; but the strictly Oscine characters of the tarsal scutellte, 

 and the nine primaries will serve to distinguish them. 



While the Sylvicoleae are eminently characteristic of the orni- 

 thology of North America, in the number of specimens and of 

 species — few indigenous true Warblers being found south of the 



