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FAMILY XI. SYLVIAN^. WARBLERS. 



Bill of moderate length, slender, straight, a little broader than high at the 

 base, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with its dorsal line straight 

 and declinate, convex at the end, the tip small, acute, the notches small; 

 lower mandible with the angle of moderate length and narrow, the dorsal 

 line straight, the sides convex, the tip narrow. Nostrils basal, oval or 

 oblong. Head rather large, ovate; neck short; body rather slender. Feet 

 of ordinary length, slender; tarsus compressed, with seven anterior scutella; 

 toes moderate, compressed; first stouter, second and fourth nearly equal, 

 third much longer, and adherent at the base; claws moderate, arched, slender, 

 compressed, acute. Plumage soft and blended. Bristles short or weak. 

 Wings of moderate length or long; the first quill very small, the second, 

 third, and fourth longest. Tail long or of moderate length, of twelve 

 feathers. Tongue, sagittate, slender, tapering to a slit and lacerated point. 

 (Esophagus rather narrow, without crop; proventriculus oblong; stomach a 

 gizzard of moderate strength, with the muscles distinct, the epithelium 

 dense and rugous; intestine of moderate length; coeca very small. Trachaea 

 simple, with four pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles. 



Of this family, which in Europe is so numerous, there are in North 

 America only two genera, Regains and Sialia, the former composed of very 

 small birds, allied in manners to the Tits, the latter approaching the Thrushes 

 in form. The connecting links being wanting with us, these genera might 

 seem at first sight very dissimilar. 



Genus I.— REGULUS, Cuv. KINGLET. 



Bill short, straight, very slender, a little broader than high at the base, 

 compressed toward the end; upper mandible nearly straight in its dorsal 

 outline, the edges slightly notched, the tip a little declinate, acute; lower 

 mandible with its outline ascending, nearly straight, the tip acute. Nostrils 

 basal, elliptical, concealed by the reversed feathers. Head large, broadly 

 ovate; neck short; body short. Legs rather long; tarsus slender, longer 

 than the middle toe, much compressed, scutella blended, excepting the lower 

 four toes, rather small, much compressed, hind toe large; lateral equal; claws 



