CLASS II. AYES: 
ORDER 2. PASSERES, 
165 
the Columbia Rirer. The Black-throated Gray Warbler, S. nigrescens, is five inches long ; 
upper parts bluish ash-gray ; portion of the breast black ; the lower parts white, tinged with 
gray ; found on the Columbia River. The Black-throated Blue Warbler, ^S*. Canadensis, is 
five inches long ; light blue above ; white beneath ; and found from Texas northward. The Black 
AND Yellow Warbler, S. maculosa, is five inches long; neck and head ash-gray; back and 
upper tail-coverts black ; lower parts and rump yellow ; found from Texas northward. The Prai- 
rie Warbler, S. discolor, is five inches long ; upper parts yellowish-green ; lower parts bright 
yellow ; found from Texas to Massachusetts. The Blue Mountain Warbler, S. montana, is four 
and a half inches long; upper parts greenish-olive; lower parts yellowish-olive; found in the 
Blue Mountains of Yirginia, and west of the Rocky Mountains. The Connecticut Y^arbler, S. 
agilis, is five and three-quarter inches long ; olive-green above ; breast ash-gray; rest of the lower 
parts bright yellow; a rare species; found from Connecticut to New Jersey. The Orange- 
breasted Warbler, ^S'. olivacea, is found in Texas and Mexico. Ivirtland's Warbler, S. Kirt- 
landii, is found in Ohio. 
Genus MNIOTILTA : Mniotilta. — This includes the Black and AYhite Creeping-Y^arbler, 
M. varia, five and a half inches long; the back and breast streaked with black and white; found 
throughout the United States. It builds its nest on the ground, lays from three to five eggs, and 
seems to combine the habits of the creeper and warbler. 
Genus MYIODIOCTES, or WILSONIA : Mijiodioctes.—'Th\& includes the Fly-catching War- 
blers: the Hooded Warbler, M. mitratus, is five and a half inches long ; upper parts yellowish- 
oHve; beneath yellow; found in the Middle and Southern States: the Canada Fly-Catcher, JHf. 
Canadensis, is five and a quarter inches long ; ash-gray above ; beneath yellow ; found in the West- 
ern States: Bonaparte's Warbler, M. Bonaiiartii, five and a quarter inches long; upper parts 
grayish-blue ; lower parts ochre-yellow ; found in Kentucky : the Kentucky AYabbler, M.forrno- 
sus, is five and a half inches long ; upper parts j^ellowish-olive ; beneath bright yellow ; common 
in the Southern States ; rare in the AYestern : AA^ilson's AA^arbler, M. Wilsonii, is four and a half 
inches long ; upper parts yellowish-green ; beneath bright yellow ; found from Texas to Labrador. 
P In the birds of this division,'-'' as already stated, the bill is of a more or less conical form — 
sometimes short, very thick at the base, and rapidly diminishing at the tip ; in other cases it is 
more elongated and tapering, and sometimes slightly curved. The tip of the upper mandible is 
usually entire, but occasionally there is a slight tooth on each side near the extremity. The 
wings are generally rather long and pointed, the tarsi long, and the toes of moderate length, the 
outer one being frequently united at its base to the middle one. This group includes the essen- 
tially granivorous birds, but a considerable number of the species are not confined to a grain 
diet ; many of them feed upon fruits and insects, and larvse form a portion of the nourishment of 
most of the species. Some appear to feed upon almost any animal or vegetable substances that 
come in their way, these constituting the greater part of the order of Omnivores, according to 
some naturalists. Among the families and sub-families included in this extensive division are the 
following : the FringillidxE, including the Weaver-Birds, Grosbeaks, Tanagers, SjMvroivs, Bin- 
nets, Finches, Buntings, BarTcs, Bull-Finches, Cross-Bills, and Plant- Cutters ; the Sturnid^, 
including the Glossy Starlings or Bower-Birds^ Grachles, Ox-Peckers, the True Starlijigs, 
Meadow-Lark, Blackbirds, Baltimore Oriole, Orchard Oriole, Red-winged Oriole, Coio-Bird, and 
Boblink ; the Bucerid^ or Horn-Bills ; the Musophagid^ or Plantain- Cutters ; the Coliid^ or 
CoUes ; the Corvid^, including the Piping-Crows, the Jays, the Tree- Crows, the True Crows, 
the Raven, Rook, Jackdaw, Magpie, Chough, Birds of Paradise, &c. 
THE FEmGILLIDvE. 
Under this head we shall include the vast family of the Finches, a group of birds which in- 
* Cuvier, to whom we are indebted for the divisions of Conirostres, Dentirostres, Temdrostres, and Fissirostres, 
which we have adopted, added a fifth, that of the Syndactyli, in M'liich the two outer toes are united for tlie greater 
part of their lengtli; this group, however, included birds of very different descriptions, and has since been sup- 
pressed by many authors. 
