140 



FAMILY XX.— VIREONIN.E. GREENLETS. 



Bill of moderate length, straight, rather stout, compressed toward the end; 

 gap-line slightly arched, notches distinct, tip very small, declinate. Head 

 rather large, ovate; neck short; body rather slender. Feet of moderate 

 length; tarsus compressed, slender, with seven anterior scutella; toes rather 

 small, hind toe rather stout, lateral equal. Claws moderate, arched, com- 

 pressed, acute. Plumage soft and blended. Wings of moderate length, 

 rather pointed. Tail of moderate length, even or emarginate. Roof of 

 upper mandible concave, with a median ridge; tongue narrow, flat above, 

 with the point slit; oesophagus of moderate length, without dilatation; 

 stomach roundish, muscular, with a dense rugous epithelium; intestine short, 

 and rather wide; coeca very small. Trachea simple, with four pairs of 

 inferior laryngeal muscles. 



Genus I.— VIREO, Vieill. GREEN LET. 



Bill rather short or of moderate length, rather strong, straight, broader 

 than high at the base, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with the 

 dorsal line slightly convex, the ridge narrow, the sides sloping and towards 

 the end somewhat convex, the edges straight, the notches distinct, the tip 

 small, decurved, acute; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length 

 and rather narrow, the dorsal line ascending and rather convex, the sides 

 convex, the edges inclinate, the tip acute and ascending. Nostrils basal, 

 oblong. Head rather large, ovate; neck short; body rather stout. Tarsus 

 rather short, slender, compressed, with seven scutella; toes small, first large, 

 inner considerably shorter than outer, which is adnate at the base. Plumage 

 soft and blended; bristles small. Wings rather long, with the second and 

 third quills longest, the first not much shorter. Tail of moderate length, 

 nearly even. 



